Did you know that the little boy in “The Three Brothers,” played by the newcomer Antoine du Merle, was almost portrayed by a child star from the 90s? This was indeed the wish of producer Claude Berri.
A classic French comedy that drew nearly seven million viewers to theaters, “The Three Brothers” features a memorable scene that was almost cut during editing. The film stars the comedy trio Didier Bourdon, Bernard Campan, and Pascal Légitimus, who find themselves in various adventures alongside young Michaël, a little boy portrayed on screen by the novice Antoine du Merle. But did you know that this key role in the storyline was nearly played by a child star of the 90s?
In issue 44 of the quarterly magazine Schnock, which focuses on Les Inconnus, the trio gives an extensive interview reflecting on their successful career. It includes their cinematic venture “The Three Brothers,” which won a César for Best First Film. During the interview, it was revealed that the role of little Michaël was originally intended for… Jordy, the child star who became famous in 1992 at the age of 4 with the song “Dur dur d’être bébé”!
“During the casting, Berri (Claude Berri, the producer; ed.) wanted us to cast Jordy for the role. His rationale is always to opt for stars,” Didier Bourdon told Schnock. “As for Jordy, I knew right from the start it would be a no. We did a casting anyway, and if he had been good, we would have taken him. Berri was fair, though, because he accepted it when he saw the other kid we chose.”
The Humor and Self-Deprecation of Producer Claude Berri
Claude Berri thus trusted Les Inconnus in their choice of the child who would play Michaël. Even better, the producer almost said yes to everything the trio suggested, showing a great sense of self-deprecation. “He realized we were going to poke fun at his contemporary art collection,” continued Bourdon. “We were, of course, inspired by the artworks we had seen at his place for those that appear in the film. Whiteman is Ryman, and ‘the still of Kundelich’ refers to Kounellis. He was the first to laugh about it; he had a great sense of humor.”
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The trailer for “The Three Brothers”:
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A passionate journalist, Iris Lennox covers social and cultural news across the U.S.