Pierre Richard Moved by His Global Impact: ‘I Was the Only One Making Them Laugh’

At 91 years old, Pierre Richard is as vibrant as ever, making headlines with the release of “The Man Who Saw the Bear Who Saw the Man,” a film he directed and stars in. This has sparked an extensive promotional tour where he often reflects on the memorable moments from his extraordinary career.

Speaking with journalists from Legend, Pierre Richard, who once feared working with a legendary French actor, spoke about his fame beyond French borders, especially in Russia—a country where he enjoys star status. “I benefited from a special context,” he modestly stated.

“During the communist era, they avoided political films, sexual films, even sensual ones were too much…” continued the iconic actor. “Ultimately, they only accepted comedies, likely just comedies with Louis de Funès and myself, and then de Funès passed away. So, I was the only one left!”

“I Was the Only One Making Them Laugh”

“I took advantage of that; I was the only one making them laugh. ‘The Mustard Goes Up My Nose’ must have had 120 million admissions, twice the population of France,” Pierre Richard said with a laugh before turning serious again.

“I understood why I was successful there,” the actor analyzed. “The first time I visited, I went to Red Square at 2 AM, it was minus 15 degrees. There were only three people, three elderly ladies. And one of them told me: ‘You are our little light in the dark tunnel.’ It was a reflection of the communist era.”

Trailer for “The Man Who Saw the Bear Who Saw the Man”: