Earlier today, Marion Cotillard was interviewed on Le Grand Journal. Exactly one year after her interview on the show during last year’s Cannes Festival and also exactly 3 months after her last appearance on the talk show. She looked absolutely adorable in her red dress. And I love her hair.

I don’t have time for a proper translation but here’s a – hopefully accurate – summary. She talked a bit about her character Marie in ‘Les Petits Mouchoirs‘ who’s generally full of rage apparently. She enjoyed filming a contemporary movie wearing jeans and swearing. Guillaume Canet is a great director and she enjoyed working together and had many beautiful moments with the whole cast who mostly are old friends of theirs. She evaded the question if Guillaume was being difficult at home during filming – à la Guido Contini in Nine – but said that the two things can be balanced.

She was equally evasive about her character in ‘Inception‘ but said that it is not “Cat Woman” – the character is very complex and enigmatic. She has many different sides to her. She shares with Christopher Nolan the love of seeing a movie without knowing anything about it in advance.

Coming to Cannes doesn’t feel like an obligation. There are things she’s obliged to do – like talk about ‘Les Petits Mouchoirs‘ – but they’re agreeable to do. And she didn’t sing Karaoke last night at the concert – contrary to what the people on the show thought. But apparently, Guillaume sang – during a time when Marion wasn’t there.

She confirms ‘Midnight in Paris‘ – she doesn’t share a scene with Carla Bruni – and ‘Contagion‘. She also grabs the opportunity to gush about Kate Winslet. However, she was very reluctant about ‘Cosmopolis‘ since she’s still in talks. (This makes sense as Variety reported she was “attached” to the movie – this means she hasn’t signed anything and having her name attached to the project will hopefully help get the project made.) Moreover, she hasn’t heard anything about ‘The Rivals‘ in a long time – its development has definitely been put on ice. Sadly, they didn’t ask her about ‘Second Coming‘.

Gallery: 276 Talk Shows > Le Grand Journal à Cannes – 2010
Video: 001 Talk Shows > Le Grand Journal

This Variety article caught my eye last week. It’s actually about the fate of some 200 projects after the split between DreamWorks and Paramount. But there’s an interesting paragraph:

Another 17 pictures — including “The Rivals,” starring Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard — stay at Paramount, with Spielberg able to co-finance which ones he chooses. If he doesn’t co-finance, and he’s a producer or director on any of those projects, he’ll get his 7.5% gross deal.

Apparently, Nicole Kidman – currently shooting “Nine” alongside Marion Cotillard – has been attached to play Sarah Bernhardt in this film for something like 5 years. What is it about?

The film is about the rivalry between 19th century stage stars, SARAH BERNHARDT and ELEONORA DUSE – who competed in their careers as well as in social circles and romantically.

More youthful than Bernhardt, Italian-born Duse became a threat to the older actress and, as the rivalry escalated, both would play the same part on the same night to allow critics the chance to compare their performances.

Now, here’s to hoping this project will come off the ground!