A Zone to Defend: François Civil and Lyna Khoudri, the couple of the year

The ‘BAC Nord’ star and the ‘Papicha’ Cesarean actress have made four films together in the past 18 months, including the first-ever French Disney Plus Original. Accomplice on the screen, the romantic couple of the “Three Musketeers” also get along like thieves at the city fair. Encounter.

They don’t leave each other anymore. Two years ago, Francois Civil And Lyna Khoudri did not know each other but today, they are inseparable, at least on the screen. After playing D’Artagnan and Constance Bonacieux in front of Martin Bourboulon’s camera, after doubling together Buzz Lightning and his space sidekick, Izzy Hawthorne, they reunite this summer on Disney Plus in A Zone to Defend, the first French feature film on the streaming platform. The couple of the year confides in Première:

– ” VSis true that it is starting to do a lot! », has fun Francois Civilwell aware of this prolonged professional tango, before tempering any interference: “ I was involved in this project long before Lyna, because I’ve known the director, Romain Cogitore since Nos resistances (in 2011). He suggested to me A Zone to Defend while I was filming BAC Nord, so it’s been a while…”
– ” And me, when I knew that it was François who was going to be in the film, of course, I was delighted “, bounces Lyna Khoudri. ” Because we had just done two projects together, and the current is going really well between us. »

“It’s totally a coincidence: no one agreed to say that this year would be that of the Civil / Khoudri duo! »

– ” In fact, I have to tell you that when we started filming The three MusketeersI already knew that you would be in A Zone to Defend. I remember very well. I was a little intimidated by you, by the fact that you were my Constance. And one day, at the start of filming, I was laughing with Pio (Marmaï) and then you arrived and I already knew that we were going to make another film together afterwards... »
– ” Ah good ? Maybe Romain (Cogitore) told you, but not me… You have to believe that I’m actually boosted! »
– ” No not at all ! I’ve never participated in casting conversations with him, so it’s absolutely no thanks to me that you got the part! »
– ” Yes, you have to tell people: it’s totally a coincidence, a happy coincidence: no one came together and said: this year, it will be that of the duo François Civil / Lyna Khoudri… But so much the better, because it matches well between the two of us”raises the 30-year-old actress, who does not really try to understand why: “ It can’t be explained. It could have gone very wrong too! We get along well because we are from the same generation, we have the same references, we like the same things. We are also friends off the set today. Life is good, that’s all! »

“It makes the job so much easier that we are really friends, Lyna and I”

– ” That’s quite right ! It’s hard to know why we become close to people, even to our friends for that matter… To explain why there are hooked atoms that are created like that », nods Francois Civil. ” Admittedly, we, as actors, could have fabricated all that… But basically, it makes the job so much easier that we are really friends, Lyna and I. There is mutual respect, listening. And both of us don’t take ourselves too seriously in life. We have the same sense of humor which makes us laugh together! »
– ” And today, we even got into our little working habits together. We have our rituals. In the morning, at make-up, we give each other a little briefing and we talk about our respective stories. When we have a big scene waiting for us, the day before, we work on it together. When I feel like I need to rehearse, I go see François so that we can practice together… We pay attention to each other “, details Lyna Khoudriwho plays Myriam, a Zadist activist with whom she will fall in love Francois Civilundercover police officer in this Area to Defend, far from the romantic idyll between D’Artagnan and Constance:
– “ The characters are so different “, confirms the actor. ” We were looking for a form of purity in our love in The three Musketeers. While the romance ofA Zone to Defend is built on ashes, those of lies and imposture. There is a more tragic fate here. It is an impossible love with an emotional suspense, which plays much more on the ambiguity of the sincerity of the characters. »

– “ And it’s not the same time either. Myriam is much more pleasant, more present, more free, even if Constance Bonacieux also embodies a form of freedom in her time… » adds Lyna Khoudriwho also accepted the role for its obvious political aspect: “ I tend to accept films that make me discover a universe that I don’t know. Like that of the Musketeers. And there, that of a ZAD. And I think when you say yes to a movie called Area to Defend, this is not unusual. It’s that we want to participate in this. »
– ” I completely agree “, agrees his sidekick. ” It’s an impossible love story, which tells something about our world. At our level as actors, it’s a form of commitment, I believe. »

Another point on which Francois Civil And Lyna Khoudri meet again… while waiting to see them again on screen (next December), for the fourth time in 18 months, in The Three Musketeers: Milady.

A Zone to Defend, by Romain Cogitore, will be released this Friday, July 7 on Disney Plus.