VINCENT PEREZ – "FAMILY, I LOVE IT."
At a time when he is the star of The Crow, City of Angels, a "superproduction" made in the USA, the most romantic of our leading men finds that nothing is better than experiencing the simple joys of family. At Disneyland Paris, with his nephews and niece, his brother, and his mother, he had us participate in the happiness of a favorite uncle and his dreams of love… Have you moved to the United States? Are you saying goodbye to France? No, it's just a stage in my life. A year and a half ago, my work required me to be in the United States more and more, and I rented an apartment in New York City, in the SoHo neighborhood. But one day I will live in the South of France. I love my country very much, as well as all of Europe, where my family and friends live. My parents divorced 5 or 6 years ago. Each has rebuilt their life. My father, who is Spanish, lives in Spain: my mother, who is German, lives in Switzerland, as do my brother, my sister and their children. You wouldn't leave the place where your loved ones are. With his mother, who lives in Switzerland, his brother Charles & his wife Caroline, and their three children In The Crow, City of Angels, you were paired with Eric Acosta, a nine-year-old boy. What touched you about that experience? When I saw Eric for the first time, I instantly felt that we were going to get along. I was right. Moreover, he still keeps in touch. I've sort of become his big brother. My nephews and nieces are around the same age. Sadly, I don't see them very often. But, when we do get together, I am the favorite travelling uncle who tells them stories about the places I have been. I love children. I make friends with them very quickly. I love to enter into their universe, tell them stories that will make them dream, and play games and draw with them. As a child, I would stay in my room and draw for hours. I dreamed of becoming a painter.  Vincent, an excellent horseman, and little Xavier ride the trail with Buffalo Bill before walking through the streets of Disneyland Paris.
Your sister had her first child at the age of 18, your father became a dad at the age of 28. At 32, do you feel like you're ready for fatherhood? Yes, I think I'm ready. I want to be responsible, to build solid foundations, and a family is the best kind of foundation. I am all for having a unique kind of love. I like the idea of marriage and I want to have a lot of children, but I would want to live with them, close to them. Right now, it is a little complicated: over the last several months, I have changed countries every two weeks. I just finished shooting a film in England: in February, I start Le Bossu, a film by Phillipe Broca. After that, I would really like to make another French film. Then, I have some other projects in Ireland and Los Angeles. How could you, under the conditions I am working under, have any kind of long lasting relationship in love? As a couple, it is important that the woman, especially when the man is an actor, has a real independence, an autonomy, and a lot of confidence in the partnership, as well as a lot of love for him. This is not an obvious thing. Sadly, right now, I am giving everything to my work, which is my passion, even if the rumors say otherwise about me. It's terrible. I am involved in a lawsuit against a weekly which had me recently getting engaged to Irene Jacob. Or sometimes associated with Karine Silla, the mother of Gerard Depardieu's young daughter. I have known Karine for 9 years. She has become part of my family. I have two very close female friends: Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Carla's sister, and Karine. Unfortunately, if having sex in a brothel is the same as having friendships, there's nowhere else to go. Then, are you completely alone now? Absolutely. I can't tell you that I am happy about it. This is not something easy. Sometimes, I feel very alone. But I have my escapes. Like what? To visit Paris to see my friends, which reinforces me. I also benefit by writing and drawing. I thrive on going to see expositions. I need to be very active. Inactivity makes you feel even more alone. That may be the reason that I work so much. Can you live alone for a long time? I have had all different kinds of adventures. That was a certain period in my life, but now, I am tired. Love is the hardest thing to succeed at. However, I have the impression that I have to take my own individual path. I am ready to love. You have shared your life with women who are were much younger than you, as well as women who were much older, like Jacqueline Bisset. What is, in your opinion, the best age for a woman? I have a difficult time answering. Right now, I could see myself with a woman between 30 and 40 years old, who has already seen things and learned things, and who has already formed a psychological and spiritual independence. As a child, you dreamed of having a "beautiful life", you confided recently in New York. What can you say about that? Between the ages of 20 and 30, one is afraid of not being accepted, or understood, of not being the best. One is afraid of responsibility. Between the ages of 30 and 40, one is afraid of not finding the right person with whom to have a family. After that, one is afraid of losing one's parents… A beautiful life, to me, is to live out the natural moments of your life without being afraid, to take on your fears and for that to make you stronger. I am in the process of learning. It is essential.
[With special thanks to Janette Sylvian for her French translation]
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