She’s the daughter of theater actors and the granddaughter of legendary film director Alejandro Jodorowsky, but Alma is a bright talent in her own right with strong roles in a series of successful films and the recently released album of her band, Burning Peacocks. We caught up with the French chanteuse while she was in Tokyo making a short film for Mango, to talk about why acting is easier than sharing music on stage, how her creative family impacted her views on life and why she’d be happy to do a blockbuster.
You’re from a very creative family, your parents are actors and your grandfather is a brilliant director, was it inevitable that you got into acting?
I think so, yes, because growing up with comedian parents was really fun as a kid. When you see the way they earn money — for me as kid it was like just having fun and playing characters and dressing up, so it was really fascinating. That said, they taught me that it’s not only a game but a real job, that you have to work, to train. They told me that you can be free to whatever you want to. I was very lucky that my parents taught me I could be anything I wanted, whatever direction I chose. It was something that lead me to what I’m doing now.
And you’ve got a band also — Burning Peacocks — how long have you been doing that?
It’s been four years, but we’ve been working more seriously on it for the past two and half years, since we signed to our label. We released an EP two years ago, and our album just came out. We’ve been working on it for quite a long time now so it’s great to have it out.
What’s the story behind your band’s name?
It was going to be the name of the band My Bloody Valentine, a band that David Baudart, who I started the band with, and I really liked. We still do, but at the time when we met it was something we were listening to all the time, so that’s kind of the first musical discussion that we had and it was kind of a tribute.
Does writing lyrics come naturally to you?
Yeah because always I’ve loved writing, since I was very young I always used to write stories and poems and things like that…before having a band it was just something for me, I never really thought about publishing something.
What sparks the lyric writing process for you?
Sometimes I just feel the need to write, when I’m feeling strong emotions, it’s kind of a reflex to do it, a natural reaction. And also sometimes when David sends me the instrumental of a song I listen to it and and then work on lyrics, so it happens both ways.
When you get sent a script what do you look for in a role?
It’s not only the role, it’s also the story, it’s the team, the director and other actors. Recently I feel like I’ve been receiving scripts with more adult roles, more my age, and it feels really good because I was getting a bit tired of playing a teenager. I recently played a girl my own age, which was really fun, I really felt the difference. It’s more interesting to explore.
What sort of character would be your ideal to explore?
Well I’m still young and there are so many things I want to do. I kind of want to do opposite things, like I’d love to play, for example, a part in a super high-production action movie… but I’d also like to explore difficult and thoughtful roles. I think it’s such an amazing opportunity, doing this job, I don’t think you should be closed to anything categorically, it’s nice to explore different ways of doing cinema, and having fun doing it. I think there are less boundaries now than there used to be, to move between different types of roles.
What sort of character prep do you do?
I read the script again and again, I like to really know the character well, but then when I’m working I try not to be too cerebral, not too much in my head. I think it’s better when I’m really living the moment with the person I’m acting with, because if you think too much about it while you’re acting you stay in your own space, your own world, your own head. It’s about reacting to the people in front of you. It’s important to really be able to relax and leave it to the moment.
If you were going to be in a remake of a film, what would it be?
Peau d’Âne, a movie by Jacques Demy — Donkey Skin in English — it’s my favorite movie because I watched it a lot when I was a kid and I still do now. It’s a musical with Catherine Deneuve, one of my favorite actresses. It’s very psychedelic — the costumes, the make-up, the set — everything is magical but in a very 70s way.
In terms of music versus acting, do you get totally different things from them?
I think I feel more naked when I’m singing, because when I’m on stage doing that it’s really me, I can’t hide behind a character, so it’s very different. I thought it would be ok because of my acting experience, but as I didn’t decide to create a character for when I’m onstage with my band, I have to really be myself. It’s another experience.
Credits
Text Clementine de Pressigny
Photography James A. Grant
All clothing by Mango