After Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in Red OneAmazon Prime has a new improbable and winning duo. Jean-Claude Van Damme and Michaël Youn are accomplices in The Gardeneraction comedy by David Charhon available on the Amazon Prime platform from this Friday. The first plays a politician threatened by a formidable commando. The second plays his gardener, a taciturn man full of surprises who will help him protect his family. Michaël Youn was overflowing with enthusiasm to speak to 20 Minutes of his partner but also of a very attractive new project.
What motivated you to film in “The Gardener”?
I have been a fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme since childhood. I was bottle-fed Kickboxer and to Bloodsport to action films “alpha male” when I was a kid. So, when the producer called me to say “We’re making a comedy, with fighting and with Jean-Claude Van Damme”, I told him yes straight away before even reading the script.
Were you not disappointed?
Filming with Jean-Claude Van Damme was a gift. The duo was born instantly during camera tests. I spoke to him with the respect, deference and consideration that I maintained for him throughout the filming. I put him on a pedestal from which I never took him down. I wanted to always consider him as the international star and extraordinary actor that he is. It also allowed me to leave him in his bubble, because I know that I can be intrusive.
How was your first meeting?
I immediately got into my character. I stood in front of him, a bit like Louis de Funès, saying, “You’re taking up too much space.” And that made him laugh. We went to eat together. He told me tons of anecdotes. He is very rich. I’m not talking about finances. I speak inside. Unfortunately, poor guy, he has a problem with France, or rather France had a problem with him. Because he was made fun of a lot. Especially on television.
Does he really talk like that in life?
He thinks in English. He is more comfortable playing in English than playing in French. I can confirm this because we shot the film in two languages. He also happens to say funny things. He asked me: “Do you have a wife?” Well, turn off the lights, you’ll get more done.” One day he didn’t recognize me at the gym, he asked me to leave him alone because he clearly didn’t know who I was anymore. His assistant told me he didn’t recognize me.
How would you define it?
It’s nitroglycerin. When it explodes, it explodes far away. He’s hypersensitive. Extremely tender. Very respectful of everyone on the team. But she remains a “prima donna”. From time to time he didn’t come.
And that didn’t pose a problem for you?
No, because he’s fantastic when he’s there. So we agree to take it as it is. We leave our ego at the entrance to the studio. The film exists because there is Jean-Claude Van Damme. We live with that. When he didn’t come, I filmed with his understudy. I was a little disappointed because I preferred to give him the answer, because I was better and because my day was crazier. But I didn’t blame him. He’s a Hollywood star. When he enters a room, the atmosphere changes. This goes beyond his movie character.
How did your duo work?
He doesn’t know how to do what I do and the opposite is also true so we didn’t step on each other’s toes. For him, action is a language… It’s like learning a sentence of text. For me, it’s like learning dance choreography. It takes me a little longer. I’m very comfortable with my body but the real fight scenes are another matter. Before almost every grip, he did ten push-ups and ten dumbbell movements with each arm. He doesn’t stop. I watched him while smoking electronic cigarettes. It was a bit like our characters in the film, two different worlds that meet and appreciate each other. I would immediately The Gardener 2 if it were offered to me.
And in the meantime, do you have any plans?
I am writing the sequel to Fatal. I can just say that the title will be Bazooka and that we will see the hero wake up after twenty years of coma. I’m full of ideas to revive this character who has never really left me. I am often surprised to see that many people, including very young people, know the fictional rapper Fatal Bazooka better than Michaël Youn.
