ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke with Good Grief star Arnaud Valois about Netflix’s upcoming romantic dramedy. The actor spoke about working with Dan Levy and his appreciation for the fine art seen in the movie. The film is set to debut on the streaming platform on Friday, January 5, 2024.
“Marc (Dan Levy) was content living in the shadow of his larger-than-life husband, Oliver (Luke Evans),” reads the movie‘s synopsis. “But when Oliver unexpectedly dies, Marc’s world shatters, sending him and his two best friends, Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel), on a soul-searching trip to Paris that reveals some hard truths they each needed to face.”
Tyler Treese: You have some really great moments with Dan Levy in this movie. What really stood out about him as a scene partner? We get to see his real dramatic range here.
Arnaud Valois: Yeah, that’s true, Tyler. From day one, I was impressed with Dan’s ability to embody Mark’s emotions. Very deep emotions, sadness … bitter emotions. He was so subtle, and I was a huge fan of Schitt’s Creek, but it’s a new Dan Levy. From the reading of the script, I was so curious and excited to see how it was going to be on set with him being that character.
The way the characters are introduced is funny. Your character sees Dan’s character, Mark, pissing off a performance artist, and then he decides to approach him. What do you think it was that drew Theo to Mark?
I think it’s a very unique way of interacting with a performance artist in that scene or crowd. I think Theo is really intrigued by Mark in that way of acting and maybe, in Theo’s life, it’s quite easy to connect with people. Mark is very by himself, and it’s a challenge for Theo to see what’s behind this. “Who is he? I’m going to see who he really is.”
There’s this wonderful scene in the movie that takes place with Monet’s The Water Lily Pond paintings, and it’s very emotional and is a really beautiful back-and-forth between your characters. Can you speak to filming that scene? I thought it was a real highlight of the film.
It was absolutely incredible to have the Musée de l’Orangerie just for ourselves for a day. I felt really impressed by all the paintings and so small in front of that work. I went to that museum several times but with a lot of people. To be able to connect with all the paintings all around you is really, really moving and special. I felt so lucky, really, and privileged to be in that place with Dan and with all the crew.
Your character, Theo, has such an openness and vulnerability there. What did you like most about that character you got to portray?
It’s really trying to be honest all the time. it’s quite difficult in the real life, so to put myself in his shoes and try to be honest all the time was a very interesting journey. “How does it feel to be really authentic and try not to play with other people and just trying to tell the truth all the time?” I kind of loved it, and I’m trying to do it in the real life now. It’s a journey and I’m trying and I hope I’m going to succeed in it at some point.
This was Dan’s directorial debut for film. How was it watching him juggle his duties both as a director and an actor?
It was fascinating. I was expecting sometimes to be on my own, and it would be okay because he had so many things to do, but it was still very focused on our relationship and, through his looks [and] his smiles, I could tell he was happy with the scenes. Thanks to all the readings and the prep we’ve done before, we had been able to create a real connection in real life before. So that’s why it felt so organic and genuine on screen. I try to be the most focused and helpful for him to be able to watch all the images … to leave him some space.
