'I just had to submit': Simon Helberg on physical scenes with Adam Driver in 'Annette'

A certain red carpet in France was set ablaze with the stardust of Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, and Leos Carax, as they presented 'Annette' during the 74th Cannes International Film Festival in July 2021. Despite the absence of Driver at the post-screening press conference, his presence in the 'Annette' narrative remained undeniably impactful.

"An 'Offbeat Rock Opera Musical Fantasy' Sets Cannes Abuzz"

The festival's opening film, 'Annette', received a mixed bag of reactions, with many praising its originality, whilst others doubted its mainstream appeal. A distinct product of Carax's inventive lens, the film stirred spirited discussions about the resurgence of arthouse cinema. Amid all this, a memorable moment came when Driver lit up a cigarette during the post-premiere standing ovation, pointing perhaps to the demands of the film's extensive 2-hour-20-minute runtime.

"Stardom Under the Spotlight: Marion Cotillard's Take on Fame"

Marion Cotillard, Driver's co-star in 'Annette', got candid during the press conference about the high-stakes world of fame. "It’s been a big question in my personal life. Why do you need to be looked at, loved by so many people? It can build your confidence…but it can destroy you. Especially when you don’t have so much love for yourself. We’ve seen so many celebrities go down."

Discussing the musical's unique process, Cotillard highlighted the challenges of recording the vocals live, with the sounds of singing influenced by the movements of the actors.

"Simon Helberg's Comical Take on 'Fighting' Adam Driver"

Actor Simon Helberg managed to inject a dose of humor into the conference when he was questioned about his martial arts commonality with Cannes General Delegate Thierry Fremaux. “Do you want me to fight him? Is that what you’re asking? We will fight,” Helberg joked.

He also opened up about his experience of physical scenes with Driver in 'Annette', concluding, “I had no chance with Adam,” hinting at the formidable presence of the former U.S. Marine.

The creators behind the music, the brothers Ron and Russell Mael (known as Sparks), acknowledged Carax as their "kindred spirit," with Carax sharing his initial frustrations of not being a musician, which drove him to direct the film. An unconventional journey from concept to screen, 'Annette' certainly left its mark at Cannes, even with the conspicuous absence of its leading man, Adam Driver.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)