LAETITIA CASTA

INTERVIEW BY LULU GAINSBOURG
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JODY ROGAC
ASSISTED BY AMANDA HAKEN
STYLING BY MICHAEL ANGEL
ASSISTED BY DENISE PICHARDO

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In 1999 a fresh-faced Laetitia Casta took her place on one of David Letterman’s greying couch chairs to promote a beautiful book of her modelling photography. At 21 she may have been young enough to be Letterman’s daughter, but by then she was already an industry veteran with six years of polished portfolio under her belt. When Letterman said, “You’re just a kid, for God’s sake,” she rose to her feet protesting to the audience, “I am a woman!” Twelve years later, there’s no denying that the stunningly beautiful Casta is all woman. The Corsican native is still modeling like a pro but has also stepped adventurously into the world of cinema. While some models are more than happy to play ‘confused-looking sexy girlfriend of guy who tries to save the world from robots’, Casta has opted for juicy roles, art-house directors and looking hot in raunchy Rihanna music videos. Her most recent performance is as iconic actress Brigitte Bardot in Gainsbourg – an award-winning French biopic about the life of musician Serge Gainsbourg. Here she discusses the legend’s life, his loves, his music and her experience making the film with Serge’s son, Lulu. Laetitia may be all grown up, but that doesn’t mean she’s slowing down. And Letterman? Well, he’s still old enough to be her father.

Lulu Gainsbourg—Hi Laetitia.

Laetitia Casta—Hi Lulu.

LG—I heard that Gainsbourg, in which you play Brigitte Bardot, is out in New York in September. How do you feel about that?

LC—At the beginning of the project I wanted to say no – I didn’t want to do it. I thought playing Brigitte Bardot was quite risky. She’s still alive and she’s such a big icon and I thought if I took the role I wouldn’t be able to work after. I didn’t want to go back to simply being an object of desire. So initially I declined the role. But I eventually changed my mind and when we started filming in Paris I thought it was quite complicated because playing her was like playing a child, and I didn’t know it was going to be like that – I was scared the film’s director [Joann Sfar] would turn her into a caricature, so now that the movie is coming out in the US, it’s quite funny that I considered not doing it at all. As Serge’s son, what did you think of the movie?

LG—Watching it, I felt like it was like something out of reality. I liked the way that Joann created this character of my father and that was funny. The story is different from real life because he created something new. He tried to show Gainsbourg’s life in a dream way, in his way.

LC—How old were you when your father died?

LG—Five.

LC—Do you have any mementos from your time with him?

LG—Yes, of course. I have many. I used to watch Disney films with him, so I still have those.

LC—Disney cartoons? Which ones?

LG—Oh, all the old movies, Peter Pan, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs…
I really like the way you perform in Gainsbourg. In fact, I think your performance as Bardot was my favorite in the movie.

LC—Thank you. I see around your neck you have a necklace that looks familiar. Is it yours?

LG—It’s mine. This is a sapphire and my father used to have a sapphire necklace, too.

LC—I thought it was your father’s because I’ve seen a similar necklace on him in some old photographs.

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