The Three Musketeers, the Alexandre Dumas classic, returns to the big screen in an ambitious new French blockbuster directed by Martin Bourboulon (Mama or Dad, Eiffel) and divided into two parts. The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan will be released this Friday and The Three Musketeers: Milady will arrive in December. Both have been filmed at the same time in an intense seven-month shoot that began in the summer of 2021.
French actress Eva Green takes on the role of Milady de Winter, Cardinal Richelieu’s stealthy spy in a mysterious role that fits her like a glove. Accompanied by François Civil as D’Artagnan, Vincent Cassel as Athos, Romain Duris as Aramis and Pio Marmaï as the corpulent Porthos, the interpreter of Casino Royale and Próxima defends a femme fatale capable of evaporating like a ghost of situations more complicated and to which actresses such as Lana Turner, Faye Dunaway, Milla Jovovich or Rebecca de Mornay have previously given life.
What attracted you to this story to want to be part of it?
Milady is such an iconic and intimidating character that when I read the script I fell madly in love with the complexity of this woman. Obviously she is evil and manipulative, but I was very interested in the fact that the writers explored a version that hasn’t been seen before in the second part where you see her humanity and you understand why she behaves the way she does. does. We always think of her as a psychopath, but I don’t see her like that in this version. The truth is that she was betrayed in the past and there are very deep wounds that explain who she is. She’s actually a great feminist way ahead of her time, a free and independent warrior who doesn’t care about convention. She also keeps a lot of secrets and that’s a very interesting thing. She is moved by the desire for revenge, but under all those layers that she wears, she is someone fragile.
The character requires to be in good shape. How did she prepare physically?
Well yes, it was something very stimulating. I was training for seven weeks with a stunt team for the second movie where Milady fights a lot with swords and daggers, all very physical. She’s not that she’s a strong built woman, but she’s very agile and fast and I felt the inner strength of her as she did all those choreographies.
She usually plays strong women and, despite being rejected by society, they find a way to get what they want. Do you think more papers of this type are needed?
Milady is a very modern 17th century character and is extremely feminine. I love that she is such a strong woman and I appreciate that the costume designers allowed me to wear pants under those wonderful dresses, ready to fight. Milady has her life in her hands, she does not depend on any man or anyone. And I love that. I think there are more and more female roles like this. Women who have power and at the same time are vulnerable, multidimensional. We are going in the right direction.
What do you think this new film version has to offer the public?
When they told me there was going to be a new version I thought oh really? Another version of The Three Musketeers? but when I started reading the script I immediately realized that the material was different, much darker. The characters are more human, complex, they really are flesh and blood, and there is more humor. I think the public will feel much more identified with them. In a way they are like superheroes, they are not afraid of death. They fight for their country, the action scenes are very impressive and that is why it is a very appealing adventure movie.
Now that you talk about heroes, what were yours when you were little?
I don’t remember…Mary Poppins? Now I would say Greta Thunberg. I admire brave people who do and fight for what they believe in.
When was the first time you read Dumas’s novel and what do you think of it?
That was a long time ago (laughs). I think she would be 10 or 11 years old. Dumas is like the Spielberg of French literature. His novels are full of passion, romance, danger and emotion. So when you read them you are immersed in a different world. It is an iconic novel in France and I feel privileged to be part of his universe.
He has worked in various American blockbusters, most alongside Tim Burton. What has it been like to do it in a French blockbuster like The Three Musketeers?
This movie has the skeleton of a great Hollywood production. It’s epic, the locations are amazing. There isn’t that distance that you might notice with other The Three Musketeers films. We can really feel and vibe with the characters. I think that French cinema has nothing to envy to Hollywood.
You became known with Dreamers (2003), by Bertolucci, together with Louis Garrel, who here embodies King Louis XIII. How was the reunion?
Unfortunately, our characters don’t have any scenes together. But when I saw him it was as if time had never passed. We have a very strong bond because Soñadores was my first film and we have a relationship like brothers. Although a lot of time had passed, we connected again. I adore him and he is magnificent in his role as king, it is very moving. It gives a lot of depth to the character.
Despite Milady’s evil nature, would you say you have something in common with her?
I don’t think so (laughs). But I wish I had the courage of her. He is extremely brave and I love that.
What makes you accept or not a project?
The key is the script. If I connect with him immediately in a gut reaction, I feel like I have to say yes, but I also look at the director and the cast. When they told me about the cast of this movie, with so many fantastic actors and actresses, I knew I had to be in it.
He coincides with Vincent Cassel also in the TV series Liaison and, just like in The Three Musketeers, they have a complicated relationship
It is that humans are very complicated (laughs). We shot the series before the movie and that helped me a lot because we already knew each other. Your Athos is very interesting. He’s a very hurt man in the first part and I think he’s a great actor. But it’s easy to connect with these musketeers because there is a very strong psychology behind the characters. Milady and Athos are who they are because of what happened 20 years ago. And in December… we will have more answers.
