Interview with Tchéky Karyo
Interview with Tchéky Karyo, who plays Julien Baptiste.
Published: 4 October 2016
For him…to follow these monsters who did these unspeakable crimes, it’s not a risk, it’s a responsibility.
So what brings Julien back to this story of The Missing?
Writers Harry and Jack Williams thought, what kind of situation may occur if a child who was abducted comes back after 10 or 15 years? You think wow, it's incredible, it's fantastic. But it can also be difficult. You don't know what they went through. So that's where The Missing starts.
What does Julien bring to the case?
He’s always coming from the outside. He discovers things. He unveils things that are hard to listen to. The doors are always closing on him, but he keeps fighting because he knows he’s going to get through it. And he knows that it's not easy to accept the impossible, to not take things at face value. Sometimes, you really have to dig and work a little bit, think a little bit and not choose the easy way.
And why did you want to be involved again?
I love Harry and Jack’s writing and I love the people producing it, because they are authentically concerned by the project and the humanity of the characters. I feel it’s not just any other television series. As for Julien, he has culture. What I love about him is he’s a man of action, but he’s also a deep thinker. It’s interesting because even when he’s in a moment of action, he never forgets to think or to express something about the situation. For him…to follow these monsters who did these unspeakable crimes, it’s not a risk, it’s a responsibility.
We learn more about Julien’s story this series and follow his story more closely, particularly his relationship with his wife. What can you tell us about that?
Julien’s well supported because, while he’s made many mistakes, he married well. His wife Celia (Anastasia Hille) is really a hero. You can love somebody, but to really love that person you must be able to love them freely. You shouldn’t try to hold them like you possess them. It’s great to walk together, to look in the same direction. They’re a great couple.
What’s the experience like of working with one director (Ben Chanan) through the whole series?
You have to take time to really develop a relationship. Sometime it happens right away, sometimes it needs time. So when you work with the same person, you get to know each other. Ben has worked on a lot of documentaries which gives him an eye, a quest really, for this feeling of reality and authenticity.
Why do you think people are attracted to a series like The Missing?
We always think things happen to others, but it doesn't. I'm a father, I have two young children. So I’m concerned by it and suddenly I’m thinking, I cannot take life as easy as I did because it can happen to anybody. So I think that’s why there is an interest in following our story because we can identify with that fear, that moment. But as well, there is irony and humour, and something authentic about The Missing. It makes you keep questioning; it keeps you on your toes.
