Ahead of the release of Lupin Part 2 on June 11, lead actress Ludivine Sagnier sits down with Tatler for a one-on-one
When the modern retelling of Maurice Leblanc's classic French tale of gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin, launched on Netflix earlier this year, it became an instant hit. Reaching 76 million households in its first month, Lupin was the first French TV series to land on the streaming giant's US Top 10 List and continues to hold the top spot as one of their most-watched, foreign language shows.
In Part 1, we were introduced to Omar Sy's Assane Diop and a memorable cast of characters, including Claire, Assane's childhood sweetheart and mother to his child, Raoul. The complex plot begins with a jewellery heist at the Louvre Museum before taking us on a ride around Paris as Assane works to uncover the truth behind his father's death.
Assane evades both the cops and the baddies at every turn with clever disguises and misdirections, up until the season finale when Raoul gets kidnapped, leaving fans in unbearable anticipation to find out what happens next. Part 2 premieres tomorrow (June 11) on Netflix.
In this exclusive interview with French actress Sagnier, it's a strict no-spoiler zone. "I now get asked about Lupin all the time," she declares. "Whenever friends of my daughter visit the house, they are always begging me for spoilers. They want to know if Raoul is going to be safe. Even at the shops, I'll be paying for my groceries and the cashier will say, 'Here's your change—can you tell me if Raoul is going to be okay?'"
Instead, she teases what she's most excited for fans to see in the upcoming season.
"I like that the writer (George Kay) has taken some time to explore Assane's family life. We see more of his character as a father and his relationship to his son," she says.
This only leaves us with more questions. Does it mean that Claire and Assane will save their only child, or will the anguish of losing Raoul turn the story around? And will we be treated to more delightful flashbacks of the pair as teenagers? Is a reconciliation between Claire and Assane still on the cards?
With a sympathetic shrug, Sagnier tells us that we'll just have to wait.
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