He was there the very first day of filming. “The very first morning”, even rectifies Serge Dupire, alias Vincent Chaumette in More beautiful life. For the actor, the formalization of what was hitherto a rumor marks the end of 18 years spent on the sets of the famous series of France 3, whose audiences continued to crumble. After a meeting with employees in Marseille, the channel confirmed in a press release the end of its flagship soap opera for the month of November.
“I did not believe it, to this end, sighs Serge Dupire. I find that extremely unfortunate and it’s really sad. There are a lot of people who are going to be extremely sad and upset. It’s a beautiful story that ends. I am thinking of viewers, but also of intermittent workers. More beautiful life is a series that still works, with Marseille as the main character. There are enough people watching to continue. Macron came a few months ago saying that in Marseille he wanted a major media hub. But there is nothing more to say. Paris decides. They have big studios in Montpellier. They made a choice. Another series broadcast on France 2, such a big sunmuch more dynamic in terms of audience, is indeed filmed in the prefecture of Hérault.
“Everyone is going to cry, that’s for sure”
“I receive lots of messages on social networks from people who do not understand, abounds Stéphane Hénon, alias Jean-Paul Boher. It has been the daily meeting place for many families for eighteen years. It’s weird. For three months, and this article in the press which announced the end of the series, people did not speak to us about the intrigues. They were telling us about the end. For them, stopping is not possible. »
And to entrust. “I am frankly sad, because More beautiful life, it’s a real family. When we will have the last “cut”, for real, everyone will cry, that’s for sure. I met my ex-wife there. We had two children. There were plenty of babies More beautiful life. If it lasted so long, it’s thanks to this family atmosphere. We were happy to meet again. How many guests who were dying asked if it was not possible to live again? I hope to be able to find this benevolence. »
“A Change of Life”
A page that must also turn for the 600 intermittent workers who worked on the series each year. “With the series, we proved that in Marseille, we could work, believes Serge Dupire. It was an extraordinary television school. I know a lot of people who arrived as interns and left as producers or sound engineers! “” This end means a change of life for many, many people, all the little hands, the technicians, blows Stéphane Hénon. There are some for whom it will be very complicated. »
And to sigh: “We are intermittent, that’s how it is. We will find elsewhere. Me, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Maybe theater? I was offered a lot of things that I couldn’t do, because my priority was the series. In the meantime, I’m taking full advantage. “Me, I haven’t been on the series since May 2021,” says Serge Dupire. And I started shooting something else. Since February, I have been on another project. But More beautiful life called me back, and I’m going back there in a few weeks. “Surely to say a last goodbye to the millions of fans of the series…