As surprising as it is true. Jason Priestley starred in a France 3 TV film. Death on the track, broadcast this Saturday at 9:10 p.m., the man who became known as Brandon from the series “Beverly Hills 90210” plays Ryan Martin, an American cop who arrives in Sarthe as part of an exchange. He supports captain Sabrina Nedjard from the start of an investigation: a driver was found dead on the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit during the week of testing.
“If someone had told me, at 14, when I was watching “Beverly Hills” a lot, that I would one day film with Jason! » confides Éléonore Bernheim, who plays the policewoman. “On the set, I felt like I was in a time warp. It was improbable, especially since I don’t speak English very well and he doesn’t speak French very well.”
“We asked ourselves the question of putting subtitles”
“It was a challenge for me,” admits the 54-year-old Canadian actor. “I arrived with the notions of French that I had left from my high school years, I had to follow everyone speaking French and spot when I needed to say my lines. It was a challenge, but it was a lot of fun.”
Choosing an English-speaking actor was planned from the start of the project, assures producer Jean-Baptiste Neyrac. “The 24 Hours of Le Mans are popular across the Atlantic and we were very attached to this international aspect. We asked ourselves the question of putting subtitles but we did what was necessary to ensure that this was not the case. The character of Ryan Martin, however, retains his American authenticity. »
Jason Priestley was contacted in the most classic way possible. The production sent him the script, he read it and, he says, he was “immediately seduced” by this old-fashioned “murder mystery”. In addition, he had already been to Le Mans and knows the world of car racing very well since he himself was a driver. He had to stop practicing after suffering a serious accident at the Kentucky circuit in 2002. “It allowed me to have a better understanding of my character. Ryan Martin was also a pilot and also experienced a crash… I know how much such an event can change you, for bad or for good” specifies the actor.
The “very good wine” of Bordeaux
Jason Priestley seems to have enjoyed this first experience in France. He found the filming “more efficient” than elsewhere. And he took advantage of his free time to do a little sightseeing in old Mans but also in Bordeaux where, during a weekend spent with part of the team, he tasted “some very good wine”.
During the (video) press conference last month, he also paid tribute to Éléonore Bernheim: “She was by my side all the time and made sure that I was well taken care of.” She confirms: “As I was his playing partner, we were always together, I encouraged him. I think that our alliance as actors allowed us to build a bond in the game and in the duo formed by our characters.”