IN CONVERSATION WITH CAMILLE RAZAT

Interview by Jana Letonja

French actress and model Camille Razat is best known to international audiences from Darren Star’s hit Netflix series ‘Emily in Paris’, in which she’ll be reprising her role in the upcoming fourth season. This role has also contributed to her becoming the international ambassador for L’Oréal Paris.

At 18, you decided to abandon your dream of becoming a journalist to pursue acting. What contributed to this decision? What drew you to acting?

I wanted to do something different before getting into long studies to become a journalist, so I decided I’ll go to acting school because I thought it will be useful to go do some theater even as a journalist. Learn to be articulate, present and less shy. 

How do you look back on the very beginnings and where you are today in your career?

I’m so humbled and grateful. It wasn’t easy, but I feel so lucky that my passion is what is getting me employed. More recently, I started my own production company called Tazar. It’s a blessing because I no longer have to wait for people to call me. I have my own agenda. 

You studied drama at Cours Florent in Paris. What were the biggest lessons and takeaways from your time at the acting school?

I remember one of my first professors telling me “Yes, you’re pretty, but it’s not going to get you anywhere. Now when you’re acting on stage, I don’t want to listen to you”. It was a shock, but she was right, I was not invested enough. One year later, while I was playing Phaedra, she said to me “Now I’m listening, now you’re here. Thank you, good job”. She was a true eye-opener for me. 

Your life kind of changed with the international success of a hit series you’re currently starring on. How do you deal with the fame that comes with it?

I’m just grateful for my fans. They’re adorable and I can feel their love. Again, I feel lucky. Of course, sometimes it’s weird because I kind of like to be a nobody, like when I was able to go out to a bar for instance. Nowadays, I have to be careful who I talk to and what I say. 

What is the most important thing for you in picking the projects you’re working on?

Passion will always be my first condition. No matter if the director is known or not, I only function with a kind of ‘love at first sight’ sentiment. I’m looking for strong female characters that evolve during the story. I’m tired of playing the girlfriend or the nice little girl. 

Acting and fashion go hand in hand. How fun is it to experience all these different styles through your characters?

I love it so much. For me, fashion is also a form of art, as the cinema is. Dressing up is playing a character. That’s why I love fashion, because I think it’s the best way of self-expression. The way you present yourself to people is very important because they’re going to remember you like that. No matter what people say, they always judge. It’s in human nature. So for example, if I’m sad, I’m going to wear black so people can see I’m not in a good mood and so maybe their attitude towards me will be more sweet. 

We’ve seen you front row at Paris Fashion Week. How do you usually pick out your outfits for different shows?

I’ve been working with Clement Lomellini, a stylist, for two years now. We always search for a new me in our looks, keeping my true personality and not being disguised, but also push it so it’s very much high fashion and different. 

What would you describe as the most daring or out-of-your-comfort-zone outfit you’ve worn to an event?

I guess the Balmain red dress I wore during ‘Emily in Paris’ promotion in New York. I know I can go even further than that, but I’m making a slow transition so people that follow me don’t freak out. 

When you are not on set or attending fashion events, what are your other passions and hobbies?

Video games, going to movies, board games, making music. Chilling with my friends basically. 

What can you share with us about your upcoming projects?

As an actress, I shot two movies that are going to be released this year. One is a French author’s movie called ‘The Prodigees’ and the other one is an American independent movie called ‘Waltzing with Brando’. I also have the 4th season of ‘Emily in Paris’ coming up. 

Then for 2024, I have several projects that are in discussion, but we have to make it work schedule-wise. As a producer, I already produced three short films that I sent to festivals. I’m currently in preparation to produce a feature in which I’ll have the leading role. And I also started a label, called ‘Soupire Records’, with which I produced music video clips for the group Gennre. 

TEAM CREDITS
talent CAMILLE RAZAT @camillerazat
photography ESRA SAM @esrasam
creative & fashion direction JULIEN VASSEL @julienvassel_
hair artist PAUL DUCHEMIN @paulduchemin
makeup artist SARAH ATALLAH @sarahatallahmakeup
nail artist NAFISSA DJABI @nafissadjabi
lighting assistance OCTAVE PINEAU-FURET, OLEXANDER URSULIAK @gooorse @ursuliak_oleksandr
fashion assistance ELISE NADAUD, NINA MARKS at FORTY-ONE STUDIO @fortyone_studioparis
publicist CHARLOTTE TOURRET @charlottetourret
image ISABELLE BRULIER @isabrulier
editor TIMI LETONJA @timiletonja
interview JANA LETONJA @janaletonja
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN @arthurroeloffzen