Olivier Martinez as Angelo Pardi

Director Jean-Paul Rappeneau and Producer Rene Cleitman found that the most challenging obstacle in bringing The Horseman on the Roof to the screen would be to find the perfect actor to play their romantic hero. In the past, stars such as Marlon Brando, Anthony Perkins, Alain Delon and Gerard Philip were considered for the role. This team faced the task of wading through today's pool of young French actors in search of Angelo.

Before his death in 1970, Giono suggested, in the tradition of neo-realism, that the part of Angelo be played by a complete unknown taken directly from the street. Says Rappeneau, "I saw many actors, but I soon realized that I really had to find Giono's unknown person. Just as I was ready to shift my search from professional actors, I met Olivier Martinez. His first screen-tests made me suddenly understand exactly what I was looking for. He had it more than anyone else, that energy and inner fire. It was him. The director continues, With Olivier, one of the mysteries of the book found an answer: He had to be a force of nature to pass through the epidemic without getting sick. He became, as you see in the film, an extraordinary equestrian. He prepared with a strong will. The young man of today, crazy about jazz and motorcycles, became Angelo.

Cleitman comments of the team's miraculous good fortune in finding the handsome, vibrant and soulful Olivier Martinez: It was obvious that there was no famous actor who could be cast for the part, and we knew that if we couldn't find our Angelo, we would not be able to make the movie. After numerous screen-tests, we saw Olivier Martinez. I immediately knew we had found Angelo. The spirit of the character was already there. He had that blend of youthfulness and energy, of innocence and maturity, and he was the perfect age.

Martinez shares his vision of the role saying, The Horseman on the Roof is primarily a great old fashioned love story. Angelo becomes a man through his actions and feelings. His character evolves thought the movie. I like playing love stories with restraint. Angelo is a character in love who's trying to hide it and who in spite of himself, ends up accepting it. Love stories aren't told that way nowadays. As soon as he sees Pauline he falls in love, she does not. Pauline is a magnificent character. As their adventure evolves amidst the horror of the disease, she realizes that by her side is someone quite rare who is actually similar to her. In the end she is the one who wants to keep him. The whole thing was an adventure. I completely immersed myself in the the 19th Century. I learned to fence and to ride a horse. I spent a lot of time in museums and read extensively about the period. I also learned Italian so that my lines would be phonetically correct."

Angelo is a famous character from literature and in earlier projects stars such as Gerard Philip, Alain Delon were considered to play him. How did you approach this role?

I didn't know anything about Angelo. I had no idea that the movie had almost been made with such actors in mind so it didn't bother me. What was important to me was the discovery of a universe so different from mine, so far from who I am and so far from my culture. I have nothing in common with Gerard Philip, neither physically nor culturally. I can never thank Rappeneau enough for leaving behind that conventional image and trusting me with the role. What matters is what lies at the heart of the character. Even though I come from a different background that Angelo, I welcomed playing a romantic hero from the 19th Century.

How is Angelo different from the other roles you've played?

I've never done classic characters, usually I play kind-hearted criminals. But I can do that any time. Playing Angelo was something entirely new. Until now, I've acted in movies that were about today's events, and furthermore I belong to a specific social place in our modern culture. Here, quite suddenly, I changed my entire world and modes of expression.

How did you come to meet Jean-Paul Rappeneau?

It was very simple, I didn't know him but I had seen Le Savage and Cyrano. I was performing in an O'Neill play, Desire Under the Elms, and Rappeneau came to see the slow and to meet me. I offered to buy him a drink and at the theater's bar, he told me about the project. He asked me to read the book and to do a screen-test. After the first test, Rappeneau continued to look for other actors. Time passed and I did a second screen test. Between tests I had time to prepare and read the book and let it ripen in my mind. I knew how I wanted Angelo to be, I was more motivated.

Did you discover Giono's work with this book?

Yes, it was the first time I read Giono. It was a revelation. I read and reread the book before shooting and today I continue to read Giono.

How do you see Giono?

I picture him as someone independent with a great thirst for freedom. Giono had no curiosity in college, it's only after he left that he started learning because he was free to choose. I am the same way, I never learned much in school. Giono says his great pleasure was to write but that spending time on the publication of his books was a waste of time that took him away from the pleasure of writing. I think Giono did what pleased him first, without worrying about what others might think. It's essential for an artist not to obey fashion but to do what gives him pleasure. It's selfish, I do things that please me above all and if it happens to please others, well then great.

Are you Mediterranean like the author?

Even though I was born in Paris, the Mediterranean culture is in by blood, I have that in common with Angelo. Shooting in Provence I discovered an intensity and a richness that I didn't know existed in my own land. I don't think any movie has ever depicted Provence this way.

How did it feel to see yourself as Angelo on the screen?

It was hard for me to see Angelo on the screen, I mainly saw Olivier in a riding habit on a horse. I tried to instill the character with energy, life and enthusiasm. For me, the story is a tale, 'Once upon a time ...' if you will. I very much like the idea of confronting horror with beauty, setting a terrible epidemic against such a gorgeous backdrop. Angelo struggles and overcomes horror, I find that beautiful. He's also fighting for a cause. I like characters that defend their ideas and refuse compromise. Angelo is on the run because of his ideas and he can die in any moment. He goes through catastrophes without even thinking about why he's made certain choices. He just does it, he takes action. One complains less when one acts. He is engaged in life. I tried to make that come through.

Did you ever feel crushed by this role, by the breadth of a film that rests on your shoulders?

To be more of less famous is the issue. Being famous doesn't give you more talent, only more opportunities. If the movie is expensive that's the producer's problem, not mine. I leapt into this project without thinking about all that. I told myself, this is a beautiful role that I can do under wonderful shooting conditions. The crucial thing was to play Angelo well and to be able to express myself. Acting in a movie where I gallop through beautiful landscapes with a young lady by my side, where I draw my sword yet speak of love, was splendid. Taking part in a story like this is the deal. It's an immense pleasure to play a hero who fights the entire world.