We are on Cannes’ Boulevard de la Croisette, and the view of the French Riviera from the famed promenade is spectacular. The sun is setting over the Mediterranean Sea, silhouetting the coastal city against a sky of pinks and blues. In just a few moments, Chopard’s well-dressed guests will head into the Carlton Beach Club, which has been transformed with long white linen tables, pastel flowers and coloured lights. We are all here for the 25th edition of the Trophée Chopard, the annual ceremony and dinner during the Festival de Cannes which honours the film industry’s brightest emerging actors. But for now, we’re happy conversing, with flutes of champagne in hand, waiting for the stars to arrive.
A titter of excitement soon spreads through the crowd as bejewelled necks crane for a glimpse of Angelina Jolie, who has just arrived. Looking regal in a white Tom Ford sheath dress paired with 44 carats worth of Chopard gems, Jolie has taken on the mantle of godmother to this year’s Trophée Chopard laureates, French actress Marie Colomb and British actor Finn Bennett. And as she soon makes apparent, she takes her new responsibilities very seriously.
Related article: Our Latest Jewellery Crush: The New Ice Cube Collection From Chopard
Standing on stage with president of the Cannes Film Festival Iris Knobloch, general delegate Thierry Frémaux, and Chopard’s co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele, Jolie thanks the hosts before launching into her speech. “We owe all who are risking their lives and sharing their experiences a debt of gratitude because they have helped us to learn and to evolve,” she says. “What brings us here is not carpets—even though they are lovely—but [the chance] to connect to each other through international cinema, and to be with creative people. So, I am very honoured to be with so many brilliant global artists, including our honorees tonight, Finn Bennett and Marie Colomb. You have both been acknowledged for the extraordinary versatility, authenticity and empathy that you bring to your roles. Thank you both for your contribution to film and storytelling, and for everything you will go on to do creatively.”
Related article: Chaumet Launches First Pendant In 100% Traceable Gold, Deepening Sustainability Commitment
The next day, as we’re chatting at Chopard Café located on the rooftop of Hotel Martinez, Bennett tells me what an incredible experience it has been with Angelina Jolie. “We did the big Cannes red carpet with her—which is crazy—and then we did the Chopard dinner and after-party, and she kind of really protected us through it all,” he says. “I think she understands the pressure and the stress it puts on young actors, especially when there are so many cameras and people who want to talk to you. She was great.”
Having seen how aggressive the shouting paparazzi and bullying security officers at Cannes can be, I can imagine how overwhelming the experience must be for the young stars. Even veteran actors have been known to lose their cool, with Denzel Washington reported getting into a terse confrontation with a photographer just three days later.
Related article: Win Metawin, Rowoon & Phoebe Gates Make A Case For Tiffany&Co.’s Newest Additions To Jean Schlumberger’s Apollo Collection
For Bennett and Colomb, both of whom have only just arrived at the cusp of mass public attention, having a seasoned professional like Jolie guide them through the tempest must have been an invaluable experience. Beyond the red carpet, Jolie, as godmother, will also offer the actors advice and mentorship throughout the year. And if the trailblazing careers of past Trophée Chopard laureates are anything to go by, it’s guidance that will come in handy: She is not only armed with experience as an actor, but also a filmmaker, a director, and more recently, a producer.
Related article: In Shanghai For Audemars Piguet's 150th Anniversary, Music Producer Mark Ronson Is Focused On Synergies & Collaborations
Created in 2001 by Scheufele (just three years after Chopard became the Festival’s Official Partner), the Trophée Chopard has grown to be an integral part of the Festival calendar that seeks out and nurtures the industry’s most promising talents. Actors like Audrey Tatou, Diane Kruger, Marion Cotillard, James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, John Boyega and Florence Pugh have all gone home with the iconic gold-coated silver film reel trophy—resulting in the award being one that industry decision makers sit up and pay attention to. With Colomb and Bennett now having their turns in the Trophée spotlight, one can only imagine the works they’ll shape with their talent and transform with their art. We chat with the stars to find out what’s next.
FINN BENNETT
The 26-year-old British actor drew praise for his role in True Detective: Night Country (2024), and is slated to be in next year’s highly anticipated HBO and George R. R. Martin fantasy series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. For now, he is focused on showing up, knowing his lines, and not taking himself too seriously.
How are you feeling about receiving the Trophée Chopard?
It has been really, really great. I love my job, I love winning prizes, but to be presented it by godmother Angelina Jolie makes me feel really proud. She’s not just revered and respected as a filmmaker and an actor, but she’s also just a good person with good principles. The work she has done in Cambodia, with refugees, with the environment, is really commendable.
What does receiving the award mean to you?
It’s all about trying to get films made at the moment, and I really want to be in great indie films. But getting those things financed is quite difficult. I hope that this [award] gives certain filmmakers maybe a little more leverage to say, ‘look, I promise, he’s really okay at his job’.
What was the moment that led you to think that this was what you wanted to do?
When I was about eight, my sister and I were sent to a stage school, Stagecoach Islington, every Saturday, and we would do one hour of singing, one hour of dancing, and one hour of drama. I loved the hour of drama so, so much. And every year, the school would select a handful of students from each branch to represent that branch in a theatre in London. I went and did that, and I just really wanted to be an actor after that.
What is your process like to embody a character?
I have to know my lines 100 per cent, back to front. That’s the first thing I do before I attach an accent or any emotion to it. Then, I start to just kind of play with attaching a little bit of feeling to it, before asking one of my friends, very nicely, if they would read the other lines for me. I think some people don’t really like rehearsals, they like to just see what comes out on the day. But it’s through rehearsal I find the things that I really like in a sentence, or a line that I want to bring out in a character. I’m not big into method acting but if [a role] demands an accent, I will stay in that accent for the entire time.
What advice do you have for upcoming actors?
I’m terrible at giving advice, so I’m going to repeat advice that Jodie Foster gave me when we were doing True Detective: Night Country, because I feel like she’s all right to give advice to people. I asked her what I should be doing on the weekends, how I should prepare [for a role]. She told me to go dancing. And I think what she was saying to me was to take the work seriously—show up, know your lines, know where you are in the story—but don’t take yourself too seriously. Because that’s where it all really gets quite miserable.
MARIE COLOMB
Having garnered acclaim for her performance in the thriller The Beasts (2022) and the more recent docudrama Culte (2024), the 29-year-old French actress speaks to us about how she builds the characters she plays, one test tube at a time.
Congratulations on your win! How does it feel to be recognised at this year’s Trophée Chopard?
Incredible! I’m still processing what is happening, and I’m enjoying this moment. It’s a nice encouragement for what’s to come next. A lot of the actors who received this award now have incredible careers, so I hope to follow in their footsteps.
What draws you to a particular role or script?
Interesting and complex characters. I first consider the director and then look at the script. Sometimes, the role for a character may be small, but it’s a part of a whole [picture] that’s fascinating.
What has been your most challenging role so far?
I played Loana [Petrucciani] in the Netflix series Culte, which is about the [French reality television show] Loft Story. [The role is based on] someone who exists, and it’s difficult because you have to be careful about how you depict that person and not do her wrong. So, of course, I had to work on how I looked, but also to find out who she was internally. At some point, when you become that person, you have a lot of empathy for them because you realise that the person you are playing actually went through these experiences—and that’s when the magic happens.
What is your process like to achieve this magic?
I try to think of a character as a whole, from A to Z; and I try to be as emotionally prepared as I can before each scene, where I lay out all of the emotions that the person is going through. It’s something that might evolve, depending on the other actors or the director that I’m working with. I think that actress Céline Sallette once said that it’s like having test tubes and trying to fill them in accordingly—with emotions like kindness or aggressiveness, and different character traits—depending on the characters. That is how I become a character.
Any movies or characters that influenced you?
Leon: The Professional with Natalie Portman and Jean Reno. The first time I saw the film, I was just as old as Natalie was when she filmed it. Also, Erin Brockovich with Julia Roberts. It’s a very complex character of a very strong woman, and it’s the kind of character that I would love to play. You know that sensation you have when you go see a film and you leave feeling transformed? I would like to be part of a project like that.
What advice do you have for upcoming actors?
Be comfortable with yourself—even if you’re introverted or not at ease with others, just accept and be comfortable with yourself for who you are; it will make a difference. I used to be very goal-oriented, but I realised that life is also about enjoying the moment. The moment can be difficult, but when it’s good, really take it in and enjoy it while it’s happening.