François Arnaud. Photo Credit: Julie Perreault.
Canadian actor François Arnaud chatted about starring in the new psychological thriller “Mom,” where he works opposite Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”).
Byron Pulsifer once said: “Imagine, dream, and believe in yourself. With determination and belief, you will be surprised at what you accomplish.” This quote applies to François Arnaud.
The synopsis is: “Mom” follows Meredith, a struggling mother (Emily Hampshire) who is abandoned by her family and partner after a horrific incident.
As she falls further into isolation, she begins to be haunted by a sinister entity that is determined to make her relive her darkest moments.
It delves into the darker side of motherhood, where “Mom” is an intelligent and original take on the family-based horror story.
The movie was directed by Adam O’Brien and written by Philip Kalin-Hajdu.
Aside from François Arnaud (“Marlowe”), the film also stars Emily Hampshire and Christian Convery (“Cocaine Bear”). Delirium Pictures and Kinetic Film Group served as producers.
Experience in ‘Mom’
On being a part of “Mom,” Arnaud said, “It was really fun. We shot it a while ago, and it took forever to get it out. It was a very small movie. They approach Emily Hampshire, and for the first half of the movie, it is a two-hander; just them, the baby, and the house.
“Emily thought it had a lot of potential, but she also wanted to make sure that it was as layered and complex as she wanted it to be. Emily was the one that said she would do the film if I were to play Jared, the husband. It is always nice to feel support in that way,” Arnaud acknowledged.
“Philip’s script was a little bit more of a psychological drama with thriller elements, but it was all about meeting in the middle for him and director Adam O’Brien, and us understanding the tone of it,” he said.
“We shot it in that one house in Montreal for a few weeks, but it was definitely a bit chaotic,” he admitted.
“Then, there was a pandemic, and Adam was trying to make sense of the footage in his home, and he was trying to come up with the best version of it all, and I really think he did,” he elaborated.
Working with Emily Hampshire
“Working with Emily was amazing,” Arnaud exclaimed. “Emily has such a brilliant mind. She is so precise in the way that she works, and she is so on it.”
“I loved her work in ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ and she was fantastic in ’12 Monkeys’,” he admitted.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Arnaud said, “It is great and kind of scary at the same time. It feels like there is so much out there. It is hard to have a cultural conversation around something because people are on their own watching what appeals to them.”
“A lot of us are overwhelmed by what is out there and it’s really hard to choose. Now, it’s more of a free for all, and it’s a bit scary,” he noted.
“I think with AI and all, we have to put a hard line in the sand and decide where we are willing to go or not,” he said.
“I am curious not just about content or having access to the best content and reading the best book that is written by a robot. I want the book to be a window into somebody’s life experience. I hope that we — as a collective — decide to fight for that,” he elaborated.
“I enjoy watching movies from home and I try to go out to the theaters as much as possible, especially for comedies, thriller and scary movies because you can feel the tension and the gasps in the room,” he added.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and emerging actors, Arnaud said, “I was never after fame or recognition. I was always a lover of fiction and other worlds, and I always wanted to picture myself in those worlds.”
“Now, I am just enjoying every day, enjoying the craft, and the people around me,” he said. “That forces you to be a braver actor and make choices you won’t regret. It is all about being present, and being in the moment. That’s the same piece of advice I tell myself.”
“I just did a play, and I hadn’t done a play in 15 years, and it was just so amazing to play a character from start to finish. To do something from beginning to end is so incredible,” he acknowledged.
Career-defining moments
On his career-defining moments, Arnaud said, “Working with Neil Jordan again on ‘Marlowe’ a few years ago was so great. He was a real father figure in the industry, so to get his blessing was really meaningful.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Arnaud revealed, “Mindfulness.”
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “invisibility to go everywhere” or “to fly.”
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, he said, “I am so grateful to be doing what I am doing, and I hope to keep doing it.”
“All I want is to opportunity to keep doing it because I am loving acting more and more,” he noted.
Closing thoughts on the movie ‘Mom’
For fans and viewers, Arnaud said with a sweet laugh, “Think twice who you have children with.”
To learn more about Canadian actor François Arnaud, follow him on Instagram.
Read More: Review of the psychological thriller “Mom“ starring Emily Hampshire and François Arnaud.