French actress Garance Marillier recently traveled to the Philippines to take part in the French Film Festival organized by the Alliance Française de Manille. One of the films screened for free was the French-Canadian-Filipino co-production Elsewhere at Night (French: Ailleurs la nuit), in which Marillier plays Noée, a young traveler grappling with grief and searching for answers.
“I really believe every character comes from a piece of yourself. Even if they’re totally different, there’s always some part of your own truth that slips in, consciously or not,” she says of the roles she takes on.
Manila marked the last leg of Marillier’s Asia trip, and the day after her shoot, she was off to Paris to recharge. “The weather is super warm, and the malls are super cold,” she remarked as we set up her hotel room for the shoot.
Best known internationally for her breakout role in Julia Ducournau’s 2016 body horror sensation Raw, Marillier has built a career playing characters in the midst of visceral and emotional transformation. She recently starred alongside Angelina Jolie in Couture and now appears in director Marianne Métivier’s Elsewhere at Night, sharing the screen — though not the set — with Filipino actors Sue Prado and Enchong Dee.
Marillier’s performance in the film is understated yet compelling. As Noée, she navigates grief and solitude with a quiet intensity, showing a keen sense for the film’s long pauses and contemplative rhythms. Even in this subdued role, Marillier’s ability to inhabit transitional, emotionally complex states echoes the transformative energy she brought to past characters.
In this exclusive interview with Rolling Stone Philippines, Marillier talks about growing up alongside Ducournau, the rigorous craft of couture, and the personal truths she brings to each of her transformative roles.
In Elsewhere at Night, you play Noée, who’s described as a young traveller. What sets her journey apart from the others you’ve portrayed, and what aspects of her felt new or challenging for you?
Noée is dealing with grief and tries to heal by traveling and searching for answers. That really resonated with me. Like her, I started doing a lot of things alone, kind of to sink into her solitude. I was looking for answers too, in my own way, about the character.
You’ve worked with Julia Ducournau on several films already, from Junior to Raw and Titane, and she discovered you at the age of 12. What do you like about working with her, and how has your relationship evolved?
I met Julia when I was 11. We made our first films together and basically grew up side by side. She’s like a big sister to me.
Both of us put the body at the center of our work, and we just… get each other. We don’t even need to talk to know what the other is thinking. That kind of trust lets us explore some pretty wild emotional states together with the characters.
In Couture, you play Christine, a meticulous seamstress. Did you visit any couture houses or conduct any personal research when preparing for your character?
I was lucky enough to spend a few weeks inside Chanel’s haute couture ateliers. I got to watch that whole fascinating world from the inside, learned to sew, had access to the archives, and the study books. It was incredible. The seamstresses even taught me their little superstitions, including the one about [sewing] a strand of hair [into the garment] for good luck!
“I think every role changes me a little. I always come out with something new.”
In previous interviews, you’ve spoken about how Kim Novak’s role in Vertigo helped you decide to pursue acting. What about her performance drew you to acting as a profession, and what parts of it do you try to bring with you in your roles?
I remember being obsessed with the fact that she played two roles in the same film. My brain literally couldn’t get how that was possible. Later on, I played two sisters in a series at different moments in time, and I kept thinking back to that film. This movie still follows me around. I’m so happy Kim Novak had several prizes this year for her work.
You’ve also discussed how you’re drawn to playing characters who undergo a change, either physically or metaphorically. What drew you to playing Christine in Couture, and what change does she undergo?
I really believe every character comes from a piece of yourself. Even if they’re totally different, there’s always some part of your own truth that slips in, consciously or not. That’s the magic of cinema, or just our secrets.
With Christine, even though she’s not on screen all the time, my challenge was to make people imagine her life outside the workshop, to make her feel alive beyond what you see. I wanted her body to carry this sense of urgency, while also showing the concentration and precision she needs. She’s completely obsessed with her dress, with her debut. It’s almost like a love story.
Several of the characters that you’ve played seem to inhabit these intense transitional moments in their lives. Did you take some of these experiences with you when playing Christine?
When I shot Raw, I was 17, about to turn 18, and the film is literally about stepping into adulthood, a coming-of-age movie, so it felt like a beautiful metaphor. I think every role changes me a little. I always come out with something new.
With Christine, I left with this love for the craft itself, the quiet, rigorous parts of it. You can do incredible things with that, and I want to keep this close to my heart.
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