Chic, Bold and Real :Elisa Bachir Bey

LOA: Could you share how your journey in film began? What inspired you to pursue a career in acting?

Elisa Bachir Bey: I’ve always been deeply passionate about cinema, the emotions it evokes and the societal messages it can convey to change perspectives. Art has a powerful impact on people. But to be honest, I didn’t initially plan to become an actress. Growing up, my dream was to be a ballet dancer.I started dancing when I was just four years old and immediately fell in love with the stage, the happiness you bring to others and the energy and joy it gives you in return. However, my parents wanted me to pursue a more “traditional” career, so I had to give up full-time dancing and I moved to Texas to study marketing at the university. After that, I returned to France and continued my studies at a French business school. The truth is, I knew deep down that none of this was making me happy. It wasn’t the life I envisioned for myself. I firmly believe that life has a way of guiding you toward what’s truly meant for you, and that’s exactly what happened to me.One day, I met the French singer Damien Saez, who told me he was working on a series of short films and wanted to create a story around a ballet dancer. That’s how we started collaborating. After three months of working together, he encouraged me to consider attending a film school. Sometimes, all it takes is a little push, someone to help steer you in the right direction.I still remember my first day at film school.

I thought to myself, This is it. This is what I want to do. This is what makes me truly happy. I believe one of the greatest luxuries in life is being able to work in a field you’re passionate about. It’s not an easy path, but it’s worth every challenge.I’ve always been inspired by actresses who can completely transform themselves into a character, as well as by films that deliver profound, meaningful messages.

Movies like:

Good Will Hunting, La Vita èBella by Roberto Benigni, The Notebook, one of the greatest romance films ever, and Monster, where Charlize Theron delivers a masterful performance, moved me a lot.

I also love biopics because they capture the essence of remarkable journeys. I’m thinking about films like Just Mercy or The Blind Side. In 2015, I got my first role in a film, and I’ve continued on this journey ever since.

As an actor, what types of roles excite you the most? How do you feel your personal style influences the characters you portray?

As an actor, I’m most excited by roles that challenge me to step outside of myself and immerse myself in characters that are completely different from who I am. I’m drawn to roles that push me to grow, both personally and professionally, requiring me to explore new perspectives, emotions, and experiences. Whether it’s a comedy , a drama movie.I’ve had the chance to work on comedies, both in movies and TV shows, which has been such a fulfilling experience. Comedy allows you to tap into your wildest creativity and embrace your inner craziness. It’s so satisfying to know you’re bringing laughter and joy to audiences. Playing comedic roles is like being on a playground where you’re free to take risks, let go, and have fun. That said, comedy feels very different as an actor compared to dramas or action films, where you often have to dig deep into intense emotions or explore darker, more vulnerable parts of yourself.

These roles can be emotionally taxing and take you to places that require careful balance, as you don’t want to stay in those heavy emotional spaces for too long.Sometimes, you play a character that’s close to who you are, and you can naturally draw from your personal traits, style and life experiences. But other times, you have to completely shed your own identity and become someone entirely new. That transformation, stepping into someone else’s shoes and creating a whole new person, is one of the most thrilling aspects of acting for me.What I love most about being an actor is the constant self-discovery. Every role teaches you something new about yourself, whether it’s how far you can push your limits or how deeply you can connect to a story. It’s a never-ending journey of exploration, and that’s what makes this craft so exciting and fulfilling.

You’ve taken on various characters throughout your career. What is your process for preparing for such diverse roles and immersing yourself in each character?

First I start by deeply understanding the story and the character I’m portraying. I dive into who she is, her background, her personal history, and her psychology. This process helps me to understand how she would think, feel, and react in various situations. I essentially try to step into her world and see things through her eyes. If she has particular habits I adopt them too to feel that I’m her. Once I’ve built a foundation for the character, I shift my focus to the script, learning my lines until they’re second nature. By memorizing them to the point where I don’t have to think about them anymore, the lines become part of my body, allowing me to fully focus on embodying the character and improvise too. Because some directors let you improvise sometimes when you’re on set.

From there, I work on each scene, always considering the mindset and emotional state of the character, so I can truly become her in every moment.

Is there a particular role or project that has left a lasting impact on you, either personally or professionally?      Could you also tell us about the most challenging role you've played and how you overcome those challenges?

I remember working on a movie, Mystère à Saint-Tropez, where I had the opportunity to play an Italian girl speaking French. While it wasn’t the largest role I’ve had, it was certainly one of the most challenging. The character was nothing like me, which made the experience even more exciting.

First, I had to completely change the way I spoke. She had a soft Italian accent, which required meticulous work to perfect. Beyond that, she was highly mannered, hypersensitive, and a bit unpredictable, almost bipolar in her emotions. She carried a kind of touching, naive craziness, effortlessly shifting from laughter to tears in a matter of seconds.

I remember being so excited to dive into her world. It wasn’t just about imitating her accent or mannerisms, it was about understanding the vulnerability and humanity behind her eccentricity. These kinds of roles, where you have to dig deep and transform yourself completely, are the ones that remind me why I love acting.

To prepare, I spent hours watching videos of Sophia Loren and Monica Bellucci, studying their soft Italian accents and mannerisms. I practiced speaking French with that accent constantly, both before filming started and while we were on set. Between takes, I stayed in the character and kept the accent going so I wouldn’t lose it. It’s actually funny because during the first two weeks of filming, my co-actor thought I was genuinely Italian. One day he even asked me to help translate an Italian contract into French, and that’s when I had to admit I wasn’t Italian at all!

For roles where the character is so far from who I am, I find it necessary to stay in character, even off-camera. Immersing myself completely helps me maintain the consistency and authenticity of the role. It’s a demanding process, but it’s also incredibly rewarding because it allows me to truly inhabit another person’s life and bring them to the screen in the most genuine way possible.

How would you define your personal fashion philosophy? Does it play a role in your professional life?

To me, fashion is a powerful way to express yourself, a way to tell a story without using words, much like acting. It’s a form of creative storytelling that lets you show the world who you are, how you feel, and even what you stand for. I’m always choosing pieces that feel authentic to my personality, but I also love experimenting and stepping outside my comfort zone, depending on the occasion or my mood.

For casual outfits, I tend to gravitate toward simplicity with a touch of sophistication. I love neutral colors, comfortable fabrics like cashmere, and structured cuts. One of my go-to outfits is a large tailored jacket paired with straight-leg jeans, a classic white T-shirt, and vintage gold jewelry. It’s effortless but chic. I love mixing large boyish pieces with a pair of heels too. When it comes to dinners or red-carpet events, I like to push the boundaries a bit more. It’s when I like to experiment with new styles. I’m drawn to elegant, structured silhouettes, but I tend to choose more flashy colors or sparkly materials, which I mix with a nice pair of high heels. I must say I’m a big fan of heels. It gives a posture and an elegance to women that I love. But at the end of the day, the most important thing for me is feeling confident in what I wear. Whether it’s a casual day look, a glamorous gown for a special event, I want my clothes to reflect who I am and help me feel like the best version of myself. Fashion, to me, is as much about authenticity as it is about creativity.

I also believe that my style plays a role in my professional life, particularly when brands or photographers approach me for collaborations. Your personal style can become part of the creative process, helping shape the story or universe you’re building together. However, fashion can also allow you to create something entirely different from yourself. That’s where I see similarities between acting and modeling, both involve storytelling and embodying a character or narrative. In modeling, you often step into a completely new person's shoes , creating a style or atmosphere that might be far from your own identity. For me, that duality is what makes both acting and fashion so fascinating: they’re both about transformation, self-expression, and the art of telling a story.