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(CelebNMusic247-News) Omar Sy On Bigger Roles & English Speaking Roles

Award-winning French actor, comedian, comic writer and television personality,Omar Sy, is already starting to make a name for himself in America.

He’s been honored for his performance as Driss, a young man from the projects who becomes a caretaker for a quadriplegic in The Intouchables. Sy was presented with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).

Omar Sy talked about why directors Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache had faith in his abilities when he didn’t even consider himself an actor, getting bigger roles each of the four times they’ve collaborated together, working with co-star François Cluzet, who he beat out for the César Award for Best Actor, and how he’s ready to work in English, but that he needs to work on it a bit more first.

Here is what Omar told Collider:

Why do you think Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache had that faith in you, that you could do this?

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s a gift from God. They trust me and they came to me and said, “Do you want to act in our movie?” It was for a short movie. I said, “I’m not really an actor,” and they said, “We are not really directors.” So, we started like that. It was funny. They are very talented. They are very good writers and they are able to write the truth, so it was easy for me to act because it’s easy for an actor to act the reality. I never took any drama school, so it’s just life school.”

On bigger roles:

“It was exactly that way. They gave me more and more. After Tellement Proches and before the last one, they came to me and said, “Now, we want you to call yourself an actor, so we’re writing a part for you.” So, they wrote The Intouchables. The character of Driss was like a suit, but it was comfortable like sweatpants. “

Did he have any idea who you were?

“I knew his work, and he knew mine, but François is one of the biggest French actors. I’m a beginner, so when I went to him and we played together, he could have been condescending, but he was not. He was very generous and humble. He said, “I play for you, you play for me.” It was the key for me to leave all my complaints and fly like a bird.”

Do you think it affects the emotional experience for an audience to see this film in your home country, hearing the words, or seeing it with subtitles and having to read the words?

“I really don’t know, but I think it’s the same. People can feel the love, the hope and friendships. It’s an international language. Everybody can feel it or understand it, either way. “

Do you think you’re ready to act in English?