The first time Adrian saw me was on tape. But you should know that this never works - never in the history of movies has someone been cast from a video.
I'm not a movie star like other actors in the way that I need to walk with a bodyguard.
In Hollywood, you can live alongside very famous but still incredibly boring people. I've never wanted to be immortal. Even if nobody remembers me after my death, it's still okay with me.
Before, I was so stupid. But, you know, when you have friends who died on the street, you say, okay, let's calm down. It's not the kind of energy I want to have in life. I want to go slower, and longer.
I quit after a bad car accident. The thing about boxing is that you can be a star for five or six years, but when you go back to the old life, it's tough.
My father was champion of North Africa and he beat the European champ. He was very good, a professional for 12 years. We're from a big family of boxers. My father has seven brothers.
If you want to be happy, live discreetly. Does that make sense in English?
It's not only imagination, it's the distortion of the vision. You suddenly think, This person is idealistic, this person is strong, this person has dreams, when you know better most of the time. You put what you want to see on people.
And I think it is the genius of actors to be able to escape whatever people are expecting of them. Otherwise you become like a factory worker.
I'll always be a foreigner.
I'm French - it's less important. Meaning, I remain a Frenchman in America, but I adapt to American culture. I feel good there - but I'm still a foreigner.
Otherwise, to be a movie star, it's a lot of compromise and also a lot of headaches. You can't do what you want. You become a prisoner of your fame. This happened to me in France and I don't want it.
But what I really like are old Hollywood movies. Very often I watch AMC.
And what's more I've got no need for anyone to tell me how to do it. I am not interested. You act how you want to and leave me alone to do my own thing.
I was born and raised in a suburb of Paris by a working-class family.
