Charlotte is embracing her eclectic tastes and deep artistic bonds, framing her work with von Trier as a journey of vulnerability and self-discovery.
The internet is buzzing because she casually defended Kanye West as a listening habit while calling her director 'tortured'—a bold, unfiltered take from a French icon.
She admitted to listening to 'everything' Kanye does. She described Lars von Trier as 'very tortured' and 'extremely vulnerable.' She is finishing an album after years of work.
Charlotte Gainsbourg is done being polite. She’s listening to Kanye, calling Lars von Trier 'tortured,' and finally opening her dad’s house to the world.
If you think Charlotte Gainsbourg is all delicate French art-house elegance, think again. At her masterclass during the Busan International Film Festival, she dropped a confession that had the audience laughing in disbelief. When asked for a music recommendation, she didn’t cite some obscure classical composer or a safe indie darling.
She named Kanye West. And she didn’t just name him; she admitted to consuming his entire discography. "I’m not good for recommendation," she told the crowd, acknowledging the elephant in the room.
"I have one artist that I listen to, very controversial artist, but I listen to everything he does, and it’s Kanye West. I know, it’s very easy." It’s a rare, unfiltered admission from an actress who usually keeps her private life locked tight, and it instantly made her seem more human, more relatable, and frankly, more interesting. But the drama didn’t stop at her playlist.
Gainsbourg turned her attention to her most significant professional relationship: Lars von Trier. She is in Korea to screen "Melancholia," one of the four films she has made with the Danish provocateur. The choice wasn’t just about the film itself, but about elimination.
"Antichrist," their first collaboration, earned her the Best Actress award at Cannes, but "Nymphomaniac" would have required showing two films. "I guess it was the easiest choice, 'Melancholia,' and also because selfishly, I want to see it again," she laughed, revealing she hadn’t watched it in 15 years. When pressed on her relationship with the director, she offered a nuanced, slightly tragic view.
"Well, I can’t say he’s a friend, but he’s a dear friend," she said. "I don’t know him that well, but we exchange text messages." She described von Trier as "very tortured" and "extremely vulnerable," noting that his films give a lot of himself. "I’ve never learned as much as with him about myself, about the film, about being an actress," she admitted, shedding light on the intense emotional labor behind their collaborations.
The conversation also touched on her own career trajectory, which she insists is not as prolific as the numbers suggest. When an interpreter mentioned her filmography of over 80 titles, Gainsbourg quickly cut in, laughing, "Prolific? No, not prolific." She opened up about her early insecurities, recalling how she felt she had "stolen the right to be there" after landing her first role in "Paroles et Musique" via a note left by her mother, Jane Birkin.
For years, she struggled with the lack of formal acting training. Now, she is finally wrapping up a long-awaited album, a project she has been working on for years, and hopes to direct music videos for it. She also hinted at a future feature film of her own, but only if the story is "so personal 'that only me can do it'" to ensure she has the legitimacy to direct.
On a more personal note, Gainsbourg shared the emotional closure of turning her father Serge Gainsbourg’s house into a museum, a project that took 35 years to realize. She photographed the private residence before it opened, resulting in an exhibition in Arles last summer. "It was very emotional for me," she said.
She also reflected on her 2021 documentary "Jane by Charlotte," about her late mother, who passed away in 2023. "She was happy knowing how much I loved her, I think," Gainsbourg said, offering a glimpse into the profound grief and love that continue to shape her art. As for her time in Korea, she enjoyed a private tour of the Leeum museum and a "very special" Korean barbecue, proving that even the most enigmatic stars just want a good meal and a friendly bar to unwind in.
