Raphaël Quenard has withdrawn from a planned biopic of French rock icon Johnny Hallyday, citing scheduling conflicts that prevent him from adequately preparing for the role, he revealed Monday on the French television program Quotidien. The announcement, initially made on Instagram January 22nd, prompted further discussion about the challenges of bringing Hallyday’s life to the screen.
Quenard, who won a César Award for Most Promising Actor in 2023 for his performance in Chien de la casse, explained that commitments to other projects – namely co-directing the film Mystik, slated for release in late October/early December, and promoting his recently completed film Le Rêve américain, which opens February 18th – would preclude him from dedicating the necessary time to the Hallyday biopic. “I could not, within the allotted time, with filming starting in early June, adequately prepare and pay tribute to the Napoleonic legend that Johnny is,” Quenard stated, according to Gala magazine.
The actor had initially announced his departure on Instagram, stating that the demands of his existing projects would not allow him to “fully dedicate [himself] to the preparation required for such a role.”
The decision comes after Quenard was personally selected for the role by Hallyday’s widow, Laeticia Hallyday, who reportedly was “stunned” by his performance in Quentin Dupieux’s Yannick, according to Paris Match. “I said to myself that if there was one actor who could embody Johnny in the cinema, it was him,” she told the magazine.
Pierre Lescure, former president of the Cannes Film Festival, described Quenard’s withdrawal as a “strong choice,” adding to the AFP that the project itself was not in jeopardy. “I don’t imagine Cédric [Jimenez, the director] or Hugo [Sélignac, the producer] abandoning this project. They have an idea of the Johnny they want to make and they have it so much in their heads that they won’t deliver up,” Lescure said.
The biopic, directed by Cédric Jimenez (known for films such as BAC Nord and Novembre), was scheduled to begin filming in May with an estimated 18-week shoot, according to Le Parisien. The search for a replacement actor is now underway, with Benjamin Voisin, 29, reportedly being considered for the role, though this has not been officially confirmed by the production.
The withdrawal of Quenard leaves the future of the project in a state of uncertainty, as the production team navigates the challenge of finding a new lead actor capable of capturing the essence of the iconic French singer.
