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YANIC TRUESDALE

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YANIC TRUESDALE BIOGRAPHY

Both charming and handsome, Yanic Truesdale is best known for his memorable role as the sarcastic and high-brow French concierge ‘Michel Gerard’ to fanatic fans of the cult-classic, feel good family series “Gilmore Girls.” Currently being rebooted by Netflix with new, and highly anticipated episodes, the show will reunite the colorful cast of characters which includes Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) in the quaint Connecticut town of Stars Hallow. For 7 seasons, the show received rave reviews and, as the character audiences loved to hate, Truesdale was hailed by TV Guide as “anything but ordinary,” grabbing the attention of viewers with a knack for both deadpan humor and drama. He has easily become one of the show’s most memorable characters that is undoubtedly going to help revive the essence of the show. But audiences won’t have to wait until “Gilmore Girls” is released to catch Truesdale in his next role. He is set to star on the YouTube Red original series “Sing It!,” which lovingly satirizes the reality singing competitions that have become a centerpiece of pop culture, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look of what’s really happening when the curtain closes. With over 3 billion views and 13 million subscribers to their YouTube channel, this show is brought to you by groundbreaking online content producers Fine Brothers Entertainment and Mandeville Films (DIVERGENT & THE FIGHTER). Born and raised in Montreal, Yanic fell into acting at the age of 17, when he decided on a whim to join a friend to audition for the National Theatre School of Canada, and was accepted to study and fine tune his undeniable talent as an actor. After graduating at the age of 20, Yanic set his sights on his first project, with the goal of obtaining the rights to do a Canadian production of the critically acclaimed play, “The Birdcage.” When the author’s agent would not return his calls, he resorted to more creative and off the cusp methods ‘as to appear as a more established actor,’ as he’s puts it, and called the agency impersonating a French woman pretending to be Yanic’s assistant to pitch his project. It did the trick and alongside Montreal’s top talent, he earned glowing reviews for his hilarious performance. Next, Yanic landed a starring role in “He Shoots, He Scores,” a popular Canadian series about hockey, but in order to get the part, he told producers he could play hockey and showed up at the rehearsal with a number of pro players and couldn’t even get on the ice. Luckily, with a little training and the use of stunt doubles, he did the trick. As his fame grew, he went on to book a six year stint on the series “The Duval Family” and even co-hosted a live daytime talk show for teenagers called “Livraison Spéciale.” In 1998, he was nominated for his first Gemini Award – the Canadian equivalent of an Emmy – for his performance in the sitcom “Majeurs et Vaccinés.” The series was a huge hit, with Yanic portraying the only black child of a white family. Following this success, he studied at New York’s renowned Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in hopes of raising the bar on his career and took a leap of faith and decided to move to Los Angeles. Before he knew it he landed his first English-speaking role on a Warner Brothers series titled “Gilmore Girls,” and the rest is history! Since the end of the 7 year long run of Gilmore Girls, Truesdale didn't slow down. For the past years, he joined several Canadian shows but it was his portrayal of TV host Yan Patrick in the hit TV show “Mauvais Karma” that landed him his second Gemini nomination for best supporting actor in a comedy. He also just finished his 2 season run on CBC’s “La Théorie Du K.O.” where his portrayal of a right wing accountant got him rave reviews. While living in Los Angeles and traveling back-and-forth between Montreal, Truesdale never found a gym that he could call home. He was looking for an atmosphere that was exciting and inspired fitness goers to take their workouts to the next level, such as what he has found in the SoulCycle craze taking over in LA. So he took matters into his own hands and opened his own indoor cycling studio called “Spin Énergie” in his home city, in the Fall of 2013 and was the first indoor cycling studio in Montreal. Within a year, Spin Énergie became a sensation and the spinning preference in the province of Quebec. The gym is now frequented by the many celebrities that come to town including Arianna Grande and Lewis Hamilton. Yanic enjoys his dual citizenship and keeps residences in both cities. His passions include writing, traveling and seeing as many movies as possible.

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By: Stephanie Webber April 1, 2016

Dreams do come true in Stars Hollow! The Gilmore Girls revival will finally reveal the four last words that creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has long teased about, Us Weekly can confirm.

"I know them because I read the script!" cast member Yanic Truesdale(Michel) tells Us. "I always felt it was intriguing, like everyone else. I was like, 'How does she know the last four words?' But when I read it, I was like, 'Oh, OK. That makes sense.' I can see now why she knew that that would be said." Truesdale, 46, will reprise his role as snobby French concierge Michel Gerald on the Netflix series. His often rude yet downright humorous character often complained while helping Lorelai (Lauren Graham) out at the Dragonfly Inn.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/lauren-graham

As previously reported, Sherman-Palladino always knew what she wanted the last words to be in the beloved series. Unfortunately, she never got the chance to share with fans because she left after season 6 due to a contract dispute in 2006. The series was abruptly canceled after season 7. Sherman-Palladino briefly opened up about the phrase while reuniting with the cast at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, in June. "I’m holding onto it still ‘cause in my mind, I don’t know, who knows…" she said at the time. Seven months later, the reboot was a go. Click here to see behind-the-scenes pics of the cast. According to Truesdale, the reunion was eye-opening for the former costars. Even more, he suggested that a reboot was talked about prior to the event. "I still see Lauren, I still see Melissa [McCarthy] and Kelly[Bishop], because

we’re friends, but other than that, I don’t really see the other actors. It was the first time for us to be all together and also to reconnect with the fans in a huge way," he says. "They had to change venues three times and people flew from Australia, from Brazil for the panels, so it was a big deal. We had to check in at the hotel by the kitchen by the back because people were camping in front. And everyone in the room was 20! I mean, we were like, 'Oh, my God, this is like a whole new generation!'"

http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/gilmore-girls-reboot-new-photos-from-lauren-graham-and-the-cast-w163343http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/lauren-graham-reunites-with-gilmore-girls-alexis-bledel-missed-you-201566http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Gilmore-Girls-Netflix-Show-Instagrams-40140071#photo-40140071http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/melissa-mccarthyhttp://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/alexis-bledel-kelly-bishop-reunite-on-the-gilmore-girls-set-photo-w167614

He adds, "I think it reinforces how strong the show still is and how much the audience is still very much growing, and new generations are discovering the show. I think whatever was in the works then, I’m sure it kind of solidified the process." Indeed, fans went nuts when it was confirmed in January that the gang was getting back together. They returned to the Warner Bros. lot in L.A. that month to begin shooting the four 90-minute episodes. "There is a surreal element to it because it’s a place where we haven’t been in a long time, and even though it has been a while, the show has never really left us. There is not a day that I walk on the street anywhere in the world [where] I don’t have people coming up to me and talking about Michel and the show and this and that," Truesdale explains to Us.

http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/gilmore-girls-revival-lorelais-dog-paul-anka-returning-w164677

"It’s like meeting a former best friend that moved away, and that you finally meet after six or seven years, and you’re catching up, and you’re kind of all nervous, but it feels comfortable, but you’re kind of getting used to each other, and you have changed and they have changed," he continues. "After the first day of shooting, I just looked at Lauren, and I looked at Amy, and I said, 'It feels like we never stopped.'"

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April 7, 2016

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By: Cole Delbyck April 11, 2016

He’s French, he’s persnickety and he loves Celine Dion, but for seven seasons of “Gilmore Girls“ Michel Gerard largely remained a mystery. Described as “a very attractive, extremely intolerant black man” in the beloved WB dramedy’s pilot script, viewers have seen little of Stars Hollow’s unhappiest resident beyond his station as concierge and reluctant friend to one Lorelai Gilmore. In January, Netflix confirmed that “Gilmore Girls” would return with four 90-minute episodes, much to the pleasure of fans who discovered the series on television 16 years ago. Since then, a new generation of viewers has been inducted into the club after the complete catalog was

made yours for the binge-watching on the streaming service in 2014. But as the revival draws closer, now we’re confronted with the daunting question: What do we actually want to happen? Yanic Truesdale, for one, has been anxious to learn more about Michel. The Canadian actor, who played the character in 154 episodes of the series, has already created a fully realized version of Michel in his mind to fill in the blanks left in creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s famously long scripts. “Michel has always been an enigma in the sense that you have this French person in this little town, working in this hotel, and most of the time he’s miserable,” Truesdale, who, unlike his alter ego, speaks without a thick French accent, told The Huffington Post. “We haven’t seen much of his personal life or what anchors him as a person, so I kind of always have to create backstory for myself.”

In Truesdale’s eyes, there are only two options for what Michel has been up to since “Gilmore Girls” wrapped production nine years ago. He’s either opened up an inn of his own or moved on to a far more glamorous city than Stars Hollow. Did somebody say spinoff? Now, the revival finally gives fans the chance to understand Michel in a new context and outside the confines of the Dragonfly Inn. Truesdale is set to reprise his role on all four episodes of “Gilmore Girls: Seasons,” the unconfirmed title of the continuation, and describes the discovery of Michel’s inner life as an experience long in the making. “The good thing about the revival is that we get to see him more outside of work and learn more of his personal life,” he said. “That’s very rewarding for me and for the fans, as well, to get to know him at a deeper level.”

One major question fans want answered about Michel concerns his sexuality. His romantic life remained strangely unaddressed in a series so deeply involved with its characters’ personal relationships. Although Michel’s interest in women was mentioned a few times throughout the seven seasons, much of the character’s humor — zingy one-liners that might as well have ended with a snap — is derived from mannerisms and responses that could be easily read as stereotypically queer. Add some tight sweaters and a Celine Dion obsession into the mix and you’re bound to stoke some fans’ curiosities.

It also didn’t help that “Gilmore Girls” seemed generally uncomfortable with gayness, especially in its earlier seasons. In the absence of an out and proud queer character, be it Michel or any other Stars Hollow resident, this lack of acknowledgment threw all other references to LGBTQ people in stark relief. But considering the television landscape at the time, it’s unsurprising that “Gilmore Girls” never went fully gay. In fact, Melissa McCarthy’s character, Sookie St. James, was initially intended to be a lesbian, but, in Sherman-Palladino’s words, it was “a non-starter“ for the network. When “Gilmore Girls” debuted in 2000, television was still a crucial battleground for LGBTQ acceptance. Remember, that same year “Dawson’s Creek” aired the first “passionate” kiss between two men on primetime television, a highly controversial decision at the time. For “Gilmore Girls” to take a similarly pro-gay stance, the series would need to swim upstream against a current of opinion labeling all things queer as anything but normal. “Things were different back then,” Sherman-Palladino told The Huffington Post in 2013. “The networks were very different in how permissive they would allow you to be.” Nothing said or done on “Gilmore Girls” was ever explicitly offensive, but every now and then a joke would use being gay as a punchline. Luke Danes, one half of the show’s most popular couple, would often be at the center of these unfortunate moments. Any queer viewer watching at home might remember Luke asking the town weirdo, Kirk, “What’s with the gay bag?” or Zack, another character, saying the word bulwark “sounds totally gay.” However, none of these confrontations with queerness ever centered around Michel, whose stereotypically gay characteristics seemed to exist in a vacuum. Instead, the character was left to languish in gay no man’s land for seven seasons, which, according to Sherman-Palladino, was a conscious narrative choice.

“We all know men who seem creative, who have wives and children,” she said. “So we never actually pursue it one

way or the other and sort of let it lie.” Although some fans might be unsatisfied with that answer, for Truesdale, Michel’s sexuality was never an integral part of his identity. “Whether he was going home to a wife or a husband, it didn’t change anything of my vision of Michel,” he said. “The character has been defined in so many other ways that, at this stage, it wouldn’t have an impact to know one way or the other.” “I’ve always been very intrigued how the media are obsessed with so and so’s sexuality,” he continued. “Who cares who they fuck?” But in the nine years since we said goodbye to Lorelai and Rory, our politics, culture and TV have progressed. Now, our families are “modern” and LGBTQ-inclusive programming, like “Orange Is the New Black,” “Empire” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” is becoming increasingly commonplace, so shouldn’t “Gilmore Girls: Seasons” follow suit? According to Truesdale, the revival probably won’t address the issue, restating that although we will get to see more of the character’s personal life, there will be no major reveal about his sexuality.

What is important for Truesdale, however, is that the audience can sense that a three-dimensional character lies

behind the delicious one-liners. Michel works as a member of the earnest world of the Gilmore girls because of his refreshing pessimism. Acting as a counterbalance to Lorelai’s caffeine-fueled witticisms and chef Sookie St. James’ crazy, Michel regularly reads them to filth, and yet somehow remains completely lovable at the same time. This dynamic, says Truesdale, is the bedrock of the character. “In my head, Lorelai has always been my little sister. I have always been, in a way, protective of her,” he explained. “All of my pushing back or criticism of her is tough love. It’s for her best interest and never out of not liking her or being angry at her. And he’s French! French people have a very specific way of seeing everything.” The man behind the snappy comebacks is what Truesdale has tried to cultivate throughout his time on “Gilmore Girls” and what he hopes will seep through come revival time.

“If you don’t understand where [Michel] is coming from, you don’t find him funny and you don’t really know him as a person,” he said. “It’s only interesting and funny if those zingers and moments of comedic relief are backed up with an inner life that makes you understand him.” We can’t say we fully understand Michel yet, but one thing’s for sure: we do love him. On second thought, he would never stand for that kind of brazen sentimentality.

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30 Things You Need To Know About Yanic Truesdale April 13, 2016

1. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Put on music! 2. When you walk into a bar, what do you typically order?

A vodka soda. (Because it’s the least calories.) 3. What’s the one word you are guilty of using too often?

Fuck.

4. What is the last thing you searched for on Google?

It’s usually maps. I have a poor sense of direction. 5. Who is the last person that called or texted you?

Roger Frappier, a producer from Canada. 6. What’s the wallpaper on your phone and/or computer?

My goddaughter and godson. 7. What was the last awkward situation you were in and how did you handle it?

I was visiting someone very famous’ house the other day, and there were a lot of people there. It was the house of someone famous but I didn’t know who it was, so I pretended all along that I knew. To this day, I have no clue who this famous person who owned that house is. 8. What is your TV guilty pleasure? The reality show where there’s a guy on a date [with] a bunch of women? The Bachelor! I mean, literally once a year,

but if I’m brain dead and it’s on, I’m gonna just watch the nastiness and the absurdity! Like, knowing someone for three days and they’re crying because they didn’t get the rose. It’s so insane that I find it fascinating.

9. What’s the first CD you bought? EVER? I’m too old to remember that. I have no memory of that. 10. And what music are you currently listening to? The Weekend. 11. What is the one food you cannot resist? Asian food.

12. What movie makes you laugh the most?

I’m biased but Melissa McCarthy makes me laugh a lot, and I just went to the premiere ofThe Boss. 13. What toppings do you like on your pizza?

I like my pizza busy or very simple. Like, wild mushrooms, goat cheese and olive oil. 14. What drives you absolutely crazy?

Injustice. 15. What was your first online screen name?

It had to be my name. I’m not very creative with that stuff, so it’s probably YT – I always use my initials. 16. What’s the last thing you copied & pasted on your phone?

The link to a sunglasses store.

17. What’s your favorite curse word? Like I said, fuck. 18. What’s your favorite emoji? Probably the face where the person is screaming. 19. Pick one: Kittens or puppies?

Kittens. 20. New York or Los Angeles?

New York.

21. Twitter or Instagram?

Instagram. 22. Bacon or Nutella?

Bacon. 23. Britney or Christina?

Christina. 24. Coffee or tea?

Tea. 25. NSYNC or BSB?

NSYNC. 26. 2am or 2pm?

2am. 27. Beyonce or Rihanna?

Beyonce. 28. Netflix and chill or just Netflix?

Netflix. 29. Hannah Montana or Lizzie McGuire?

Ugh, my god…Hannah Montana. 30. And finally: tell us a secret.

I cannot have any sweets in the house. I have no will power. I have power if it’s not there. If it’s there, I’m gonna empty it.

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By: Elizabeth Massicolli Date: April 28th, 2016

Les vrais fans de la télésérie Gilmore Girls — ceux qui l'ont écoutée jusqu'en 2008 ou

récemment découverte sur Netflix — savent qu'on retrouvera Lorelaï, Rory, Suki, Luke, Michel

et tous les attachants personnages de Stars Hollow dans quatre téléfilms qui sortiront, selon la

rumeur, en décembre prochain. Histoire d'en savoir plus sur Gilmore Girls: Seasons, on a

rencontré Yanic Truesdale, le Montréalais d'origine qui incarne Michel, le maître d'hôtel insolent

du Dragonfly Inn.

T'attendais-tu au retour de Gilmore Girls?

C'est une rumeur qui plane depuis longtemps. Chaque

année, j'entendais qu'il y aurait un film, une suite... et ça

n'arrivait jamais. L'été dernier, un événement a été

organisé au ATX Television Festival, au Texas, avec

toute la distribution de Gilmore Girls. Des milliers de

personnes de partout dans le monde se sont

déplacées. C'est là que j'ai réellement mesuré

l'engouement pour le show. La série est encore

tellement populaire! Je crois que bien des gens l'ont

découverte - ou redécouverte - sur Netflix. Je suis

reparti du festival en me disant que c'était impossible

qu'il n'y ait pas de suite à la série. Et puis, deux mois

plus tard, on m'a appris que ça allait arriver, et pour vrai

cette fois! J'étais un peu surpris, mais je ne suis pas

tombé des nues, disons.

Comment as-tu réagi à la nouvelle?

J'étais très excité, mais en même temps, comme je

détenais peu d'informations, j'avais beaucoup de questions! Allait-on faire un film? Un épisode

spécial? Qui allait participer? J'étais curieux. J'ai été ravi d'apprendre qu'on allait tourner quatre

longs épisodes d'une heure et demie, qu'ils allaient être diffusés sur Netflix et que j'allais jouer

dans chacun d'entre eux!

Étais-tu content du format de ces nouveaux épisodes?

Je n'étais pas familier avec les épisodes d'une heure et demie, mais on m'a dit que c'est

quelque chose d'assez courant en Angleterre. On n'a qu'à penser à l'émission Sherlock Holmes,

par exemple. Auparavant, l'émission durait 45 minutes, alors les nouveaux épisodes seront

pratiquement des deux-en-un! Je crois que ça réjouira les fans de Gilmore Girls.

Surtout que les vrais fans de Gilmore Girls sont maintenant

habitués de regarder la série sur Netflix pendant de

longues heures!

(éclat de rire) Oui, c'est vrai! Je n'avais pas pensé à ça.

Qu'est-ce qui te plaît le plus dans le fait de retrouver ton

personnage, Michel, maître d'hôtel au Dragonfly Inn?C'est

un personnage tellement satisfaisant à jouer! Il dit tout haut ce

que tout le monde pense tout bas, et c'est jouissif. Il n'a aucun

filtre. J'ai des répliques qui me font mourir de rire! C'est très

drôle à jouer.

On a connu un Michel grincheux et insolent, est-ce qu'il

s'est adouci avec le temps?Pas vraiment! Il est qui il est.

Cependant, dans les nouveaux épisodes, on apprendra plus de

choses sur lui. Certaines informations sur sa vie personnelle et

sur son passé seront divulguées, et je crois que ça rendra le

personnage plus complexe et intéressant.

Melissa McCarthy, qui jouait la pimpante cuisinière Suki, n'était pas censée être de la

distribution, par manque de temps. Récemment, on a cependant appris qu'elle serait

finalement de la partie. Tu dois te réjouir de cette nouvelle, non?

Tellement! C'est ma bonne amie, et j'étais avec elle quand elle a annoncé la bonne nouvelle sur

le plateau d'Ellen DeGeneres. Ça n'aurait pas été pareil sans elle! Je suis très content de

retrouver ma partenaire de jeu.

Vous avez commencé à tourner les nouveaux épisodes en février dernier. Comment se

sont passées les premières journées sur le plateau?

La première journée, c'était un peu bizarre. C'était un peu comme quand tu revois un très bon

ami que tu n'as pas croisé depuis des années. Tu es content, mais tu as aussi beaucoup

d'appréhensions! C'était surréaliste de rentrer dans les décors que je n'avais pas vus depuis

sept ans, de rejouer un personnage que j'avais laissé de côté pendant tout ce temps, de

retrouver l'équipe... J'étais un peu nerveux, je l'avoue. (rires) Mais, comme on connaît tous

l'univers de Gilmore Girls sur le bout de nos doigts - le ton de la série, l'écriture d'Amy

[Sherman-Palladino, l'auteure de la série], les personnages -, ça n'a pris que quelques jours

pour que tout se replace, et qu'on se sente comme si on n'avait jamais arrêté.

À quoi peut-on s'attendre des quatre épisodes de Gilmore Girls: Seasons?

Amy [Sherman-Palladino] sait depuis longtemps comment la série finira. Elle a mijoté la fin

pendant des années, alors j'ai l'impression que les quatre derniers épisodes seront très

organiques, pas forcés du tout. Les dialogues intelligents, les références culturelles, le côté

comique, les personnages attachants, l'univers de Stars Hollow, la relation entre Lorelaï et

Rory... On retrouvera tout ça, mais puissance10! On a shooté la série aux

stéroïdes! (rires)Comme il n'y a que quatre épisodes, on voulait que les fans puissent se gaver,

et retrouver tout ce qu'ils aimaient de la série.

Amy Sherman-Palladino sait depuis longtemps les quatre mots exacts qui cloront la

série, et je sais que tu les connais. Que peux-tu nous en révéler?

Je ne peux pas les dévoiler! Mais, quand j'ai reçu les textes, je me suis empressé d'aller les lire.

Amy nous avait parlé de ces quatre mots mystérieux, et j'étais curieux. Quand je les ai lus, j'ai

été agréablement surpris. C'est une belle fin, mais c'est définitivement une surprise!

On est maintenant rendus à LA question la plus importante de l'entrevue: en ce qui a trait

aux prétendants de Rory, es-tu #teamjess ou #teamlogan?

Aucun des deux! Je suis #teamdean! (éclat de rire) Pourquoi n'est-il pas dans les choix? Je

l'ajoute! J'ai toujours trouvé que ça a été le meilleur chum de Rory, même si leur histoire a mal

fini. Alors, go Dean!

En plus de te revoir dans Gilmore Girls, on aura la chance de te voir très bientôt dans

une série originale produite par YouTube Red, Sign it!. Peux-tu nous en parler?

La série est une satire vraiment comique des émissions de compétition de chant à la télé,

comme La Voix ou American Idol. On explore les dessous de ces concours-là. Sign it!, c'est le

nom de la compétition dans l'émission, et j'incarne le président du réseau de télévision sur

lequel elle est diffusée. Ça sort le 24 mai et ce sera très drôle!

Tu joues dans une émission sur

Netflix, dans une autre sur YouTube

Red... C'est comment de jouer sur

ces plateformes non traditionnelles?

C'est vraiment super. Maintenant, tout le

monde crée son propre contenu: Netflix,

YouTube, Hulu... C'est formidable pour

les acteurs! Ça nous donne beaucoup

plus d'opportunités. Le marché est

diversifié et complètement éclaté, et les

plateformes numériques donnent

naissance à des shows incroyables. On

n'a pas assez de temps pour regarder

toutes les bonnes téléséries qui sont produites!

Tu te concentres présentement sur le marché américain, mais penses-tu un jour rejouer

dans des téléséries québécoises?

Oui, absolument! J'habite à Los Angeles, alors on ne pense pas souvent à moi pour des rôles

dans des productions québécoises, mais si l'occasion se présentait, j'adorerais ça! À Montréal

ou à L.A., quand on m'offre un beau rôle, c'est toujours un cadeau. Et j'aime beaucoup jouer en

français! Après tout, c'est ma langue maternelle.

Viens-tu souvent à Montréal?

Oui, j'y passe toujours Noël. Ma mère habite ici, plusieurs de mes amis aussi. Je viens aussi

l'été parce que je suis propriétaire d'un studio de spinning à Montréal, sur l'avenue du Parc. Je

dois venir m'en occuper un peu!

Pourquoi avoir ouvert ton studio de spinning ici et non à Los Angeles?

Je suis un joggeur de longue date, mais à cause de blessures aux genoux, je ne peux plus

courir. La seule chose que j'ai trouvé qui me fait autant de bien que de jogger, c'est le spinning!

Mais pas l'ancien spinning, où on fait juste pédaler. À Los Angeles, j'ai découvert les cours de

spinning SoulCycle et j'ai tout de suite adoré. On pédale au rythme de la musique, on intègre

des exercices du haut du corps... C'est presque comme de la danse! Pour un amateur de

musique et de danse comme moi, c'était parfait. Puis, je me suis rendu compte qu'il n'y avait

pas de studio du genre à Montréal, alors l'idée m'est venue d'en créer un. Je voulais que les

Montréalais puissent découvrir ce type d'exercice. C'est ouvert depuis septembre dernier et ça

marche fort! C'est un immense succès, je suis très fier des résultats.

En finissant, quels sont tes endroits préférés à Montréal et à Los Angeles?

À Los Angeles, vous me croiserez souvent chez GJelina, où on trouve la meilleure pizza de

Venice Beach! À Montréal, je vais souvent manger avec des amis au restaurant Damas, sur

l'avenue du Parc. On y sert une délicieuse cuisine syrienne.

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http://www.gjelina.com/http://www.restaurant-damas.com/

"Yanic Truesdale Reveals Whether He's Team Jess or Dean & More About the 'Gilmore Girls' Revival"

By: Anna Ben Yehuda April 12, 2016

With Melissa McCarthy now officially on board, the much-anticipated Gilmore Girls revival (courtesy of Netflix)

promises to take audiences back to the Stars Hollow that they first fell in love with more than 15 years ago. Nearly a

decade after the series finale, Yanic Truesdale, who starred in the series as Michel Gerard, the concierge at both of

Lorelai Gilmore’s inns, opens up about what it feels like to return to the fictional town, the mystery surrounding the

revival, and some of his latest endeavors.

http://ellentube.com/videos/0-rwf61hqz/

How did the idea for a revival come about, and what was your reaction?

YANIC TRUESDALE: First of all, the rumor of a movie or a sequel or something has been up in the air since the

show ended. We all went to the ATX Festival last summer in Austin for a Gilmore Girlsreunion and it was the first time

we all saw each other [since the show’s ending] and it happened to be the first time I was seeing Amy [Sherman-

Palladino, the show’s creator] and Dan [Palladino, the show’s writer and director] in a long time and it was just so

insane. The excitement, the craziness—they had to change venues three times. We had to check into the hotel in the

back because people were camping. It was just really a weekend of surreal reconnection with the success of the

show and we were just like, ‘Wow, this show is not dying, we’re not going anywhere.’

So, it kind of solidified my intuition that Amy and Dan would definitely be doing something to follow up and to end

properly.

What happened after the festival?

YT: I kind of got excited but no one had called me so I was kind of waiting to see if it was going to result into a phone

call. It took a while for the phone call but the phone call did arrive.

So you were expecting it, in a way.

YT: Yeah, I was kind of expecting it. I was intrigued by the format.

Tell us about that. There will be four different episodes, each based on a different season, is that correct?

YT: Yeah, but an episode normally is an hour and these are an hour and a half so, in my head, it’s more like four

movies. I’m curious to see how it’s put together and all that.

There’s already a script, right?

YT: Yeah, yeah, of course. We’re in the middle of it. We’ve been shooting for two months now.

Any word on the release date?

YT: I don’t know. They didn’t tell us. I guess it’s a surprise.

What can you tell us about the storyline?

YT: The only thing that I can say about my story line, Michel’s story line, is […] we’ve always seen Michel at work,

right? We haven’t seen much of his personal life, aside from his dog. That will change. We will get to know much

about him and there’s stuff happening to him and there’s an arc. I have to say [that], because I’m older and everyone

is older, I have changed, like any human being. So, by definition, because I have changed, I think Michel has

changed.

You can’t talk about the plot but tell us this: Will these four episodes bring the show to a satisfying and

fulfilling conclusion?

YT: Completely. It’s a concentrate of the Gilmore Girls juice. It’s cramped and filled with everything that made the

show special.

In the show, you have a French accent. You’re originally from Montreal so French is part of your life but you

don’t have an accent when speaking. Did you bring that detail to the character yourself or was the accent

already a part of the role?

YT: It was written for a French person but I think [that], originally, that person was supposed to be in his 50s, if I

remember correctly. The breakdown was for someone older and then they didn’t find [him]. [When] I went in, I was

29, I think. I was much younger than the character. But I think my read of him gave him some sort of maturity.

Speaking of Montreal: You opened a gym there, right?

YT: A spinning studio, [SpinEnergie].

That’s a pretty interesting choice for an actor. How did it come about?

YT: I know! The logic behind me opening that studio is that I have always, always been someone who is incredibly

active. I ride my bike, I play tennis, I go to the gym—to be physically active for me is really my lifestyle. But I’ve

injured myself over the years because I pushed too much and I used to jog every morning when I woke up but my

knees can no longer do that so I had to find an alternative that would give me as much fun and as much of a high as

running and jogging. A friend made me try SoulCycle years ago and, the first class I took, I was in the back of the

class and I teared up because I knew I had found something new.

http://www.spinenergie.com/en/

That’s exciting!

YT: Yeah! My knees were fine, it didn’t hurt, so I was like, ‘Okay, this is something I can [do].’ I was going back to

Montreal to shoot a Canadian show but I knew Montreal didn’t have spinning studios, which frustrated me. So, my

thought process was: ‘Clearly someone is going to open one soon.’ And then it went to: ‘I should open it.’

And now you’re open. Is it going well?

YT: It was a success—it was a crazy success. I still don’t understand how it went so quick and how I got embraced,

but there was a need. I guess I wasn’t the only one who was craving that.

Last question: Going back to Gilmore Girls, are you team Jess or team Dean?

YT: I feel like I’m the wrong person to take sides because I knew [Jared Padalecki, who plays Dean] more and I’m

friends with [him]. In my head, he was nice so I’ve always answered: ‘Jared!’ They’d say, ‘Oh but he cheated!’ And I

was like, […] I forgot about that. I guess he cheated once but I still think he was the nicest, good hearted, simple guy.

Even though I think everyone thinks Jess is cool and all of that. But I don’t know, I’m too old.

###

By: Quinn Keaney April 28, 2016

Image Source: Peter Svenson

Of all the quirky supporting characters in Gilmore Girls, perhaps the most beloved is Michel Gerard. As the uppity

French concierge at Lorelai's inn, Michel delivers a nonstop stream of eye rolls, hilariously quotable insults, and an

undying love for Celine Dion, making him one of Lorelai's funniest friends and a character who fans are undoubtedly

dying to see when the reboot hits Netflix. The man behind Michel is Canadian actor Yanic Truesdale, and

POPSUGAR recently spoke with him to hear what it's like to be back with his old

http://www.petersvenson.com/

Stars Hollow gang, why he loves playing Michel so much, and how the reboot is going to capture "the

essence" of what people love about Gilmore Girls.

Image Source: Everett Collection

http://everettcollection.com/http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/41090290/image/41091993/1-Every-Day-Set-Like-High-School-ReunionNow-cast

1. Every Day on Set Is Like a High School Reunion

Now that the cast has returned to the set where they originally shot eight years ago, Truesdale says being back feels

like a high school reunion. "First of all, we were all so young when we originally did the show, so we're all more

mature, and we have perspective that we didn't have when we first did it. It's really nice to go back with the full

knowledge of our place in the show's universe, and to be back with all these lovely and talented people."

2. We're Going to Get a More In-Depth Look at Michel's Character

When we asked him what his favorite part about filming has been so far, Truesdale couldn't help but get excited over

the depth that has been added to Michel's storyline. "We get to find out more about who Michel is, and his personal

life, which we haven't really seen much of during the series. That is the most gratifying part of going back for me. I

have an arc. The character of Michel has an arc, and is revealing more of himself."

http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/41090290/image/41090291/3-Dont-Expect-Michel-Lose-His-Signature-SnarkI-enjoy

3. But Don't Expect Michel to Lose His Signature Snark

"I enjoy the fact that he has absolutely no filter," Truesdale laughed. "To be able to say the things that he says, just

being truthful and having no concern about being, kind of, politically correct or being loved, which we often are all kind

of caught up in. He has none of that, so that's a lot of fun."

4. The Longer Episodes Will Show a Side to Characters We've Never Seen Before

"Everybody is coming back. If fans have some favorites, or anyone who was meaningful to them in the show, they'll

most likely be there, so that's fantastic. And, also, I think that the different format of having hour-and-a-half episodes

will give more airtime with certain characters and time to go a little deeper with certain things. I think it will be an

interesting little twist on what people are used to with the show."

http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/photo-gallery/41090290/image/41092004/5-Series-Going-Back-Basics-Creator-Amy

5. The Series Is Going Back to Basics With Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino

"The last season of the show wasn't written by Amy. What makes the show what it is, is the creator of the show,

obviously, and that's Amy. Since she wasn't able to write the last year, to be able to write the revival is really going

back to the essence of the voice that made Gilmore Girls a success. People should expect to reconnect with the

original Gilmore Girls."

6. Lauren Graham and Melissa McCarthy Are Just as Talented as They Seem

After we asked Truesdale which members of the cast he most enjoys sharing a scene with, he knew instantly. "Well

all of my scenes over the years have pretty much been with Lauren and Melissa, and I have to say that I feel very,

very fortunate to have had so much screen time with those two. They're just insanely talented, and I'm friends with

them on top of it all."

###

BY: Virginie Landry March 31, 2016

Yanic Truesdale s’attendait au retour de Gilmore Girls depuis des lustres. C’est

donc sans grande surprise qu’il a appris, l’automne dernier, que quatre nouveaux

épisodes de la série-culte créée par Amy Sherman-Palladino seront diffusés sur

Netflix dans les prochains mois. Métro s’est entretenu avec l’acteur montréalais,

qu’on a vu dans La théorie du K.O., Mauvais karma et Rumeurs,

et qui reprendra pour l’occasion son rôle de Michel Gerard, le maître d’hôtel du Dragonfly Inn.

Michel, un personnage franc

Yanic Truesdale n’a jamais pensé que l’aventure de Gilmore Girls était finie. C’est avec le plus grand des plaisirs qu’il

reprend son

rôle de Michel Gerard, afin de boucler la boucle d’une manière satisfaisante pour lui, pour son personnage et pour les

fans. D’ailleurs, quelle est selon lui la meilleure chose à propos de son personnage? «Il a des répliques formidables.

C’est quelqu’un qui dit à haute voix ce que plusieurs gardent pour eux. C’est très jouissif de pouvoir faire ça, c’est

quelque chose que j’aimais pouvoir faire dans ma propre vie. Il se permet de n’avoir aucun filtre.»

Difficile de tourner une scène de deuil!

Parmi les 154 épisodes dans lesquels Yanic Truesdale est apparu (c’est-à-dire tous les épisodes des sept saisons de

Gilmore Girls!), il y a une scène qui l’a profondément marqué et qui reste, encore aujourd’hui, celle qu’il a préféré

tourner. «Il y a un épisode où Michel vient de perdre un de ses chiens. On organisait des funérailles de chien. Michel

était bouleversé, et je trouvais ça attendrissant, lui qui est tout le temps distant. Le jouer plus vulnérable, c’était

émouvant.»

Travail et vie privée

Si on savait tout, tout, tout sur les héroïnes de la série, on en savait très peu sur

le personnage de Michel Gerard. Yanic Truesdale confirme que son personnage

sera très présent dans les nouveaux épisodes et qu’on en saura plus sur lui. «On

a toujours vu Michel au travail, jamais dans sa vie personnelle. Dans les nouveaux épisodes, on va le voir dans sa

vie privée pour la première fois. On va savoir qui il est vraiment, on va découvrir sa famille, sa vie amoureuse. Tout

ça est déballé.»

Des amis pour la vie

En les côtoyant sur les tournages pendant sept ans, Yanic Truesdale s’est fait des amis parmi ses collègues de

Gilmore Girls. «Je suis très ami avec Melissa McCarthy et Lauren Graham. On se voit souvent, on fait des soupers.

J’avais beaucoup de plaisir avec elles durant les tournages.» Revenir sur le plateau plusieurs années plus tard a été

une belle expérience pour lui. Il décrit l’ambiance qui y régnait comme chaleureuse, joyeuse et nostalgique. À noter

que Melissa McCarthy ne fait pas partie (pour l’instant?) des acteurs qui seront de retour pour les derniers épisodes.

Dean, Jess ou Logan?

Les histoires de cœur de Rory (Alexis Bledel) ont été une des trames narratives de la série depuis le début. Dans

quelle équipe se trouve Yanic Truesdale? «Je vote pour Jared

Padalecki! Faut dire que c’est mon bon ami aussi… Je sais que

Dean, son personnage, a fait des erreurs de jeunesse, mais c’est lui

le meilleur gars pour Rory!» Quand l’émission s’est terminée, Rory

venait de mettre un terme à sa relation avec Logan. Les trois

acteurs, Jared Padalecki (Dean), Milo Ventimiglia (Jess) et Matt

Czuchry (Logan), seront de retour pour les quatre nouveaux

épisodes.

Et les quatre derniers mots sont…

Depuis la toute fin de Gilmore Girls, en 2007, on savait que l’auteure

de la série, Amy Sherman-Palladino, n’avait pas dit son dernier mot.

Ou plutôt, ses quatre derniers mots. Elle avait déjà confié savoir quels seraient les quatre derniers mots de la série,

tout en précisant que durant le dernier épisode, ils n’avaient pas été dits. Yanic Truesdale confirme qu’on entendra

enfin ces mystérieux mots.

###

Gilmore Girls’ Yanic Truesdale on Returning to Stars Hollow and His New YouTube Show

BY: Joel Keller April 21, 2016

In 2000, Montreal native Yanic Truesdale, who had made his career in numerous Canadian television shows, was cast in his first English-speaking role in a new show on The WB network called Gilmore Girls. He played the snooty

French concierge Michel Gerard, who had no problem ticking off customers with dismissive insults and constant eye rolls. But he was also a confidant of Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and Sookie St. James (Melissa McCarthy), and when Lor and Sookie buy the Dragonfly Inn, they bring Michel with them. So it's not a surprise that he'd be a part of the four-movie revival of the show that is currently shooting and will stream later this year on Netflix. However, it's not like he's been waiting for producer Amy Sherman-Palladino to call him back to Stars Hollow; he's acted in Canadian and American productions, and in 2013 he opened a spin studio in his hometown. Called Spin Energie, he opened it to have an L.A.-style spin studio in Montreal. "I worked, literally 16 hours, 17 hours a day for two years, it’s just brutal," he said. He also stars in a new scripted comedy on YouTubeRed called SingIt!, a note-for-

note satire of singing competition shows.

I guess Amy Sherman-Palladino was the person who gave you the call about the show coming back?

No, not at all, I heard, the way I kind of learned that something was in the works was the same way that everyone else learned. There was a leak from Netflix, I don’t know who at Netflix or something, and the press and there was an article in The Hollywood Reporter that was very specific about what was in the works and my agent sent me the link

to the article so that was the first time I heard. I mean, granted, we’ve had rumors for the last seven years that the movie would come, so there was nothing there, but this seemed more tangible and based on some facts. So, I was intrigued by it but I didn’t get a call until like a month later or something. I think they were still in the process of negotiating a deal with Amy so, yeah, so that’s how I learned, really, and then I got the official call. The official call came I think, like at end of November, so yeah, pretty late.

Before the call comes, are you thinking like, "Oh they can’t do this without Michel," or were you not expecting it at all? Oh, well I didn’t think, I knew that if something was going to happen that I would be included, I don’t think I’ve ever thought like "Oh, they would do Gilmore Girls without me." That kind of didn’t make sense; I’ve been in the show since the pilot, and Michel is very much a beloved character, so no that didn’t cross my mind. I know them very well, Amy and Dan [Palladino], and when we did the ATX Festival in Austin and it was completely bananas, people flew from all over the world and we couldn’t leave our hotel, all that, I just knew that there was no way that they wouldn’t follow up with the show because the show is still so vibrant, and the fan base is just getting bigger.

And they’re smart people, why wouldn’t you follow up? First of all, they didn’t get a chance to tell the ending their way, because they weren’t writing the show the last season so obviously as a writer, as a creator, she

was dying to do it, and then, by being at that festival and having all of us there and seeing the craziness of it, I’m sure it just only solidified her whatever that was in the works, knowing that she was doing the right thing.

How did it feel to come back to the WB lot and see the Stars Hollow downtown on the lot and all the sets recreated?

Well, because Warner Brothers has changed my life and that show has changed my life in many ways, and because it was also my first job in the States, I have a fond, lovely connection with the studio, so every time I have to go back to the studio for a meeting or whatever it is, it always feels like I’m going home. I didn’t have to go on the back lot where the town was, so I’ve never really gone there until we were shooting now. But there’s something magical and surreal to go back to set and have all the decor and Lorelai’s house and everything back up, I mean they’ve rebuilt, some things didn’t exist anymore. It’s so crazy!

Everett Collection

Lauren Graham, Yanic Truesdale, in the Gilmore Girls episode 'Lorelai's First Cottillion' I mean, I don’t know how much you can tell me, are they relatively exactly the way they were nine years ago?

I mean, certain sets are identical. From an actor’s point-of-view it’s like "Oh, this feels a little bigger than it was," or this or that but you wouldn’t see on TV, but it’s like going back to a house that you grew up. You know? There’s a surreal element of, "Oh my God, I remember that room," or "It feels smaller than what I remember." Because we romanticize the past or our memory, so it’s very interesting to go back to it and see it again, and touching because you reconnect immediately by seeing it, you reconnect with it. When you say that Warner Brothers and I guess the show have changed your life, in what way?

In every way, it introduced me. I’d done a lot of Canadian television, which I’m still doing, but Canadian television doesn’t have a worldwide audience. When you do a hit show in Hollywood, it’s sold in eighty countries. You know, and you go to Israel, and you go to Italy, or you go to a small village in Spain, or Indonesia, and people recognize, so that’s a very, at first, was a very new a strange feeling, and it also introduced me in a big way to the industry. That was a hit show, my character was certainly a hit character, I think after the first season I got chosen by Variety as one of the ten actors to watch with Ryan Gosling and Jennifer Garner, so suddenly the industry knew who Yanic Truesdale was when six months before they didn’t, I hadn’t done anything. So that changed my life, and the money that you make on a show in the U.S. is not the same as a Canadian show I think it’s a very well known fact, and that changed my life as well.

Are you surprised that everyone was able to come back?

Um, no, I wasn’t because had this been another show, maybe I would say "Oh yeah I was surprised." But as I said as an actor you rarely have a chance to be in a show that has impacted so many people and is still relevant. I mean, that’s very rare, a lot of people are on some hit shows for three, four years but then the show ends and you never hear about the show anymore. But to be in a show that almost feels now like a classic, or part of the American culture, I mean who in their right mind wouldn’t want to go back to it and make it work? Whatever is happening in their lives, you know what I mean? So in that sense I’m not surprised at all actually. Does it feel like Amy and Dan haven't skipped a beat or is there something slightly different?

Exactly, that’s how it feels. It literally feels like we ended in July and we’re picking it up in September. So, even though it’s been ten years since they left...

Yeah, it doesn’t change anything, I mean literally I actually said that on the set after the first day, I turned around and looked at Amy and Lauren and I said "This feels like we’ve never stopped," and she’s like, "I know." So yeah, you know also, I’m sure, because they didn’t do the last season, they probably knew so much in their head what they wanted to say story-wise that I think once they’d gotten the go, it was probably just like vomiting. It probably came out so quickly because I think it’s been in her for a long time. It’s going to be about a nine or ten year time gap on the show?

I think it’s a real, don’t quote me on that, I’m not 100% sure, I’m trying to think of the scripts, I’m not 100% if it’s nine years after or, I’m not sure.

The CW/Everett Collection

Lauren Graham, Yanic Truesdale, Kelly Bishop

Does Amy consider what went on the last season in what she was doing, or does that seventh season not exist? No, no, no it does exist. They’re using elements for sure of the last season. What did Edward Herrmann's presence mean to the show when he was there and what is missing there now that he’s not? Well, he is the father figure, this is a family show, this is about her strained relationship with her parents, so by not having the dad it really takes away that relationship with the parents, now it’s just the relationship with the mom, which Amy is working around that beautifully and Emily is going through a lot of things on her own because of the loss of her husband. I don’t know if you knew him, but Ed was just a very gracious presence in the sense that he is someone who is very, very smart, and very kind and interested in others so to have him on set, and I’m a very curious person and I’m always fascinated by people that are so well educated. And you just felt like you could talk about literally anything, like cigars or the origin of brandy or whatever, he was just so well traveled and so interested and so curious, and so interested in others that he was always someone that would really ask a lot of questions.

Talking to him was a charm, he was a very, very charismatic and very lovely presence. I was in Mexico on a trip when I found out he passed away, it made me really sad, because not only did I like him a lot but I just felt that he would be missed so much, he was just too young and I was sad that I didn’t know that he was sick and I didn’t have a chance to call him and tell him how much he meant to me, but such is life, we rarely have that chance.

What can you say that we’re going to see from Michel in this new series, in this new season?

Well, what you will see is more of him as a person, in his personal life because Michel has been a character that you’ve mainly seen at work, you knew very little about his personal, where he lived or who he’s dating, anything really, we didn’t see anything. That is different with this revival so we get to know more of him and more of his personal life and I find that, personally, very satisfying and I think the audience will find that very satisfying because they’ll get to know him better. Is he still at the Dragonfly?

I cannot talk about the story lines, but he’s very much still connected to Lorelai. While you were working on the original series, did you get any sense of how popular it had become?

I mean at first we were that little show. We were a CW darling, the critics loved us immediately, we got great reviews, but I don’t think at first we had great ratings. We were like this little show that slowly people discovered. It was a different time in television where The CW could just leave it there even though we weren’t having the biggest ratings because it was so, the reviews and the press were so much behind that show that, very much like television nowadays, we had a niche. But when you’re on a show, you know that it’s a hit because you live with it when you’re on the street and, there were a couple of years where it was very intense as far as being in your day to day life and living your life to manage situations and stuff.

Like how, you mean people coming up to you?

Like, you know, airports are very freaky for an actor because you’re trapped there and you have to go through security like everyone else, and all that stuff. I really didn’t know how it worked in America then I found out when I flew back home, I always fly back with Air Canada, there was a person that, every time they would see me—I guess they do that with other people that were on TV or famous people—she would take me, and then go through security much faster, and just take me through ways that I didn’t know because people get excited. Which is fine, but you know I’m kind of like a very, I’m not a shy guy but I’m an only child, I was raised by myself so I don’t deal well with thirty people being excited around me. I find it intimidating, I don’t really know how to react, it’s too much attention on me, I just don’t deal so well with it. So, there was a learning curve with that kind of success, but then like any other show, after a few years people find another show, people get excited but it kind of calms down and it’s easier to deal with that type of thing.

Why do you think the show, in the nine years since it left, is still connecting with people?

My take on it is the writing holds up, it’s very smart writing and it doesn’t dumb down any of the references or the pop culture, I mean there’s not a time where we would have a table read and someone didn’t ask, "What does that mean?" And then Amy would go like, "Oh this person created this in 1955," and then we got the joke. So for writers to just trust that the audience is smart enough to get those references, and for sure some of the references go over people’s heads and certainly mine, so I think the writing is very much key to the show. I also think it’s not a cynical show, it’s a show with a lot of heart and it’s a show about your real family, but also the family that you create on your own, meaning your friends, the town you live in, the community you have. It’s very much a show about family in every sort of way.

I can’t tell you the hundreds or thousands of times people have said "I watch this show with my daughter, this is our quality time." I think it allows a lot of families and parents to connect with their child and have some quality time with them, so I think that’s another key element to it.

How does that translate when you’re playing Michel because you’re the guy that’s always rolling his eyes and always having that funny, snide remark? How would you make sure that it’s not just a snotty French guy caricature and have him connect to the rest of what’s going on?

I’ve seen it a lot in Montreal, actually in New York a lot; a lot of French people leave France. France is really a tough place economically to live, the tax bracket is insane, the work, it’s very much a society that lives in the past to me. So, the young generation, a lot of the young generation have left and live in America or Canada or abroad for many reasons. So, for me, the fact that he was French and living in a small town made sense in some ways in my head, it was like "Oh here it is again, another French person who can’t deal with his country and needs to create a new life for himself." That I kind of justify in that way, so that’s how he ended up there. Do you remember the best line Amy and Daniel wrote for Michel during the original run?

There’s so many lines, for me the crueler the line the better. There’s a line of an elderly woman, a character and they cast an actress that I think was like 85 and very frail and she comes up to Michel and she says "Excuse me, do you know where I could find the best antiques?" And Michel’s response was "At your house, I’d guess." And things like that where you’re like, "Oh my God did he just? Oh poor woman." I also remember now that I’m talking to you, there was a group of Frenchmen coming to the hotel and I didn’t want to talk to them in French, I didn’t want to associate, and they heard the accent so they were like "Oh, we are French," and they were talking to me in French and I was like "No, I’m just a simple boy from Texas." But it was so absurd because of my huge thick French accent.

The series you're doing for YouTube Red, Sing It!, is a satire of singing competitions. Have we heard you sing before? Are you one of the singers? Or are you one of the judges?

So, here’s the thing, I actually auditioned to play one of the judges and they ended up casting me as the head of the network where the singing contest is. So Sing It! the name of the show, it’s actually the name of the singing contest show in the series, you understand? I’m the head of the network it's on. But I originally auditioned to play one of the judges. To answer your question, I do sing, I sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on television in Canada last year I think for an homage to a friend who was linked to a story that was connected to our friendship, anyway, so I do sing, and I sang on stage because I’ve done a lot of theater, but I’m not a Broadway singer but I certainly can sing. Are you a fan of American Idol and The Voice? Not really, I’m not someone who follows those shows, I don’t get involved or root for some specific singers, but what I appreciate of those shows as opposed to reality shows which is just about bickering and backstabbing, this is real, based on a talent show. Anything that is behind the scene in my industry I find satisfying because there’s so much going on into making this show a success or whatever it is, and it’s a very complex industry with a lot of egos. I enjoy that. Anything else coming up, or is that more than enough?

I have a project in Canada, I’m shooting this until June and I have a project in Canada that is in the writing process, I’m not writing it but writers are writing it, and I’ll be one of the leads in that show so I’m looking forward to that but we’re not in production yet. Well, get ready to be accosted at the airport again when the Netflix Gilmore Girlscomes back. I know, I’m ready, I know how it goes.

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April 14, 2016

April 18, 2016

April 18, 2016

April 15, 2016