She’s Cannes 2025’s Best Actress, but she’s never made a movie before: Who is Nadia Melitti, Baby Announcement?

When we met him in Cannes this Friday, May 16, we were a few hours before his official presentation. But the premonition did not leave us from mid-morning and after our exit from the “small” press screening: Nadia Meliti had everything to be a great actress prize, unless Hafsia Hertz’s third feature won the grail.

Eight days later, on the second day of the film’s Queer Palm victory, the actor’s name was called out at the closing ceremony, and he replaced the actors Emilia Perez, Merve Dizdar (Dry Herbs), Zar Amir Ebrahim (Nights of Mashhad) and even Renate Reinsvet (although Jules 1 was not in the chart) cinema before. Or when this little one becomes a big fantastic premiere, in theaters for a few days.

“This is a chance and an opportunity”He told us when we met him. “And I’ve already done a few interviews before, so I’m less nervous about this one I’m doing with you.” then perfect.

AlloCiné: How did the casting go? How did Hafsia choose to be the heroine of her new film?

Nadia Melit : I was spotted by Audrey Ginny, who is the casting director. We met in Chatelet, where I walk quite often because I like to walk along the banks of the Hotel de Ville and the Pont Neuf. It’s a place I love and Audrey called me that day. At first I think he is a tourist and I say to myself: “Is my English up to date?” (laughs) And finally we’re talking and he’s telling me about this wonderful character and the things about the film, actually, very fluidly.

So I said to myself: “Come on, why not?” I am quite curious in life, so I told myself that these new teachings could be very interesting and that it was worth a try. But at first I thought it was a joke: I didn’t think it was really serious. In the end it was, and I’m very happy to have the opportunity to bring this very beautiful character back to Cannes, especially with Hafsia Hertz, who is a very good director, and to play with Ji-Min Park, who is a great actor. Very proud, very honored.

Hapsia Hertz : I started casting while writing the script. I had already written three versions and quickly asked the producer to start casting as soon as possible because I knew it would be a difficult character and we would have to spend time finding him. So we did a year of casting and, Nadia, I saw her in the photos. It was the casting director who approached him on the street and immediately something occurred to me, I wanted to meet him very quickly. So he had some tests, then I met him and I knew very quickly. Too fast, I knew. I dated other people but each time he came back. When we met for the first time and I saw him walking out from behind, I said to myself: “No, but he is!”

I see a little bit of myself in Hafsia Hertz, so she’s definitely a director that I have a huge amount of admiration and respect for.

Nadia Melit: Initially, I followed a STAPS (Physical and Sports Activity Sciences and Techniques) course in sports. I’ve never done film or theater before, so this is a real first. And it was my curiosity that led me to apply. I didn’t even know about Hafsia’s films but I did some research after meeting her and I got a bit interested in her filmography and her journey, which is actually a very enjoyable journey. I see a little bit of myself in him as well, so he’s definitely a director that I have immense admiration and respect for.

Hafsia Hertz: Once I found Nadia, of course I adapted the script to her personality. I like to do it based on who I choose. That’s why I often ask if they have a hobby, if they like sports, what they do… When I met him, he told me that he played a little football, I asked him to send me videos and there I saw that he did it very, very well. I thought it was so beautiful, I told myself that I should put it in the film. live He doesn’t play football, but I love to be inspired by people who will play characters, read, rewrite.

How did you work to keep that naturalness and spontaneity on screen that you saw in Nadia?

Nadia Melit: Everything was very natural, because on this shoot I was surrounded by a lot of support and very caring and hypertolerant, because I had no experience. From that point of view everything was easy and, you know, we talked a lot with Hafsia and Fatima. We immediately had this connection, this fluidity, which meant it wasn’t a problem and I felt at ease very quickly.

Hafsia Hertz: It was a lot of work, a lot of rehearsals. I really do rehearsals, a bit like a theater, and during these rehearsals we talk, go out to eat, live. We get to know each other to feel comfortable and confident. And then it happened naturally. But either way, he definitely has the intelligence for the game. Intelligence for play and understanding. So it was very easy. We were lucky to be able to rehearse well so everything was straight and organised. Then, based on each shoot, we make small adjustments to try things out on the spot. But I really had in mind the character, his emotions, his feelings. Everything was accurate.

As a result, her young actress won the prize for the interpretation of a woman. And this (small) last one does not rule out that in the future he will follow in the footsteps of his director behind the camera, even if he says it is too early to say. Undoubtedly, her triumph and the limelight offered by the Cannes Film Festival have everything to open the door to a great career for her. As already an actor, and probably as a film director.

Comments collected by Maximilien Pierret in Cannes on May 16, 2025