Such a Big Sun: “Mark experiences his mourning in his own way” by Cesar Merrick

Allociné: It’s been a few months since you joined the cast of Un si grand soleil, what attracted you to the role of Mark?

Cesar Merrick: Mark is new to the series, we kind of give him a background as a photographer adventurer. I found it enjoyable. And then I found it interesting that he was the father of a sixteen-year-old boy. I could not imagine this. I have a twelve-year-old daughter and I’m already quite giddy, so a sixteen-year-old son (laughs). In fact, many things were taken into account, especially the ability to work on the role over time.

We imagine there might be some trepidation at a family reunion like Un si grand soleil. How was your arrival in the series?

I was received so well and warmly that I integrated very easily. It’s a great team, honestly. Technical or artistic side. They are really great people. I didn’t expect that at all, so I was fooled pretty quickly. My fear was on the train, but everything went well when I got off.

What was your reaction when you heard what the writers were preparing for the character of Miriam (Pauline Paolini)?

I was very afraid of my character being selfish. I had no illusions about what happened next. I just arrived, so I thought it would stop too. When it stopped for Miriam, I didn’t see what they were going to do with Mark. Looks like they figured out what to do with my character. Mark now has a family, a father, an ex-wife, a son. They built a little clan and it’s really good.

So is the Moore family destined to stick around for the long haul, despite Miriam’s death?

I don’t want to go too far, but for now on paper yes.

How will Mark deal with Miriam’s death and who will have hope in this difficult ordeal?

He will complain in his own way. He is about to fall from a very high place, because the one who no longer thought he loved him saw that he loved him madly. It will be very difficult, but to climb the slope thanks to its surroundings. Rabier thanks, above all, his boss at Midi Libre, who is very considerate and protective of him. Of course, he will succeed, but it will be time-consuming.

How will Mark react when he learns that his son may be responsible for Miriam’s death?

He will be totally amazed. He doesn’t want to believe it and will ask himself a lot of questions. Mark has a somewhat dumb side. He lives his misfortune introspectively so as not to hurt those around him. But until he knows the truth, he will have it very badly.

Will Mark investigate to find out what happened?

No, at some point it comes down to his ears. Everything will be resolved and the people around will find out what happened. He’s not really going to search, he’s going to observe and listen to what’s going on.

The relationship between Mark and Louis is not good at the moment…

It’s complicated. Mark loves his son very much and is very protective. But it’s really quite exciting. This is the age when Louis is full of rebellion and lacks confidence. Plus, with all the misunderstandings that will ensue, it will be a bit chaotic.

Will this ordeal finally bring them together or, on the contrary, drive them apart?

This will bring them closer together when Mark finds out what really happened. In fact, it is this misunderstanding that leads her to suspect her son of making a big mistake.

We can say that Mark is not having it easy at the moment. If he lives through the terrible drama of Miriam’s death, he must also face his father’s coma. How will he react when he discovers that Leonor is responsible for Jacques’ suicide attempt?

It will come off its hinges. You’ll find Mark has a voice and a strong personality too (laughs).

What do you hope for the future of your character?

For the moment, I allowed myself to get a little carried away. I am slowly realizing what the screenwriters have in mind for this character. What I want is for it to come out and more pleasant things to happen (laughs). I want Mark to express himself a little bit. I wish he would take up extreme sports to escape the confusion. And then, with Miriam, there was a bit of a story where he told her that he wasn’t as brazen and reckless as she was. After his death, I tell myself that he will have to pull himself together a bit and think about all this. It might be a little out of your comfort zone. I want that and then that he has a good story too (laughs).

Do you have other projects besides the series?

I start filming the next Melanie Laurent movie in October, which should be released on Netflix next year.

Interview by phone on August 18, 2022.