July 7th

Movie making is a strange profession. You become very close to a group of people..cast and crew members..and then it’s over and everyone goes their separate ways. I’ve learned that one has to be intentional if friendships formed on a movie set are to continue. Geraldine and I have pledged to remain friends. I find her fascinating with off-beat taste in all things. A true bohemian who still fits in to any situation with any assortment of people. She’s intelligent, talented, curious, generous.

My friends from Georgia, Sharon, Howell and Megan Ferguson with Richard standing behind

A mother, father, child head stone

rehearsing my French dialogue with Christine Dejoux

a pensive scene with Daniel

detail of grave site arbor

My character works with Daniel's character to plants roses and jasmine around a small bench at the site of my grave

I didn’t work today, luckily, because I got to bed very late. But I went out to the location later today to do some voice overs. When I got there, they were filming a scene around the pool with Geraldine’s grandchildren (Actually the director’s children playing the roles) and I couldn’t resist taking a picture. I have taken you through the whole process…first it was a vegetable garden, then they began to dig a hole for the pool, and so on. Geraldine’s character is worried that her grandchildren don’t love her any more because they never come over. Claude Rich, who plays a close friend of both of ours (actually more than a friend) says if she puts in a pool they will come. And this proves his point.

When shooting was over the actors threw a “pot”–(pronounced ‘po’) a happy hour drink and food for cast and crew. I left early because tomorrow, my 2nd to last day, is also my hardest in terms of number of scenes and amount of dialogue….all with Daniel which will be fun though challenging. I need a good night’s sleep and no alcohol.

I am getting sad that I have only 2 more days. I will miss my fellow actors. We have grown close…not to mention the crew. A great group.

With our producer, Christophe Bruncher at the pot

Happy 4th of July, all you compatriots. I haven’t blogged for awhile and that’s because Richard arrived in Paris and well, I’ve been otherwise occupied. It has been so much fun and here are some photos to catch you up a bit. But it’s not all Richard’s fault. We’ve been doing night shooting and that throws everything topsy turvy. But I have had some fine meals in some of Paris’s best and gone dancing a few times (no photos) and there’ve been events related to the Paris Film Festival —events honoring me. Like yesterday I did a Master Class in a small theatre for an audience…did it in French and then took my friends Sharon and Howell Ferguson, and their actress daughter, Megan, Richard and Philipe Caland to the wonderful restaurant in the Bois du Boulogne—le Pre du Catlan.

Tonight many of my French and American friends who are in Paris (including Paula Weinstein and Hannah, her daughter who is my goddaughter), and the Fergusons and Charlotte Rampling and Geraldine and her husband Patrizio, and Vadim’s family and Daniel Bruhl, and on and on—will come to a cocktail reception in my honor given by the Paris Film Festival. After that I introduce “Klute” (the festival has shown 13 of my films…yesterday I introduced “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”) and after that introduction we will board a bus I have rented and we’ll all go to the Scissor Sisters concert. I am soooo excited to see them live. The lead, Jason (aka Jake) Sellards is my friend—you’ve seen him in some of my previous blogs– and I have never seen him perform live and I hear they are totally amazing. After that we will all go to dinner!!

I have only 3 more days on the film. The last 2 are the most difficult. 8 scenes of heavy dialogue all with Daniel. It’s going to be fun and intense.
Monday night all the actors are throwing a “pot”–French word for happy hour with drinks and food for cast and crew. Different crews (camera crew, sound crew, set design crew) have been doing it every Friday. I have missed them all. Last Friday they danced till 3am I heard! Now why did I have to go and miss that? Oh yes…well, I was having fun too.

I will remember to take photos tonight. Maybe even Twitter!

The pool getting ready for us to have dinner at the bottom

Pierre and Guy moving the dinner table into pool

Script supervisor Nancy Rivas

Richard came to the set for lunch with his friend, filmmaker Philippe Caland

Last night we celebrated Guy Bedos’s birthday and Daniel Bruhl’s as well although his was earlier last week. We gathered in Guy and Jo’s apartment, a stone’s throw from were I am staying on Ile St Louis—the cast, director, producer and Guy’s family and friends.

What a fun time we had as the wine and vodka flowed!!! You’ve got to understand, 3 of our male stars—Claude, Guy and Pierre—are comedians, and not for nothing. They are seriously funny and we laughed till we cried…at least I did. How therapeutic laughter is!! Pierre told me there is a “Laughter Clinic” in Paris to help cure ill people.

It was especially nice to meet and get to know the wives of our co-stars—Jo Bedos, Ceyla Richard, and Catherine Rich.

Enjoy the photos.

Today, Sunday I have stayed in all day to write…actually, early this morning, I went out to walk Tulea and ran into Jo who was walking her puppy. She had on a down parka. I didn’t stay out long because I have no warm clothes. I hope this cold spell will pass before Richard gets here.

Stephane, our director, Guy Bedos, Christophe, our producer, Guy's PR rep, Claude Rich's wife, actor Catherine Rich

We also celebrated Daniel Bruhl's birthday with a cake

Jo Bedos, with the new puppy she gave Guy for his birthday.

Pierre and his wife, Ceyla, with the puppy.

presenting Guy with his cake

Claude being his usual dramatic self. Actually, I think he was singing a raunchy song that he sings in the movie, only not leaving out the final and most raunchy verse.

Geraldine and her husband, the Chilean cinematographer, Patricio.

Geraldine with actor Catherine Frot. Geraldine was so overcome when Frot arrived (she thinks she's one of the greatest actor's)

Pierre and Ceyla--she is Brazilian and fabulous!

Guy with his daughter, Victoria

Daniel came with several friends who came from Berlin and Spain to celebrate with him

That’s the question Geraldine’s character poses to herself. She misses her grandkids since their parents moved a little bit away and thinks they don’t love her anymore.

So in this scene where we’re enjoying a barbacue in the garden, our friend, played by Claude Rich (in the cap) suggests putting a swimming pool in place of the vegetable garden. Geraldine’s husband is totally opposed. Stay tuned.

A majestic blue spruce (I think) in the backyard.

The back view of the house

Rehearsing my dialogue with Christine who makes sure my accent is on target

I had one short scene leaving the house that my husband and I will eventually move into. The movie is, after all, called “…And If We All Lived Together.” Well, we do in the end and it’s lots of fun, but here we still have to go home after a fun birthday party to let the dog out.

I got to back to the apartment where I am taking advantage of this free afternoon and evening to work on my book.

Richard will call soon. He is in a large studio in L.A. Recording the huge string section –some 45 musicians–for his new Rod Stewart album. I wish I was there to hear and watch what he says is the most exciting part of producing and not all albums have big string sections. Everyone who hears this album in the making says it’s historic. Richard wants me to listen to a little of the sessions over the phone and a colleague of his is videoing it.

We shot a scene leaving a birthday lunch we just had

I'm glad I had the cape cause it was chilly

Waiting to be called into action. We have a good time talking and laughing. Everyone's funny!

Fabienne, Kesso with Tulea, Karina (back to camera) and Dominique, waiting in "kitchen" to touch us up between takes

The tent where we eat

It's Guy's birthday and they had a cake for him

The tree looks lovely, doesn't it? Guess what? It's fake, made of cloth.

Part of the livingroom where we all end up living together--filled with film equipment

The kitchen--actually the diningroom for the family who live here

lovely tall ceilings and an arched door into the livingroom

This garden will be turned into a swimming pool so that Geraldine's (Annie's) grandchildren will want to come and see her.

The caterers who feed us every day--very good!