I flew to Paris from Dusseldorf the morning after the UNESCO event first to have an interview with Annabelle, the Swiss magazine that is similar to our Marie Claire. This was at the behest of L’Oreal.

I wanted very much to take advantage of my first-class round trip ticket provided generously by UNESCO to stop by Paris. I am going to be making a French film in Paris in June and I had hoped the cast and director could arrange their schedules to have an introductory dinner together—give us all fantasies and mental images of our playmates between now and June. This will be my first film in French in almost 50 years!! It is a challenge I am greatly looking forward to and, I know, Vadim (my first French husband), will be very much with me during the shooting. It is a tender, humorous, charming story about two couples and another dear friend with whom the two women had once been lovers who, because of the financial and physical challenges of age, decide to all move in together. (As many seniors are doing these days) A young sociologist who is doing research on the lives of older people is invited to live with them as well. I play an American who has lived all her life in France and is a Professor of Philosophy at the Sorbonne.

Before the dinner, the author and film director, Stéphane Robelin and producer, Christophe Bruncher came to my hotel for drinks. I was startled by how young they both are, Stéphane is 39 and Christophe is 35. Just about the age of my children. This will be Stéphane’s first film but he has an air of confidence and creative vision that made me feel I will be safe. I think it’s fair to say we felt very comfortable together by the time we left for dinner.

Christophe, our producer, and Stéphane, our writer/director

We drove up the hill to the top of Montmartre where the iconic church, the round-domed Sacre Coeur, sits imposingly.

Sacre Coeur

Sacre Coeur

The first person I saw when I entered the dining room was Geraldine Chaplin who, with her Chilean cinematographer husband had come in from Switzerland for the evening. I was so excited when I learned she was going to be in the film as I have always wanted to meet her. I was on stage with her father the night he made his triumphant return to Hollywood to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oscars—the same night I won mine for “Klute.” I am really looking forward to getting to know Geraldine during the filming. I like the way she has done her life.

Daniel Bruhl, the new German star who appeared most recently in Quentin Tarrantino’s film with Brad Pitt, was able to fly in from Germany to be with us. Daniel will play the young researcher who moves in with us and with whom I develop a close friendship. I found Daniel’s presence sweet, attentive and soulful. Perfect for the role.

German star, Daniel Bruhl

Guy Bedos, the renown French actor, came to the dinner right from the theatre where he is performing a one-man show. The beloved French comedian, Pierre Richard, was there looking appropriately hirsute, sweet and bohemian to play the role of my husband. Only Claude Rich was not able to join us because he is touring in a play. This experienced, international cast brings heft and deep talent to our small, independent film. Most importantly, we could all tell that the seeds have been planted for real camaraderie and fun…and a lot of fine red wine.

Pierre Richard drove away in the rain on his motor bike and I went “home”“ for a few hours sleep before making the final trek back to Richard.

Guy Bedos and Pierre Richard...what handsome guys!

Pierre Richard, my 'husband'

I took a fancy to Geraldine's sneakers

Today’s the last day of filming the commercial. It is for the new line of skin cream that will be launched in the new year. I am addicted to my Age Re-Perfect Pro-Calcium which is what it’s called. I found out from my blogger friends that it’s no longer carried in the U.S. (Actually it is in some stores. I will give you their names in a day or two) But the new product will be out beginning in 2010. The new president of L’Oreal Paris, Mr Vianney Derville, stopped by to say hello and we took a picture of the L’Oreal team on the set.

I told him that I understand that the company doesn’t like to brag about itself but I want people to know that #1 they don’t do animal testing, #2 they are investing in the development of reconstituted (synthetic) skin for use in testing and #3 they just won the Environmental Award for their corporate ethics (reduced water use and waste dumping and reduced use of plastics). I told him about the enthusiasm evidenced from my blog comments about these things. It’s as though they haven’t thought about letting people know about the good things they are doing.

I must say, doing a commercial feels surreal after 5 months of “33 Variations”. It’s a study in narcissism; in many of the shots I am caressing my own face. In one shot 2 friends come up and kiss me, wishing me happy birthday and, instead of looking at them and saying “thank you”, I look into the camera while my voice over is saying something about how smooth my skin is. It makes me laugh, actually. I imagine my old acting teacher, Lee Strasberg, looking down and saying, “So Jane, it’s come to this!” But there’s a certain discipline to acting in a commercial. You must leave behind all questions of motivation and just do what they ask. Little minute details take on huge importance–how I hold the match to light the candle; the way I set the pot of cream down on the table. (I wish right now I had Carrie Fisher’s gift for le bon mot. She’d have such a hilarious way of describing commercial-style acting. She just wrote me and said she’d written a bumper sticker: “Celebrity is just obscurity biding it’s time”) You’re smiling when there’s nothing to smile about, appearing sensual while thinking about your own skin. And there is a large team of people representing the product all of whom have something to say about every shot. “Try it a little more like this, Jane,” “try it more like that.” After every shot we can’t move on to the next one until everyone’s opinion has been checked. For me it becomes possible because I really believe in the product and also because I like the people involved whom I have known for four years. We have filmed in Paris, New York and Malibu, California and two years ago I represented L’Oreal at the Cannes Film Festival.

Tomorrow is my last day of work and it will entail shooting still photos with the products that are used in poster and magazines. All around the world.

I am ready for bed after a (very) long day’s work.

See you next time.

I spoke briefly at a luncheon at the L’Oreal Paris headquarters in Clichy, a suburb of Paris. For four days, the directors of L’Oreal Paris from around the world have come together to meet and strategize about different aspects of the business. There must have been more than 150 countries represented. It was impressive. For the past 4 years I have been the L’Oreal Paris brand ambassador worldwide (except the U.S.) for +65 women. I’ve been told my brands are their best sellers. June 4th was L’Oreal’s 100th birthday so this was a sort of party and I was the surprise guest.

I am proud to work with L’Oreal Paris, a company that recently won the award for leadership in ethics. I sat next to Jean-Paul Agon, the President of the parent company of which L’Oreal Paris is a division who confirmed what I had already been told: They do no testing on animals and their laboratories are in the forefront of developing artificial skin on which to test products.

I love the company also because they chose me not in spite of my age but because of my age. They are committed to the idea that beauty is not simply in the young and model-perfect but in all people regardless of ethnicity or age.

Last night I had dinner with Jean Pierre Meyers and Francoise Meyers Bettencourt, the daughter of the owner of L’Oreal’s parent company. Youcef Nabi was also there. She was director of L’Oreal worldwide when I began working with them and is now president of Lancome worldwide which is the luxury brand of L’Oreal. We are good friends.

I am with my friend, Former president of L'Oreal Paris, Youcef Nabi

Tomorrow we begin three days of filming a commercial for skin care products in an apartment in Paris. I always have to do each shot in French, then in English and then a separate one for the United Kingdom which has special rules about what can be said. I enjoy the challenge. I must say, I use the products on a regular basis and have for 4 years. They are called AGE RE-PERFECT PRO CALCIUM and there is one cream for daytime and one for the night. I tend to have dry skin and it’s gotten more so with age, so these creams have really helped. I know some of you don’t give a fuzzy rat’s ass about all this, but I’ve had many questions from, blog friends about my skin care.

The director of the commercial and the stylist are about to arrive to discuss tomorrow’s shoot and have me try on the clothes. I will send photos of he shoot tomorrow. So…

See you next time

I did not expect to win. From the very start, when people told me I would win, I appreciated their sentiments but never felt it was a Tony sort of role. Then, once I saw “Mary Stuart” and “God of Carnage” with the four other Tony nominees I felt I truly didn’t deserve to win. Those performances were towering. Truth be known, the entire 5 month experience was the prize for me and I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to return to Broadway and discover how much I like being on stage and performing night after night.

Friends often asked how I managed to do it over and over eight times a week. While it’s true that staying healthy and getting enough sleep is challenging, the chance to grow and deepen in your role makes it all worthwhile. I was finding new ways to play moments right up to the end. This deepening is something that you don’t get in movie acting. Also, it is a wondrous thing to have your whole life so intensely focused on that one thing-that one 2 hour performance. While I’m glad I don’t have to worry so much about sleep, I miss this focus a lot.

My agent, Joe Machota (who was also my date at the Tonys), gave me all the reviews of the play the last day I was in New York and I had time to quickly read through them all before leaving for Paris. I deliberately avoided reading reviews until it was over and I am glad I did. They reflected such contradictory opinions of the play and of my performance that I would have gotten confused. Some really liked what I did. Some really didn’t like what I did and some were ambivalent.

I find it very useful to read reviews. I always have. I learn from the reviews both the good ones and the bad ones. I learn about the reviewers themselves, about perceptions they have about me as a woman beyond me in the role and I learn how what I do can be perceived by others. This last is especially useful, I think.

In a few weeks, while I am recovering from my up-coming surgery I intend to reread the reviews so that I can better interpret them and decide what’s important to know about my work. I will probably write more about all of this later.

Right now I am in Paris memorizing my French dialogue for the L’Oreal commercial I will be shooting.

See you next time.