The Artist's Bérénice Bejo On Jean Dujardin, Her Husband Michel Hazanavicius

I was very happy. I was very happy and proud for Michel and Jean and very surprised. I was not expecting it for me so I was really, you know, I felt part of the group.

Not really because the challenge is more for the audience because there is no dialogue and they can’t hear anything. But for me, I had dialogue. I learned lines so on set I was acting the same way as usual. What was cool is that we put music on set and so Michel would put dramatic music when there was a dramatic scene or beautiful, joyful music when [my character Peppy] gets into the new studios and is going for the audition. I get out of the bus and I’m so happy, so we put Vivaldi on set. As an actor, it’s such a great help to have music to put you in a special mood.

I didn’t really study. I just followed Michel. He was watching so many movies at home and reading books and so I just followed him because so we had something to share in the evenings. I read a lot of things and I really enjoyed that part, just last year when I was reading and watching a lot of movies and reading books with pictures of the movie stars back in that time. At one point, I felt like I knew everybody — Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell — and I was very excited to be part of that kind of movie, and I felt kind of like one of those actors.

You just put more pressure on yourself the first few days, and then Michel came to me and he said, 'OK you know you deserve this part, you’re good enough to be here, you don’t have to prove anything to anybody, just relax and just trust me and trust yourself.' So after three or four days, I actually let it go and just focused on the work.

What I really like about Peppy is the way she never takes herself seriously and just enjoys every moment. I think I’m going to keep that in mind. It’s everything — you know? I’m going to try not to take everything too seriously.