Life on set with ‘MARS’ actress Clémentine Poidatz

Clémentine Poidatz has become a “space nerd” while filming National GeograpZhic’s hit series “MARS“. She plays physician and biochemist Amelie Durand, and learned all about space, the planet Mars, and what it is like to be an astronaut. Born in Paris, France, the talented actress is also known for “Shut In” opposite Naomi Watts and Oliver Platt, her role in the horror film “Housewife”, and got her start in Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette”.

Find out what challenges Clementine faced playing her character on the first Martian colony. The return of this six-part show begins Monday, Nov. 12th at 9/8C on the National Geographic Channel. Its cleverly scripted format mixing drama with documentary clips realistically shows us what life for humans would be like on the red planet.

“Space exploration brings out the best in us. It’s where we solve problems that have never been solved before.” Bill Nye.

Colleen Bement: “MARS” is one of the most brilliant shows on TV. Season one had me instantly hooked, and season two looks absolutely amazing. What new challenges have you, as an actress faced in season two?

Clementine Poidatz: Well, first of all, season one was a huge challenge for me to overcome. My first « big role » in English, plus it was a science-related role: my character Amelie is a physician and biochemist. I was so not good in sciences at school plus I have to admit that I was a complete space ignorant. So I panicked when they offered me the job. But I did lots and lots of research, worked really hard, and I became somehow a space nerd. I wanted to discover everything about space, Mars, astronauts.

Season one was kind of survival mission, it really was about how we’ll go to Mars and survive there.

Season two starts nine years after we landed. It’s not a “survival” mission anymore. We’ve been living on Mars for nine years, we built a “home”, so there was a great opportunity for the showrunner (Dee Johnson) and our producers (radical media and Imagine entertainment) to dive more into characters.

A couple of months before we started shooting Dee called all the cast members to talk about the new season and she told me that at the beginning of season two, Amelie wants to go back home. At first, I really was against this idea. I dreamt so much about Mars with my character that for me it was impossible to understand why she’d wanna go back to earth and abandon the mission. It took me quite a long time to understand it but when you’re an actor that’s your job to understand the character’s motivations.

Besides, Amelie is going through a lot in that season (I don’t wanna spoil anything but a lot happens to Amelie…). That’s a challenge, but such a beautiful gift. And to get to work on a season two is great because you know your character better, you know your castmates. Mars is home for me, and my castmates are my mars family.

CB: How as your life changed since taking on the role of Amelie Durand?

CP: It really changed the way I perceive my life, and the world in general. I think I realized how lucky I am to live on earth. How lucky I am to be surrounded by my loved ones. How lucky we all are to be surrounded by plants, animals, clouds, theaters, oceans, lakes, rain, fruits, cheese; we take it for granted. I really hope people will watch season two and realize how life on earth is an immense gift, and that we have to be careful because we’re literally destroying it.

I also look up at the night sky with wonder, and that’s the best thing to do.

CB: Elon Musk said, “Getting to Mars would be the greatest adventure ever in human history.” If you had the chance to go to Mars, would you risk it?

CP: Oh I would love it. Yes!

I know if it sounds foolish and cliché, and after having worked on Mars I know the risks involved.

I don’t think they’d need me, as I’m only an actress, but yes. Definitely. I’m really intrigued by how a human psyche can manage a seven to nine months flight to Mars. How we can manage to be 54.7 million kilometers away from what we’ve always known.

And to walk on Mars, on a completely unfriendly planet, where home is only a blue dot in the universe. I wanna see it.

CB: Your films “Housewife” and “Shut in” look terrifying and terrific. What draws you to the suspense, horror, and sci-fi genre? Are you, yourself a big fan?

CP: Ah ah … it’s very weird. I was not a genre fan. I have never seen “Star Wars” (yes, yes I know….I’m ashamed), and the only horror movies I had seen before shooting “Housewife” was “Blair witch project”…so I think it came to me a little bit out of the blue.

I was always doing the same kind of roles in France: the girlfriend crying and smoking in a kitchen and then committing suicide. Always. And at some point, I started questioning my love for my craft…. and I talked a lot with my agent, Florence Charmasson, and I told her I wanted some adventurous projects in English. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. And I really entered my discomfort zone and can’t even put into words how I grew up working on projects like “Mars”, “Shut In” and “Housewife”. For me it was like opening new doors, discovering new territories. It’s so refreshing. It’s hard, but it’s absolutely thrilling!

CB: Do you have other projects in the works that you are allowed to talk about?

CP: Well I really hope to get the chance to meet Amelie Durand again on Mars. I shot a French TV movie about politics that will come out in a few months, I think.

CB: Going way back to the film “Lupa” where you wrote, directed, and starred, can your fans look forward to you sitting in the director’s chair again?

CP: I haven’t starred in my own movie. Directing a movie is like climbing the Mount Everest. It’s so hard, and you have to be the composer and the pianist. I really honestly think that I’m more of a piano (it’s a reference to one of my favorite movies ever “All About Eve” directed by Mankiewicz). I like telling stories, but what I love beyond anything else, is to be “someone else”: To try to understand a character, dig in that character, be intimate with her, be empathetic.

I wanted to become an actress because I was bored being myself. I was always very curious about other people’s lives. So I think I’ll stick to my acting career. But who knows….never say never.