For the past few years, I’ve become numb to the unending celebrity
worship in North America, which is partially what drove me to
spend more time in Europe. I love watching movies like everyone
else, but really and truly could not bear to hear one more
reporting such as how Brittany had found her latest belly-button jewelry designer. Or be forced to view air-brushed close-ups
of Goldie’s surgical atrocities while waiting in line to pay for
pharmacy items. For me, the whole thing had become unimportant
in the big scheme of things and quite frankly, yawn material.
In France, there are no celebrity magazines lining every check-out
counter at every store. Blessedly, Hollywood is an ocean
removed. People are cooler about these things here. More
individual. More confident in themselves. Not cookie-cutter,
movie or TV studio-manufactured. Here in the media, they are
more concerned with the daily antics of their politicians. It’s
mildly entertaining and you’re able to turn it off if you want to.
But, I will admit that recently in Paris I was star-struck. Stop in
your tracks, mouth open, star-struck. And so were some of the
gals who were in tow with me on a recent all-girl Nuit Blanche
tour. We were in Saint-Germain-des-Pres and ran smack into
Olivier Martinez, the hottest of French actors. A couple of days
later, we think we also walked by Mary J. Blige being
interviewed on the Champs-Elysees, but enough about Mary, back
to Olivier.
It went down like any other completely unexpected, magical Paris
discovery. While on a shopping excursion, as we rounded a corner
near metro station Odeon, I noticed a very, very good-looking
guy sauntering confidently up the street toward us. He was
wearing a white t-shirt and jeans and had his hands in his
pockets. He had ‘want to run your hands through it’ dark longish
hair and dark eyes. He probably hadn’t shaved in a day or two–so
European-guy fantastic. He was walking a dog. He was whistling.
Well, if you look like that, I’m sure you would have a lot to be happy about!
I said, “girls, check out this guy coming up the street!” My
original thinking when pointing him out was that I wanted them
to see a particularly good-looking French guy. You know, to add
to their special memories of Paris along with all of the other
‘attractions.’ We all stopped and openly stared. Then I blurted
out in a very uncool way, “OH MY GOD, I think that’s Olivier Martinez!”
He may have heard my comment or not. Without registering one speck of
discomfort or annoyance or hoity-toity-ness, he continued to
stride toward us, smiling that dreamboat smile. One of the gals
had direct eye contact with him, direct, a fact that she
has mentioned at least two dozen times since (yes, I’m
envious!). He rounded the corner and continued on his way,
whistling the whole time. All six pairs of eyes followed him
around the corner.
Yup, they agreed, that was a gorgeous man alright–of the
pulse-quickly-rising variety. But just who is Olivier Martinez,
a few of them asked. I chastised them, what did they mean they
didn’t know who he was? Had they never seen the movie
Unfaithful? This is one of the movies I recommend on the website
that people should see to get them in the mood for Paris. Not
that the movie takes place in Paris, it takes place in New York.
But Olivier is the Parisian hunk that Diane Lane has an affair
with, putting her idealistic lifestyle with Richard Gere and
child at risk. Okay, some people don’t like it because it’s a
story about an affair and all the unpleasantness that can
follow. But who could blame any woman for losing her head over a
bad boy like this? And not only will this gem get your libido
skyrocketing, but it’s a good story and is beautifully filmed.
So now I was curious, and quickly turned into a celebrity hound myself.
I wanted to know if that was him or not. A few days later, we
asked our waiter friends at La Fromagerie 31 on Rue de Seine
(which by the way is the BEST place to have lunch) if they knew
if Olivier lives in the area. YES, they confirmed, just a couple
of blocks away! They described him as being ‘tres sympa’ and
‘tres gentile’–very nice and down to earth and genuine. They
said he is married. He comes to the store to buy cheese. Loosely
translated, they said that all women go gaga over him.
Voila! Highlights from
Olivier’s bio page include: He comes from a
working-class family (me too), raised in the Paris suburbs (I
wonder which one?). He is 40 (and yummy), his mother is French
and his father is Spanish-Moroccan (winning combination). He has
a dog named Sheba (maybe it was the same dog?) and the site
indicates that his girlfriend is Kylie Minogue (will he tire of
the Australian songbirg soon?).
The site lists all of his movies, he is best known for
Hussard sur le toit, Le (1995) with Juliette Binoche, aka
The
Horseman on the Roof (USA). This movie launched him as a sex
symbol, to which he is quoted as saying, “The concept of sex
symbol in France is different. They don't like the 'sex symbol'
in France. I don't consider myself a sex symbol because all my
cousins would laugh at me. ‘Ah, look at the sex symbol! He's
coming today!’ So, no, I can't be a sex symbol.”
Alright Olivier, so you’re not a sex symbol, sure. And in the big scheme
of things, it really doesn’t matter. But I thank you so much for
the special memory, forever tucked away, of the beautiful French
guy whistling down the street with his dog, without a care in the world.
Star Struck in Paris: Olivier Martinez
Karen Henrich spends her time between Paris and Vancouver, Canada,
running a tour company for women (www.NuitBlancheTours.com). She
is constantly on the look-out for cool Parisian sites to see and
memorable experiences to be had. She also practices the fine art
of finding ways to creatively stretch her tragically low
Canadian dollars when in Europe.