While the younger Delpy knew what to expect from her father Albert Delpy, it was a bit of a shock for co-star Chris Rock, it turns out. “I don’t think he was truly prepared to have an interaction with someone like my dad! I could see it in Chris’s face – at times, he was, like, ‘Oh, my God – what’s gonna happen?’ But it was all a lot of fun for everyone,” says Julie Deply, director of the new movie ‘2 Days in New York’.

In the new story, Marion from ‘2 Days in Paris’ and her new boyfriend have to handle a visit by her French family. Along with her father, Marion’s sister, Rose, played by Alexia Landeau, is also joining. “Marion herself is not very analytical,” Delpy says of her own character. “She’s a bit neurotic and unaware of what she’s doing. She acts before thinking about what she’s about to do. She’s much like me, if I wasn’t as analytical as I am – I think everything through 10 times before doing it,” she laughs. Rose, she says, “is like Marion multiplied times 10.”

A child psychologist, the younger sibling has a penchant for analyzing the non-existent “problems” of her sister’s son, a constant irritation to Marion and source of many a cat fight in the film. “Rose is a bit jealous of her sister, whom she loves and wishes she was more like.” Though she herself has no sisters, the love-hate dynamic between the two was a familiar one to Delpy. “I’ve seen quite a bit of this between sisters, with friends that have smaller or bigger sisters. With these two, it’s a source of trouble, and it’s really funny.”

Making things worse is the presence of Manu (Alex Nahon), the uninvited ex-boyfriend of Marion – and current beau of her sister. Played with robust egotism by Nahon, Manu (especially with his girlfriend’s help) is the source of plenty of trouble for Mingus – and plenty of laughs. “Manu is a nightmare come true,” Delpy notes. “He says and does things that just make your skin crawl.”

So wait a minute – aren’t the French supposed to be those polite, sophisticated people with the berets who say “oui” and “monsieur” and all that? “Mingus isn’t dealing with those kind of French,” Delpy laughs. “He’s facing the Gaulois.” As in the Gauls, the ancient French who fought Julius Caesar and worshipped boars. “All they thought about was food, having fun and sex. We all come from those very tough-skinned, eccentrics.” Just watch Albert Delpy’s Jeannot in any scene in the movie, and you’ll get the picture.

Image Courtesy of  2 Days in New York

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About the author

Claudia Sondergaard
Specialised in American foreign policy media discourse, I have a real passion for media and writing and feel comfortable in subjects such as human rights, politics, environment, social issues, movies, TV and books. Reporting from Denmark. Follow me @swirlgirlversus

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