On the occasion of the last episode of the magnificent series Hello Tomorrow ! L'Officiel met its main actor Billy Crudup.

What attracted you to this role?
When I read the script, Jack's voice (his character, editor's note) was familiar to me. His optimism, his hope, his determination to believe in a better future, were an integral part of my father's vocabulary. There's not an opportunity for what he thought would be his next entrepreneurial success that he missed. Even so often, no major success was on the horizon. This hopeful ability to preach for a better tomorrow was of major importance in my childhood, and I had never, until now, had the opportunity to be confronted with a subject that resonates in such a stimulating way. with this voice.
Generally speaking, are you more inclined to accept roles that present a familiar character?
My approach is largely intuitive. It's rare that I find in a role a precise correlation between my life and the character. I think I'm drawn to roles that are written with enough complexity that I can turn them into something creative, personal. When there is a very clear narrative line separating the good guys from the bad guys, my imagination is not very stimulated... When the writing explores more nuances, with areas of uncertainty about the characters' motivations, their intentions, their meaning morality, that one wonders what kind of character it may well be, that's what I prefer. So I'm not necessarily looking for a mirror of my life but for a certain, new writing, to play a role that I've never played before, to experiment with another relationship to the world.
In my eyes, Russell, the character you played in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U07rtBNa2g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Almost Famous</a> , Russell, is quite close to Jack in Hello, Tomorrow! One embodies the hope rock brings, and the other holds out the prospect of a better life on the moon. Both are dreamers and preachers&hellip;
That's an interesting analogy, I had never thought of that. Russell is indeed the other side of the coin, he fulfills his promise, he has real talent but he is held back by the pragmatic aspect of belonging to a group that has to make money. Jack likes to think of himself as a virtuoso of his art. Ambition, potential, promise are part and parcel of American life, of American history, along with the notion of doing better than previous generations. It's hard for anyone to have such a goal set. This ideological weight shapes the psychology of those who derive no extraordinary benefit from their talents. I believe it is a blessing and a curse. We find this dynamic in the story written by the creators of the series, Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen. Jack changes lives in fantastical ways, and destroys them in very prosaic ways. &nbsp;
Is this series intrinsically American insofar as it precisely deals with the aspiration to always go beyond the next frontier?
I've never lived very long in another country, and I'm sure others have their own history and legacy. But certainly <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/hommes/daniel-roseberry-schiaparelli-fashion-designer-an-american-in-paris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">America</a> is marked by this dimension, that of being the land of all opportunities, designed by the pioneers, relayed very generously by History. Certainly, a certain audacity, an ability to see beyond the horizon, are characteristic traits of American history. Not all personalities are adept at following this line of flight, which can lead to disillusionment.
It is also the engine of an actor: always looking for a new and stimulating challenge...
Absolutely. Undoubtedly there is an analogy between salesmen, actors, preachers, storytellers, who know well that the story itself has more substance than its content, that it is the very act of selling it gives it value. When you invest in a role, it's in an approach aimed at allowing the public to fantasize about another world. This is not engineering, masonry, but fantasy. And yet, the more you invest in it, the more impact you can bring to that ambition, and transport people to another world, and change their lives, not just in entertaining but inspiring ways.
How to define Jack? A preacher, an honest dreamer, a crook?
What interests me is how sincerely people sometimes believe in their own bullshit. Unlike me, he doesn't have the ability to engage in long introspection, to question his mistakes, his motivations, to project himself into the future. I would have a hard time defining him as a hustler, he has totally convinced himself that he is not only doing a service to others, but doing a service to his country, using his gift to enrich lives others. The story he tells himself, despite repeated failures, is that tomorrow will be a better day. This scheme makes him believe that he is preaching the good word of capitalism. The way the character is written, and the way I wanted to interpret it, shows that his remorse is sincere, even temporarily. He's not in absolute denial, but he's sure he's doing the best he can. Life is hard, and to succeed, the means to succeed are sometimes complicated. &nbsp;
He also has a lot of the preacher, the leader of a cult...
He is very good in this respect: he has spent his life going door to door, but he does not seek his clientele among wealthy households, he is more aimed at the middle class, at those who feel trapped, hopeless. Because if he knows what they want to hear: that tomorrow will be a better day. To instill this idea in someone's mind, with conviction and empathy, is in itself a product, a commodity, like hope. That's why people go to church on Sunday, to hear a great story that gives you enough hope to support the existential weight of life. He sincerely wants his clientele to leave their meeting with more hope than they had before. &nbsp;
The aesthetic dimension of the series is captivating, it is not really a historical series, but it evokes a little the great classic Hollywood films of the 40s and 50s, including in your acting.
It was present from the writing. There were two references: Frank Capra's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLR3gZrU2Xo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Life is Beautiful</a> , which is often touted as a charming Christmas film&hellip;while James Stewart plays with a feverish, almost frightening desperation. His character has a lot of asperities, he is timeless, realistic. The other important film for us is the documentary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMcrdhBJkvA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Salesman</a> , made in 1969 by the Maysles brothers and Charlotte Zwerin, which films sales representatives, which shows the pain of these lives. Playing in these extraordinary settings, both familiar and confusing, was incredible. &nbsp;
A series created by Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen. With Billy Crudup, Haneefah Wood, Alison Pill, Nicholas Podany, Dewshane Williams and Hank Azaria. Available on Apple TV+. &nbsp;

Hello Tomorrow! — Official Trailer | AppleTV+

Meeting with Billy Crudup, the star of the series Hello Tomorrow!

Meeting with Billy Crudup, the star of the series Hello Tomorrow!

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