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Meeting Vassili Schneider, the winner of best male newcomer at the 36th Molière Awards
In Paris, at the Théâtre du Petit Saint-Martin and the Théâtre Antoine, Franco-Canadian actor Vassili Schneider delivers a striking performance in T La prochaine fois que tu mordras la poussière, a powerful one-man show adapted from Panayotis Pascot’s bestselling novel. This role earned him the award for Best Male Revelation at the 36th Molière Awards, held on Monday, April 28, 2025. In an interview with Numéro, the young actor, who rose to fame in the 2024 French blockbuster The Count of Monte Cristo, speaks candidly about his Montreal childhood and his budding passion for directing.
Vassili Schneider, best male newcomer of the 36th Molière awards
For nearly fifteen years, the Schneider siblings have made a name for themselves in French cinema, delivering captivating performances in films (Dark Diamond, Silver Venus) and acclaimed series (Greek Salad, Of Money and Blood). After interviews with Niels, the eldest, now one of the most in-demand actors in Paris, and with Aliocha, the family’s musical talent, Numéro turns the spotlight on Vassili Schneider.
Starting out dubbing films in Quebec, the delicate-featured teenager moved to France on his 18th birthday and quickly made a mark with charismatic leading roles. From Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi’s Forever Young (2022) to the series Mixte (2021) and the summer hit The Count of Monte Cristo (2024), his face has become a staple on screens large and small.
In a striking departure from the roles that made him known, he has recently taken to the stage with a poignant solo performance based on Panayotis Pascot’s 2023 novel La prochaine fois que tu mordras la poussière, directed by Pascot’s brother, Paul Pascot.
Soon to star in The Arrival of the Future
In this ambitious play that openly tackles grief and father-son conflict, Vassili Schneider proves he’s more than just a pretty face. The show’s run has been extended and continues to draw an ever-growing audience to the intimate Théâtre du Petit Saint-Martin. His intense performance won him the Best Male Newcomer award at the 36th Molière Awards.
Next, the actor will appear in The Arrival of the Future, directed by Cédric Klapisch and co-starring Suzanne Lindon and Cécile de France, which will screen Out of Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
Interview with Vassili Schneider, the luminous star of The Count of Monte Cristo
Numéro: After performing The Next Time You Bite the Dust at the Théâtre du Petit Saint-Martin, you’re set to take the stage at Théâtre Antoine in May. How did you prepare for this one-man show?
Vassili Schneider: After filming The Count of Monte Cristo, I felt a strong urge to do theater. So I auditioned for Paul Pascot’s play and wanted the role so badly that I ended up memorizing an entire chapter from Panayotis Pascot’s book. The writing has a very poetic sensibility, which I find beautiful. For instance, when my character speaks of warmth and cold, it reflects his strained relationship with his father. When he describes the setting sun, it alludes to his father dying, a moment he paradoxically finds comforting.
It’s not very common to see actors your age performing in theater… Why did you make this choice?
Honestly, I’m more of a moviegoer than a theatergoer. But after Forever Young, I had already dipped a toe into that world. Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi directed us as if we were staging a play. That’s when I realized that in cinema, you never perform in front of an audience. What’s amazing about theater is the immediate feedback, the audience reacts to everything I say and do. I love that the story I tell one night vanishes by the next, like it never happened.
The book deals with very personal themes. Do any of them resonate with your own life?
Truthly, I’m very different from the character. I’ve never experienced depression, questioned my sexuality, or had a difficult relationship with my parents. But I think all children feel the need to break away from their parents at some point. That happened to me during my teenage years, and many elements from the book echo that. For example, the character is ashamed of not feeling grief after his father’s death. I had similar regrets. When I was four, we lost our eldest brother Vadim, but I didn’t have the emotional maturity to understand what death meant.
“As a child, I was often angry because I always felt like I was the last one picked for a soccer team.” Vassili Schneider
What kind of childhood did you have?
I’m the youngest of five brothers, and there’s a big age gap between me and the others. As a child, I was often angry because I always felt like I was the last one picked for a soccer team. Later, during my teenage years, I distanced myself from my family to grow closer to my friends. I think the tragedy we went through also pushed me to step away from a family environment that could sometimes feel heavy.
There’s a moment in the play where you lip-sync a Queen song. How would you describe your musical tastes?
I grew up in a house filled with music. All my brothers played instruments, Aliocha, Vadim, and Niels played guitar, and Volodia played drums. My mom and I played a lot of piano together.
Who are the artists currently on your playlist?
Maybe it’s because I’ve done so many period films lately, but I’ve been listening to a lot of classical music. For a long time I avoided it, I associated it with the bourgeoisie. But I also love jazz and folk. Baden Powell, the Brazilian guitarist, is a favorite. And Caetano Veloso, David Bowie, Sixto Rodríguez too. The song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, which I lip-sync in the play, really moves me. I feel a personal connection to it, it’s a song I imagine my brother Vadim might have liked.
When I found out I was cast in The Count of Monte Cristo, I already knew it was going to be an important film.” Vassili Schneider
You had one of your first major roles in Forever Young. What do you remember about that experience?
It was the first film I acted in that was selected for the Cannes Film Festival, and it marked a turning point in my career. I didn’t even feel like I was acting; it felt like I was living something real. It remains one of my most cherished memories on set.
How was the shoot for The Count of Monte Cristo?
I had read Dumas’ novel in school, and it’s probably one of the few books I truly enjoyed. When I found out I got the role, I felt immense pressure, I already sensed it would be a significant film. But that pressure disappeared on the first day on set. I was surrounded by actors like Pierre Niney, Laurent Lafitte, and Bastien Bouillon, who were so relaxed. They created a light-hearted atmosphere, and we eventually forgot we were making a film that could draw over 9 million viewers.
Among the wide range of roles you’ve played, is there one character you dream of portraying?
What I love about acting is discovering worlds I’ve never explored. It’s hard to name a specific character or role because the potential of a film also depends on the team. In Paul Pascot’s play, it was the first time I played such a dark character. That made me want to explore those emotional depths more in the future. Once, in an interview, I mentioned I’d love to play Michel Berger on screen, even though I’m not usually a big fan of biopics.
“Before becoming an actor, I always wanted to make films.” Vassili Schneider
Do you plan to move behind the camera and direct your own film?
I always wanted to direct before becoming an actor. A few years ago, I directed some music videos for my brother Aliocha, and more recently, I made my first short film starring Melvil Poupaud and Eva Danino. It’s a dark comedy based on a short story by Raphaël Haroche that won the Goncourt Prize for short fiction.
That short film was produced by Saint Laurent. How did that collaboration come about?
It’s very flattering. Saint Laurent has recently produced films by great directors like Paolo Sorrentino, Pedro Almodóvar, and Jacques Audiard. When I arrived in France at 18, I started from scratch and it took years to land my first roles. Around that time, I was scouted on the street for modeling work, which helped me earn some money. That’s also how I began building a strong relationship with Saint Laurent. Without those modeling gigs, I probably would’ve had to move back to Montreal…
You’ll soon be seen in The Arrival of the Future by Cédric Klapisch. Can you tell us about your upcoming projects?
In that film, which focuses on the Impressionist movement and 19th-century artists, I play a photographer alongside Paul Kircher and Suzanne Lindon. It was fascinating to dive into that era, everything was about invention. Paris had just been transformed after the World’s Fair, and I love roles that teach me about a slice of history. I also have two other exciting projects, but they’re still highly confidential…
La prochaine fois que tu mordras la poussière, directed by Paul Pascot and starring Vassili Schneider and Yann Pradal, will run at the Théâtre Antoine from May 21 to 31, 2025. The Arrival of the Future, directed by Cédric Klapisch and featuring Suzanne Lindon, Vassili Schneider, and Cécile de France, will be presented Out of Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival
