These artists know (almost) everything…

They were first known for their excellence in the arts such as music, comedy, acting or writing. Then they surprise us by touching another form of art like painting, cinema, song or verse writing. Some add one or more skills to an already well-stocked CV. Quebec’s versatile artists impress with their boldness and creativity.

There are artists of all abilities. The inventory of these jack-of-all-trades artists in Quebec seems to have grown in recent years. Can one learn to become a versatile artist or is it a kind of innate support?

“Curiosity is what drives us to do so many things, not necessarily the ambition to do something else,” believes singer-songwriter, musician and poetry writer Daniel Belanger. My idols are mostly communitarians. I grew up with Boris Vian, the know-it-all genius. My culture is all about curious people who go everywhere, try their hand, bump into each other or win. This is the life I wanted to live: to go anywhere. »

Prolific Simon Bouleris admits that he has found a way to “get past his hyperbole” through his many and varied projects. And since the 40-year-old writer, actor, and comedian is passionate about all kinds of art — whether or not he’s passionate about many things related to it — it’s only natural that he’d start creating in all these fields.

Actor, filmmaker and writer Guillaume Lambert believes in a “Xavier Dolan effect”.

“When the young director started doing a little bit of everything, it showed that young artists don’t have to choose a discipline, they can try everything,” explains the author of the novel. Eschatology Last October.

Skill and courage

One would be allowed to believe that talent and versatility are part of Emile Proulx-Cloutier’s DNA, the son of actors, the definition of an artist who excels in everything he does. Proulx.

Says the actor, singer-songwriter, composer and writer, “I have parents who have done all kinds of business. Arthouse cinema, experimental theater shows, soap operas, TV series and summer theatres. They touch everything and everything is done with one heart. For them, there is no hierarchy of projects. They say to themselves: I will do what is entrusted to me with all my heart. For me, it was a profound learning experience. »

Some are versatile artists

• Sebastien Ricard: Music, sports
• Michelin Longtot: Drama, cinema, writing
• Gilder Roy: Game, Animation, Song
• Stephen Laffler: Director, Singer (without headphones)
• Isabel Place: Game, song
• Robert Lalonde: Writing, Acting, Drama, Poetry
• Michael Rivard: Drama, song, drama
• Xavier Dolan: Film, Acting, Film and Music Video Direction (Adele), Fashion
• Dan Bigras: Music, sports, animation
• Samian: Song, Game, Photo
• Ghislaine Tassero: Comedy, Animation, Literature
• France Castel: Games, songs, animations
• Mark Labreche: Comedy, Animation, Sports, Painting
• Yves P. Pelletier: Comedy, Literature, Animation
• Stephen Rousseau: Comedy, sports
• Patrick Hart: Sports, comedy
• Robert LePage: Drama, drama, cinema
• Louis Portal: Writing, painting, playing
• Anik Jean: Music, cinema
• Brigitte Laffler: Sports, painting
• Maryloupe Wolfe: Game, adventure
• Marilou: Music, Animation, Sports, Entrepreneur
• Sarah Maude Beauchesne: Acting, Novel Writing and Television
• Jeanette Reno: Music, cinema
• Eric Bruno: Acting, Writing, Producing

Mariana Massa

After two films – including the latest Disappearing lines –, exhibition and second show of pop art in November 2021 UncivilizedMariana Massa can be broadly defined as a versatile artist.

Comedian, actress, painter and now writer, she explains that she has always touched on things that people don’t know about. Hence the surprise to some during the exhibition of his pop paintings, his appearance and publication in films North of MontrealHis first autobiography, about his childhood, came out last October.

“I never made a joke, I didn’t talk about it, Mariana Mazza explains. I always liked being on stage, but I always did something else. Painting, reading and writing have been part of my life for a long time. We are surprised because I am now bringing it to light. »

feelings

The pandemic gave him the downtime he needed to reconnect with his various interests, including writing. Known for his outspoken nature, the 32-year-old doesn’t mince words when asked if he ever gets the feeling of an impostor while practicing any of his disciplines.

” No way! I don’t owe anyone, she says. I don’t have to give an explanation for doing something. I think we should stop justifying ourselves in what we do. If we do the thing well, with heart and passion, we have nothing to say. »

♦ Marianna Massa published the novel North of Montreal In October. Two other parts are planned to complete this trilogy, which approaches his life in three stages: childhood, adolescence and adulthood. She continues to tour Uncivilized.

Anas Barbeau-Lavalette

Author of novels, filmmaker, creator of docudramas, mother of three, environmentalist and co-founder of Mères au front, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalet never thought she had to choose a career.

“These are related professions, we decide to distinguish these impulses, but in my opinion, there is a common connection between these ways of expressing themselves, believes the filmmaker, who we allocated the largest budget for a woman in the history of Quebec. Her film white dog I chose man because everything that makes up humanity overwhelms me. These are all ways I go to meet the other. »

Her heritage of curiosity, fearless living, and diversity, she owes to her parents who shaped her through the journeys she faced and veered off the beaten path. Also, he believes that talent can be learned in many fields.

Trust your intuition

“Confidence is gained by putting your hands in it,” he says. I strongly believe in ideas and intuition. This is the hard part: trusting your instincts. »

It is impossible to ignore the pair he has formed over the years with Emile Proulx-Cloutier. “We joined each other, opening a lot of art forms from one and giving permission to the other, says the 43-year-old writer. We fit well, because our fields of interest are many, but do not pile up. We have projects together and others parallel. »

For young women who dream of doing it all, she advises: to find your own voice, without trying to imitate or please.

♦ Director Anas Barbeau-Lavalette released River girl Last October.

William Lambert

If we can appreciate Guillaume Lambert’s talent in various media, the 39-year-old artist explains with a laugh that it is first a question of “survival” in the artistic environment. By accepting all that was offered to him early in his career, he was able to get a good idea of ​​what made him vibrate, and these fields became many.

“My life is a long series of causes and effects,” says the man without a career plan. My innocence serves me well and I am very comfortable in suffering. I see myself as a Mario Bros. who has to do everything to get from one table to another, I’m not afraid of hard work. »

Risk appetite

Illuminated by plans to be an apprentice, he is driven by a desire to be an artist and an actor. When a project scares him, it’s even better, because he says he’s attracted by a taste for risk.

“We can be whatever we want now,” the artist continues. Being in this young generation is very inspiring. Recent years have seen a proliferation of formats and platforms and a democratization of tools. It’s perfect because I don’t want to repeat myself in life. »

Even as a writer, Guillaume Lambert mixes things up brilliantly – drama and comedy. His signature is thus many. Does he sometimes experience imposter syndrome? “For a long time, I felt like an impostor as an actor,” he admits. Now, I like to think of myself as the successor to Marc LaBresse, who has always done everything, and he inspires freedom. I am very happy with the diversity. That surprises me. »

♦ Image by Guillaume Lambert, NiagaraThe club is hosted in Illigo.