“I censored myself”: Guillaume Gallienne shares his experience as a theater teacher in the United States

“The beginning of Wokism was very vibrant, especially at a university.” Guest of France Inter on Tuesday December 19 for the promotion of Vincent Perez's film An Affair of Honor, in which he is starring, Guillaume Gallienne shared his inconclusive experience as a theater professor at Princeton University, in the United States. -United, in 2018.

The actor and director notably gave lessons on the feeling of love. In his course syllabus, it was stated that students were to “kiss” and “touch” each other during rehearsals. These scenes, which posed “limits”, had been validated in advance by psychiatrists from the university. “During the final exam, I realized that no one was touching or kissing each other. I censored myself,” laments the actor at Léa Salamé’s microphone.

Also read: Guillaume Gallienne: Molière and Guillaume, at the table!

Guillaume Gallienne also told France Inter that a student had complained about his teaching: “It was winter, at the very beginning of theater classes. I said to him, “excuse me, are you wearing something under your big sweater? And if so, would you agree to remove it so that I can see how you are positioned and how you breathe?” The student then accepted. The next day, the university administration summoned the actor to its offices.

“A person showed me an email that this student had sent. She felt very humiliated. According to her, I had abused my power by asking her to undress in front of everyone. I replied that I only asked him to take off his sweater. And then the guy said to me: “We know, we’re just doing our job.” There were only four other students in the room. If they had been this student’s best friends, I would have been on the first plane,” he said.

In An Affair of Honor, Guillaume Gallienne plays Eugène Tavernier, a fencing master who actually existed. Vincent Perez's swashbuckling film retraces Paris at the end of the 19th century, marked by duels. Doria Tillier, Roschdy Zem Damien Bonnard are also in the cast of the feature film which is released in theaters on December 27.