Paris here : Moved to be ordained honorary citizen of the Alsatian town of Turckheim?
Charlotte of Turckheim : I am extremely touched. It is a strong symbol for me, the testimony of a friendship that has lasted for 25 years. Because despite my Alsatian origins, I have no ancestors in Turckheim. People think it’s my chateau and my vineyards, but it’s not.
However, you have a cuvée that bears your name! How was she born?
This dates back to 1996, when the director of the Turckheim cooperative cellar suggested that I create a white wine. I found it exciting and very prestigious. I wanted this drink to be convivial, simple and not too expensive. And I loved it immediately! To celebrate its 25th anniversary, my daughter Clara, who is a graphic designer, and Siégeriez, one of my designer nephews, have developed a new label.
A fun way to include the young Turckheim generation in this adventure.
Cuvée Charlotte (blend of pinot blanc, pinot gris and gewürztraminer), €7.40 a bottle, available at cave-turckheim.com. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation.
Another anniversary this year: your tin wedding anniversary with Zaman. What is the secret to your marriage’s longevity?
The secret ? It’s not my first marriage! (Laughs.) It is customary to say that it takes three houses to make a perfect one. Well, that’s what I did with the marriage (Charlotte was divorced twice)! From a certain age, we completely abandon the idea of changing the other. We accept it as it is.
Everything is against you, your origins, your culture…
We couldn’t be further away! Zaman was born in Kabul into a modest Muslim family. A political exile, he fled his country in the 1980s during the Russian occupation. We should never have met.
“My husband Zaman and I should never have met!”
It was his sister, who is a very good friend, who introduced him to me. With Zaman, we opened a gite in Provence, it’s our common project.
Is your love story as romantic as that experienced by your parents?
My mother was quite rebellious and had a destiny, it’s true, very romantic. She was the eldest of twelve children and did not hesitate to leave against her parents’ advice to marry a man who did not have the same religion as her. I admire her because she dared to defy the ban. In my family, the women are intense and very committed.
What character traits did you inherit?
To be adventurous and not afraid to reach out to others. This is also what I strive to pass on to my daughters. They all lead independent and autonomous lives: Julia is an actress, Clara deals with design and eco-responsible trade and Johanna, currently in Haiti, works at the UN for the World Food Programme. As for Zaman’s daughter, she is studying political science. Our four daughters are very involved in the world, they have a taste for others…
“My daughters are very concerned about the world”
Can we imagine you mother wolf with them?
And it’s worse with my three grandchildren! I am completely dodgy with them. Recently, my grandson told his father that going to the cinema with me was catastrophic because I say yes to everything: sweets, drinks, ice cream…
Charlotte and her daughter Clara during the harvest of her cuvée, in Turckheim, Alsace.
What was your reaction when Julia Piaton [votre fille] chose to pursue the same career as you?
It scared me. The job of an actor is complicated. We only see the glitter side but emotionally, it’s intense, because it appeals to desire. When it works, it’s great, but when you’re not wanted, it’s difficult. You can earn a lot of money, then not at all… I am careful not to give advice to Julia but I am always there when she needs reassurance.
“Coluche was Santa Claus”
The cinema, is it over?
I prefer to take my time. We are experiencing a complicated crisis with the cinema, because of the spectacular fall in the number of spectators. Since confinement, people have gotten into the habit of going to the platforms. And then, artistically, we are no longer as free as before. my latest movie, Thin then 2!, came out in December 2021 and did not do well at all. It’s horrible to take because it represents four years of my life.
Speaking of “freedom of tone”, we think of Coluche, who meant so much to you…
Michel, it was a beacon. I was completely amazed by the character, amazed by his irreverence on stage and his way of thinking so original. For me, he was Santa Claus, a particle accelerator.
However, he could be difficult: adorable with people he liked but really not nice with those he didn’t like. His reactions were like his life, intense.
Why did you choose to reveal in The dictionary of my life (ed. Kero) that you underwent a clandestine abortion at the age of 15?
Because I never would have imagined that the United States and the whole world would make such a backpedal on the subject. My story echoes many women who have experienced the same thing. Me, I was very young and I didn’t do it lightly.
So, when I see all the threats hanging over abortion, it worries me! I also think of those children who are not wanted and have horrible lives. I am flabbergasted to see religion taking up so much space, that the extreme right is rising in Europe, and that there is a war in Ukraine. These days, it is difficult not to fall into anguish.
Interview by Loïc Torino-Gilles
Charlotte de Turckeim: “in my family, the women are intense and committed!”