VERONICA

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=150 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <IMG SRC="37091720.jpg" border=0 width="145" height="114" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="3748d6a0.jpg" border=0 width="141" height="106" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> VERONICA</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="37322de0.jpg" border=0 width="290" height="222" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="36e35e80.jpg" border=0 width="309" height="232" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>VERONICA</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>APRIL 2000</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>                 <IMG SRC="364a3140.gif" border=0 width="419" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>  </B></div> <div> <B>Roy Dupuis: man of few words.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>With few words and gestures he plays Michael, Nikita's mentor in the series with the same name. The part of the silent, seemingly emotionless man was made for Roy Dupuis. </B></div> <div> <B>"It is a natural talent that I have".</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>The success of the series La Femme Nikita, as the series is officially called, made the Canadian Roy Dupuis (37) a popular man overnight. His green-blue eyes, French accent, carefully uncombed hair and tough stubbled beard made the number of (female) fans grow rapidly. Not only in Canada, but also in the more than fifty other countries where the series is broadcasted.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Roy plays the from Belgium originated Michael, who is a member of the anti-terrorist organisation Section One. He recruits new members for the organisation and is sometimes the cold and sometimes the loving mentor of Nikita. Roy plays Michael with few words. This means that body language and mimic form the base of the character. And that is what the shy actor does well. "It is a kind of natural talent that I have. That is why I was accepted at the acting school. I am a man that mostly uses body language. I consciously took away every unnecessary gesture from Michael, because that way he can survive in the Section. Emotionless and showing no one what he really feels. He is above all an expert in the eastern art of fighting, so he moves not without reason. Only through the eyes I give the outside world a look into his soul".</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Roy is not afraid that in the future he will be asked for only Michael-like parts. "I thought about it before I accepted the part. Michael is still quit a versatile person. He loves action and psychology, he is agile and fast, and also very smart! That gives it some leeway. I am not afraid of typecasting".</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The handsome Canadian is an athletic type. He loves hockey, skydiving, skiing and golf. "You have to be calm and concentrated for golf. It is the ideal sport for an actor. But I occasionally lose my patience too if it doesn't work. Recently, out of frustration, I broke my putter in half!"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Roy's other passion is sailing, a hobby that was born out of necessity. "Because of the success of Nikita people start to recognise me. I don't really mind. I come from the theatre and I need the applause. But I'm also crazy about travelling and then I have to disguise myself to go out on the street. That isn't relaxing. In a boat I can enjoy the surrounding without interruption, wonderful! I hope to buy a bigger ship next year and sail around the world".</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Born in the woodlands of North-Canada, he is a real nature man. "I used to spend most part of my time building tree houses. Now I recently bought an old nineteenth century house in Quebec and all my spare time I spend rebuilding it. I searched for a house like this for six years. I'm not leaving this place. It is really a passion. It gives you a different look at the world if you live in the middle of nature".</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The actor also spent some time in Montreal. That was fun, but not what he wanted. "I partied and tried everything possible. After a while I had seen it all. I wanted to go back to my roots and that's why I bought this house. It has to become a family home, because family is very important to me. If I have kids I want them to grow up here and make them feel at home."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Being a homely type has an influence on the parts he chooses. "For Nikita we are nine months busy with production, from early in the morning until late at night. It is that Nikita is shot in Toronto, so I can go home every weekend. If it was Vancouver or Los Angeles I wouldn't have accepted the part". He will not move to Hollywood. It has a disadvantage, because he is far away from the movie-business and the chance exists that he will not get the good parts. "That is why I have a manager in Los Angeles. From time to time he sends scripts that I read and judge in my own time. Moving seems, because of that, unnecessary to me."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After Nikita Roy does not want to keep doing series. "I think I will go concentrate on film and making documentaries. Especially the last one interests me more. Maybe I will even go back to the theatre. The rehearsal before a performance is what I miss the most about working for television. The rehearsal is like making love, with the performance being the baby".</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>( ARTICLE  PROVIDED AND TRANSLATED BY: DIANA BOKMAN )</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="346a3140.gif" border=0 width="419" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ROY DUPUIS ARTICLES"><U><IMG SRC="3563d240.gif" border=0 width="61" height="36" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A>                                                                          <A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HITKRANT"><U><IMG SRC="3473c230.gif" border=0 width="60" height="35" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A> </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>