In the “Distribution” chapter of the Wikipedia page dedicated to the series Worshipthe name of the actors is followed by that of the character he plays in the series but also, in parentheses, by the name of the person who inspired the role. For example, for the main role: “Anaïde Rozam, in the role of Isabelle de Rochechouart, producer of Loft Story (character inspired by Alexia Laroche-Joubert)”. We find other celebrities like Patrick Le Lay (the boss of TF1), Nicolas de Tavernost (the boss of M6), Stéphane Courbit (the producer of Loft story), Axel Duroux (boss of RTL), John de Mol (founder of Endemol), what great people!
We also note with surprise that Jacques Essebag, in other words Arthur (the famous presenter), would have inspired two characters (an honor?). These details regarding the inspirational sources of the characters do not appear in the credits of Worshipthey would be useless since throughout the series, the logo of Loft Story appears repeatedly, such as the names of competing channels, not to mention extracts from Loftstory – with the real Loana and the real Jean-Edouard – and numerous news reports sparked by the national event that was this reality TV broadcast almost 24/7 for more than two months, the anti-loft riots, the crazy hearings, the trials , the debates, real life finally coming out of the small screen in every sense of the word, a whole insurrectional atmosphere that the series Worship does quite well.
A sort of reconstruction of a making of
These signposts mark the six 45-minute episodes and make Worship a sort of reconstruction of a making of Loft story. But, unlike many series located in the world of politics or entertainment, like the brilliant Successionor the calamitous woman and her Frenchie Ten percentthe originality of Worshipthe detail that changes everything and makes it deliciously scandalous, exciting, exhilarating, because in addition it is well played, well shot and, which spoils nothing, magnificently scripted, but the particularity that will make it, I will not mention Without a doubt, a truly cult series is that it is produced by Alexia Laroche-Joubert herself. The one who inspired the lead role of Worshipthe real Alexia, the one I knew about ten years before she became this “Isabelle de Rochechouart” who has all the good ideas that her bosses shamelessly steal from her.
She was then around twenty years old, I portrayed the guests of the weekly Canal Jimmy talk show, hosted by France Roche of which Alexia was the assistant. She was already full of energy, intelligent and pretty. We got along well, it seems to me. I didn’t know, or I had forgotten, that she was the daughter-in-law of Michel Thoulouze who had created and managed the channel at the time. It helps as much as it obliges. It is certain that this detail is missing in the scenario: we do not very well understand the reasons which create so much animosity between Isabelle de Rochechouard and her parents. The screenwriters will have given in to the sirens of the imagination, unless the autobiographical courage of the producer has shown its limits.
Regardless, the great success of Worship remains the love story between Loana (the only one who is not entitled to a fictional surname!) and Karim Chedira (supposedly inspired by Benoît Chaigneau, the TV host). A moving love story, spiced up by the endless pleasure of wondering what part of reality it covers.
Certainly, Anaïde Rozam, in the role of Isabelle de Rochechouart, resembles the original to a disturbing point; certainly the leaders are unanimously abject in their self-importance and immorality; certainly the very idea of producing a series based on Loft story is luminous, of an obviousness which will be a landmark and small, but Alexia Laroche-Joubert should not be satisfied with that, she has better things to do: continue with Loana and this prodigious actress, Marie Colomb. With her, Loana’s life tells the story of the century.
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