Apple TV+'s 'Liaison' Interview: Vincent Cassel

Moviefone speaks with Vincent Cassel about Apple TV+'s 'Liaison' and working with Eva Green. "I've been fascinated by this actress forever," Cassel said.

Premiering on Apple TV+ beginning February 24th is the new six-episode British-French television series ‘Liaison,’ which was directed by Stephen Hopkins (‘Predator 2,’ ‘Blown Away’).

What is the plot of 'Liaison?’

In 'Liaison,' after a series of suspected cyber-attacks target London and the Thames barrier is breached, the capital to flood. Alison Rowdy (Eva Green), private secretary to the Minister for Security at the Home Office, is leading the government’s response. But when another attack hits the rail network, a suspect emerges in mercenary Gabriel Delage (Vincent Cassel), an operative hired by a French company to locate two Syrian hackers and retrieve the vital information they hold.

Gabriel also happens to have been Alison’s former lover, which is further complicated by the fact that Alison’s fiancé, Albert (Daniel Francis), a barrister who is unaware of their history together and has been tasked with revoking Gabriel’s diplomatic immunity and arresting him on UK soil. Now, Gabriel and Alison must work together and race against the clock, and across borders to uncover the conspiracy and stop another attack. But along the way, their past together threatens their future as Alison’s loyalties are tested, both to her fiancé, to her country and to herself.

Who is in the cast of ‘Liaison?’

‘Liaison’ stars Vincent Cassel (‘Ocean’s Twelve,’ ‘Black Swan’), Eva Green (‘Casino Royale,’ ‘Dark Shadows’), Peter Mullan (‘Braveheart’), Gerard Lanvin (‘Point Blank’), Daniel Francis (‘Small Axe’), and Laetitia Eido (‘The Accusation’).

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Vincent Cassel about his work on ‘Liaison,’ playing a mercenary, Alison and Gabriel’s relationship, and why he’s always wanted to work with Eva Green.

Vincent Cassel stars in Apple TV+'s 'Liaison.'

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Vincent Cassel.

Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your approach to playing Gabriel and how you were able to get inside the head of a mercenary?

Vincent Cassel: Well, first of all, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet up with some of the guys who are actually mercenaries in real life. Above the information that they gave me, even though I'm not quite sure they told me the truth about everything, I was able to scan the way they would carry themselves and the way they behave.
What really struck me about at least two of them is that they were very dark, lonely, and cynical. But at the same time, they were lighthearted and able to cope with the reality they've seen behind the curtain because they worked with literally all the secret services in the world. They had this way of not taking anything seriously.
I really wanted the character to come across as very European in that sense. Meaning that of course he has the sense of his responsibility, he's a very reliable agent, but you can feel that, even life itself, he doesn't take it so seriously. The only thing that really is a problem for him is his relationship with Allison.

(L to R) Vincent Cassel and Eva Green in 'Liaison,' streaming on Apple TV+.

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MF: Can you talk about Gabriel and Alison’s relationship, the past they share, and the events that bring them back together in this series?

VC: Well, those two were not supposed to meet again, even though there was this really strong attraction and actually even love between them. They've been deceived by one another in a way that there was no way they would meet again. She grew up, she became something else. He stayed the way he was, except that now time has passed and he's tired of the life he’s had. But because of this professional situation, they have to work together and I think that becomes a pretext and an excuse to carry along with their love story.

Eva Green in 'Liaison,' streaming on Apple TV+.

MF: Finally, what was it like working with Eva Green on this series?

VC: Well, listen, I've been fascinated by this actress forever, since I saw her in ‘The Dreamers.’ I think that was her first movie, actually, and I always thought that she was totally unique in particular, and there was no other actress really, that carries that mystery and that elegance. So I told her, of course, and I think we were really curious, one for another, and she's very instinctive, and I'm kind of like that as an actor. So when we got on set, there was not much to be talked about. We were just having fun together.