Gaia Weiss

French model and actress Gaia Weiss was born to a French-Polish family on August 30, 1991 in Paris, France. At age three, she took ballet and became an accomplished ballet dancer. Weiss attended the Cours Florent and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and started acting in 1999. Her new “Marie Antoinette” project is airing on Canal + in France (2023 in the USA). We caught up with Gaia while she was in Los Angeles recently, created some fun images, and did a quick interview. Voila!

Is incarnating a historical figure a bigger challenge than a fictional one?

Incarnating a historical character is in some ways a bigger challenge because many people will be emotionally attached to it and will have a lot of expectations, and of course, you never want to disappoint. But one of my favorite parts of playing historical characters is all the research prior to shooting. It’s like a time-traveling machine. And the more well-known the character is, the more material you have. Then I go through a sort of merging phase where I use similar traits of character I have to empathize with the figure and become one with it.

What traits of Madame de Barry’s personality do you recognize within yourself?

I think I share Madame du Barry’s strength of character and determination. Noone succeeded in making me change my mind once I had my eyes set on something. But I also learned how to draw strength from my femininity and sensuality with her. To understand how she was going to move, I took dance classes in heels to connect with this side of me.

What was your favorite part of working on this project?

It’s very difficult to only choose one! Having James Purefoy as one of the main partners was an incredible experience. I learned so much from him. But also working with such an exceptional cast, a wonderfully talented team of people who recreated Versailles, the costumes and style of the 18th century, galloping in the gardens of Vaux le Vicomte, having our very own burning man…

Tell us about any other project you are considering or working on now.

You’ll see me next year in an American drama entitled Animal within by Agnieszka Lukasiak, and I’m also writing my first TV show inspired by my family’s story.