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• The Pink Panther
• The Da Vinci Code
• Mr. Reno's bio

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Tavis: It figures to be a very good year for actor Jean Reno. The star of films like 'The Professional' and 'Ronin' has two major movies in 2006. First up, "The Pink Panther," in which he stars alongside Steve Martin and Beyoncé. And then in May, you will see him in one of the year's most anticipated films, 'The Da Vinci Code.' More on that in a moment. But first up, a scene from "The Pink Panther."

[A film clip is shown]

Tavis: I'm laughing already. Jean Reno, nice to meet you.

Jean Reno: Oh, nice to meet you, sir.

Tavis: Glad to have you on the program.

Reno: Thank you. Thank you.

Tavis: I dare not even try to pronounce your character's name, but you are obviously Inspector Clouseau, Steve Martin's sidekick. And the character's name is?

Reno: Gilbert Ponton.

Tavis: Ponton.

Reno: Ca va. Nice.

Tavis: (laugh) I have been working on this three days, and I still didn't get it right.

Reno: Ponton.

Tavis: Anyway, so tell me about Mr. Martin's new sidekick. Or Mr. Clouseau's sidekick, to be exact.

Reno: First, I have to say that Steve has wrought a fantastic script, because he's a very good writer. Not only a comedian and an actor, but also a good writer. And I was very happy to be in front of him, and to serve the story with him. Because I think the pair function very well between him and myself. I am part of his life privately, as a character, and also professionally, because I'm a cop serving under him. (laugh)

Tavis: What do you learn working alongside a brilliant comedian, a legendary comedian, like Steve Martin?

Reno: To be ready for all occasions. To keep your mind open for everything. Because a comedian can twist even not the reality, but also the scene. (laugh) Because he's got his own fantasy, his own dreams in his mind, and his own rhythm. And that's where an actor is very interesting to work with a comedian. Because it can change quickly, anything. And I learned that.

Tavis: Now, 'The Professional,' I'm sure you know, is on, like, some channel every day, somewhere. We've all seen this movie 10 million times. And I'm cracking up watching 'The Professional' literally, like, weeks ago, and knowing that you're going to be on this show today. And I'm trying to figure out, how does this guy, Jean Reno, pull off being in the "The Pink Panther" when we associate you with these very serious and, you know what I'm saying. How do you switch between?

Reno: I try to follow what they ask me to do. I try to catch the story and the rhythm of the story. I try to dream what they are expecting to me. And forgetting myself. And then, I let myself, not judging anything. Once I sign the movie, I don't judge the characters. If I judge the character because I think it is not moral or something that my kids won't see, yeah?

I said no, I won't sign the movie. But if I sign, then I let myself completely inside the situation, inside the group, because for me, a movie, you can can't do a movie alone. It is a group. It is a crew, camera, sound, a partner, a lot of talent. So, I try to understand where are you going - what do you want me to do?

Where are we going together? Abandon yourself, because you are here, of course. But if you abandon yourself the other one it's going to be the beginning of the dance. And then you will find again yourself in that dance. Most of the people, they're afraid to abandon theirself. They want to put the ego. And I don't like that word, ego.

Tavis: What's more of a challenge for you? I'm just meeting you for the first time. I obviously know your work, but never met you before. So, is something like "The Professional," I keep going back to that, is "The Professional" a greater stretch for you, sin terms of character development? Or "The Pink Panther" role?

Reno: I like comedies, because...

Tavis: You like comedies.

Reno: Oui. Oui. Because the idea, yes. The idea to make people laugh, I think it is a nice idea. And a laugh can help somebody. Like a piece of music or some poetry. If you laugh, (laugh) you forget the difficulty of your life you are living. And somebody who can make you laugh, again, like Steve Martin, you have to preserve those people. So I prefer comedy.

And also, when you come back home, after being working in the middle of guns and a bomb and shooting people and blood, the ambiance is a little bit tense. And then the family will feel that. That you, again, inside that situation. But, after "The Pink Panther," you're (makesnoise) more light. (laugh) And so, the family can feel oh, my father is light, and I'm happier also about that.

Tavis: Does that mean, does your answer mean that you, at least for a space of time, for a period of time, when you return home, take these characters with you?

Reno: Yes. A little bit. Yes. It's like if you are on stage more time than if you are shooting a movie, if you have a play, it will take more. It will take three hours, four hours. If you an opera singer, I have a friend who is a big opera singer. And from, let's say, midnight until 4:00 in the morning, is still like that after the performance, yes. You have some flavors coming from the work have you been doing in the day, during the day.

Tavis: Speaking of actors, before I move on to "The Da Vinci Code," I just learned that you were, whatever the word is, inducted, admitted, allowed to be a part of the Academy.

Reno: Yes.

Tavis: So congratulations.

Reno: Oh, thank you. It is an honor for me. And I thank America for that.

Tavis: So after all the years of acting, you are now in the Academy officially. Which means you get to vote this year. This is your first time voting on the Oscars.

Reno: Yeah, but don't tell anybody, yeah? (laugh)

Tavis: So what does it mean for, one, to have - we get to watch these things in whenever, March, whenever it is. We get to watch these, and you get to vote this year. So what's that feel like for an actor to be able to vote for the first time?

Reno: You have to vote with your heart, and you have to watch with your heart. Again, you have to forget yourself and just watch the movie and let yourself, again, if you believe the story, if you believe the work, if you forget the name of the actor, that's the Oscar.

Tavis: You gonna have to get used to seeing this phrase, then. For your consideration.

Reno: Exactly. Yeah, I know, I know.

Tavis: You're gonna see that, like, 20 million times. For your consideration, Mr. Jean Reno.

Reno: I know, that's (unintelligible) .

Tavis: Speaking of the Academies, the Oscars, do awards, does that kind of recognition - we all love to be recognized for the work that we do. Somebody once told me on this program that as human beings, we all want three things. To be loved, to be - Mike Farrell, M*A*S*H, told me this. To be loved, to be respected, and to be given some attention.

To be loved, respected, and paid attention to every now, and that's all we want as human beings. So I suspect that as actors, you would like to have your peers recognize your work. But for you personally, do awards mean much? Would it be nice for you one day to be voted on, as opposed to voting for?

Reno: Yes. But also to be part of a group of people. Because you come to act, to integrate, to be part of a group, to be part of the audience. To be part of the industry. To be part of whatever, the art, if you want. And that means for me to be part of a group. And, wow! So happy. My father died, and my mother died, but I'm sure they will see me being part of a group. And I like that very much. I like that idea.

Tavis: In this very chair, a few weeks ago, sat Ron Howard. So you've met this guy, obviously. (laugh) "The Da Vinci Code." So much buzz.

Reno: Big.

Tavis: Yeah, exactly, big. So, tell me about "The Da Vinci Code." How big is this thing gonna be? It's very controversial.

Reno: You know that Tom Hanks is in the movie.

Tavis: Mm hmm. Tom Hanks is in the movie.

Reno: Tom Hanks is in the movie.

Tavis: I've heard this.

Reno: Audrey Tautou is in the movie. Ian McKellen is in the movie. And Alfred Molina is in the movie. But then. (unintelligible) No. (laugh) No, no. I haven't seen the movie yet. So they're editing the movie. The thing I can say, (laugh) that we shot in the Louvre.

Tavis: Unprecedented. They don't let you just bring camera crews into the Louvre.

Reno: Exactly. But we had the authorization.

Tavis: Unless you're Ron Howard or Brian Grazer, but that's another issue, go ahead. I'm sorry. Yeah.

Reno: Big arm. (laugh) But no, you and me, in the Louvre. Nobody. Just the, the sound of your steps, and all the paintings. Can you imagine? All night. So you can go everywhere. They had some security, but they knew us, so it was easy. And then you can sit in front of the painting. Ah. That was a gift. That was the first privilege from being in that movie.

Tavis: So that's value added. You get to hang out and just look at...

Reno: Completely. And Tom Hanks and myself, we were working and ooh, la, la, look at this one. Look at this one. How is it possible to paint like that? Voila. History of the humanity, a little bit.

Tavis: See, I don't know the kind of folk you hang out with, but you gotta hang out with me more often. 'Cause every time I go to the Louvre, I get that treatment all the time.

Reno: (unintelligible)

Tavis: They shut it down at night, and let me just walk through by myself.

Reno: You call me when you come to Paris.

Tavis: Yeah. (laugh)

Reno: No, no, it is true. You call me. You can find my phone number.

Tavis: I will look you up, Jean Reno. We will hang out in Paris.

Reno: I will be your guide, I swear to God.

Tavis: You know what? I could always use a good guide in Paris.

Reno: I'll do it.

Tavis: I'm glad to have you on the program. Thank you, sir. Thanks for coming on.

Reno: Thank you.

Tavis: "The Pink Panther," "The Da Vinci Code." This guy, Jean Reno, is busy. What a great year you're gonna have, and I'm glad to have you on the program.

Reno: Merci, monsieur.

Tavis: Yeah, that too. (laugh) That's our show for tonight. You can catch me on the weekends on PRI, Public Radio International, check your local listings. See you next time on PBS. Until then, good night from L.A., thanks for watching, and as always, keep the faith.