Maurice Barthélemy and his daughter: A story of love and distance
Maurice Barthélemy has had relationships with several women, including Marina Foïs and Judith Godrèche, but he has only one child: a daughter who is celebrating her 21st birthday today. Usually discreet about his family life, the actor, screenwriter, and director opened up to us in an interview in September 2023. On this occasion, he discussed his relationship with his unique daughter, Tess, who moved to the United States with her mother. “When Tess was born in 2005, I decided not to repeat the same patterns. So, I turned down the role of Astérix in 2005 to not miss her first months,” he revealed. Influenced by an unconventional childhood and distant parents, Maurice Barthélemy was determined not to make the same mistakes as his own parents.
Separation from his daughter
When he separated from Judith Godrèche and she went to live overseas with their daughter, the fifty-year-old had to accept the absence and distance. “Later, when we split up with her mother, and they went to live in the United States, I had to be present in a different way. For ten years, I made back and forth trips, then there was the lockdown and two long years without being able to reunite,” he reflected before concluding, “It was a trial, but also a discovery. Distance allowed a unique form of communication, direct, a sense of urgency between her and me. We focus on the essentials.” In 2023, in an interview with Public magazine, he also stated that he has always been very close to his daughter. “I make sure to be present despite the distance. Since she was seven, we’ve been using video calls. She is fifteen now. But ultimately, distance allowed for a rare emotional closeness,” he admitted.
Tess Barthélemy following in her famous parents’ footsteps
Today, Tess Barthélemy is following in her parents’ footsteps. She made her debut in 2013 in the film “Pas très normales activités,” directed by her father. In 2023, she starred in the Franco-American miniseries “Icon of French Cinema,” directed by her mother. On this occasion, she walked the red carpet at the American Film Festival of Deauville for the first time, where her father could attend the event with great pride. “I was really shocked because I saw a young woman, and in my head, she’s still a baby,” he reacted upon seeing the footage of the festival on the set of “Télématin.” There is no doubt that Maurice Barthélemy will always be there to encourage and support his daughter throughout her career!
