Now Anne Brochet Has Not One but Two Depardieus to Play Against

French actress Anne Brochet admits her film roles often give people the wrong impression about her.

Brochet, 26, first came to the attention of American movie audiences two years ago as the beautiful Roxanne, the object of Gerard Depardieu’s affections in the romantic costume drama “Cyrano de Bergerac.” And now she stars opposite the French superstar and his son, Guillaume, in another period piece, “Tous Les Matins Du Monde,” opening Wednesday at selected theaters.

“After I made ‘Cyrano’ people thought I came from the Comedie Francaise,” Brochet says. “They thought I was obsessed with wearing that kind of dress (from the 17th Century). I don’t dress that way, believe me. I made (“Tous Les Matins”) because of the story and not because of the dress.”

Set in 17th-Century France, “Tous Les Matins” tells the story of the stormy relationship between two famous musicians, Sainte Colombe (Jean-Pierre Marielle) and Marin Marais (both Depardieus). Brochet plays Madeleine, Sainte Colombe’s eldest daughter, who enters into a tragic affair with Marais.

Brochet, who won the Cesar, France’s equivalent of the Oscar, for “Tous Les Matins,” almost turned the film down because Depardieu was in it. “People make the relationship between ‘Cyrano’ and Gerard,” Brochet says. “People think I can only do that kind of picture and that kind of character. With Gerard in this movie, it was going to be heavy and full of intention. In fact, I only have just one scene with him in the movie.”

Born in a small town in northern France, Brochet always dreamed of moving to Paris “just to live.” She got her wish when she received a scholarship to study acting at the Conservatory in Paris. Brochet received her big break during her first year in school--a starring role in the Claude Chabrol film “Masques.”

“Not bad for a beginning,” Brochet says. “It was so quick. It was like a dream.”