Français
Her face is everywhere. In the latest advertising campaign for the Afflelou brand, on the pages of Gala Grèce magazine or even on France Télévisions' Secrets d'Histoire program. But in Andréa Cano's uncluttered salon in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, there are no photos of her. Only a few frames with illustrated magazine covers adorn the white wall. "Seeing my face in a photo isn't a fantasy for me," says the 24-year-old.
What she loves most about modeling is meeting people. "You don't just glue two pieces of fabric together," says Andréa. Photographers, make-up artists, hairdressers, technicians - the list of professions involved in a fashion shoot is endless. For some people, modeling is superficial," she adds. Sure, it doesn't cure cancer, but it does people good. "Above all, the art enthusiast is passionate about the creative process behind each photo or video. A sensibility she developed as a child in Saint-Barth.
The birth of an artistic fibre
At Lorient elementary school, she discovered theater thanks to her C.E.2 teacher. Andréa was so taken by it that she decided to join Nadège's classes at the Théâtre du Paradis, in addition to her regular swimming practice. Having had the opportunity to do theater in Saint-Barth, it developed my creativity," she explains. And then, beyond theater, it made me want to enrich myself everywhere: through museums, through reading... "
Andréa has never left the stage. She continued taking drama classes at secondary school in Saint-Barth, and at lycée, in Normandy. The fateful question soon arose: what am I going to do after the baccalaureate? Andréa was sure she wanted to go into the arts, but what exactly? An internship was to seal her future. For a week, she took part in sessions at the Cours Florent (a renowned theater school) in Bordeaux. I loved it," she recalls, "and I told myself I wanted to do that after high school.
Dreams of feature films
Over the course of three years, Andréa learned to act for theater and film at the school's Parisian premises. She completed this training with two years at the Laboratoire de l'Acteur. It was here that she honed her acting skills, and her dreams for the cinema. Acting in a feature film is her ultimate goal, says Andréa, who appreciates the auteur cinema of Jacques Audiard, Maiwen and Xavier Dolan. On several occasions, Andréa reached the final selection phase for a feature film, but it was ultimately the other profile that was chosen. The actress has also taken part in other projects, such as music videos for Vianney and Kendji Girac's song Le feu, and short films. She also played the role of Marianne, Robin Hood's companion, in an episode of Secrets d'histoire broadcast on France 3.
To make a living from her passion, Andréa supplemented her income by working in a bar. But thanks to her modeling contracts, she now has a more flexible schedule to pursue castings and continue to evolve in the artistic field. I was lucky to get into this world," confides Andréa. Even if modeling has evolved, there are still certain criteria, like height, and I'm not 1m80 tall. "Spotted on the street by a professional, Andréa is represented by the New Wave Management agency in Germany, London and Istanbul.
A "sunny" model
In Paris, Karin Models Agency is responsible for finding her castings. We didn't choose her for her size," quips Sebastien Llanes-Gaczol, one of her agents. What the casting directors like about Andréa is her charm, her personality. Andréa has been with the agency for a year now, and has won a string of contracts for brands such as Cacharel, L'Oréal, Bioderma, Jennyfer, Printemps and Uniqlo. Andréa is very grateful for the projects we offer her," adds Sébastien. She's always cheerful and motivated, and it's great fun working with her. "
Bubbling over with ideas, Andréa is constantly seeking to innovate: "I'm always trying to come up with new photos, to collaborate with new people, so that when the opportunity arises, you can't miss it. "Despite disappointments, common in the film world, the actress isn't discouraged. "Once you've got the fire inside you, no one can put it out," she declares earnestly, before bursting into laughter. That was very Johnny Hallyday. "
