Acting Grad Adélaïde Schoofs Talks Passion, Preparation, and Her Role in Fanny
Class of 2022 Acting for Film, TV & the Theatre grad Adélaïde Schoofs’s latest project is filling up theatres in Quebec and garnering rave reviews.
Directed by Yan England, Fanny is adapted from the popular French YA novel series Fanny Cloutier and follows a teenaged girl (played by Milya Corbeil Gauvreau) who, upon discovering a family secret following her mother’s death, desperately searches for answers while also dealing with her grief-stricken father.
Schoofs plays the titular character’s best friend Léonie in the film – a role she landed following much preparation and an intensive audition process.
“The casting director requested to see me through my agent, and I auditioned with two scenes that I had worked on intensely,” she explained, noting that she reached out to an acting coach to help her refine her performance before the audition.
“This opportunity didn’t show up the day I graduated from TFS. A career is something you build up, with intention and persistence. If you’re serious about it, you have to treat it like it matters.”
Once she landed the role of Léonie, Schoofs said she was “thrilled” to have the chance to connect with her fellow castmates – who, in addition to Corbeil Gauvreau, included Éric Bruneau, Magalie Lépine Blondeau, Léokim Beaumier-Lépine and Claude Legault among others – during rehearsals.
“Rehearsals are when you really get to know the other actors you’ll be working with. It’s such a rich, collaborative experience, where everyone shares how they see their characters, their objectives, and the challenges they face throughout the script,” she said.
“It’s also a great opportunity to get a deeper sense of the director’s vision. I watched some of director Yan England’s previous work to better understand his tone, influences, and creative direction. He gave us the freedom to dive in and explore, which felt really nice.”
From there, the cast and crew moved into production, which took place over the course of two months last summer in various locations in Quebec – including Kamouraska, Saint-Germain-de-Kamouraska, Notre-Dame-du-Portage, Rimouski, Mont-Joli, Grand-Métis and Montreal.
Schoofs said having the opportunity to shoot on location was one of her favourite parts of filming Fanny.
“Most of the time, we were filming right by the Saint-Laurent River,” she said. “It brought a real sense of calm and that definitely added something special to our performances.”
Reflecting back on her Fanny experience, Schoofs gave credit to her agents at Agence La Suite for helping her land the job – “If you’re looking for real, professional opportunities, having an agent makes all the difference!” – and to her training at Toronto Film School for helping her prepare for it.
“TFS taught me that opportunities won’t come to you; you have to work hard with the right tools and the right people to chase them,” she said, urging TFS students hoping to follow in her footsteps to “cultivate your own chances” and to “stay aware and curious for when the right gig comes along.”
“You’re never truly ‘ready,’ and you will never be, so start by accepting that, work hard, and above all, stay humble. Also, your acting partners will bring their own tools and perspective to the table: it’s a dance, so be ready to dance with them.”
Watch the Fanny trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StkgCeqn7Y8
