The end of an era in Plus belle la vie. While the famous soap opera broadcast on France 3 is about to bow out on November 18, the key players shot the last scenes at the end of September in Marseille. Currently on the air, fans witnessed the death of one of the heroes on Monday, October 3. Spoiler alert: If you haven’t watched the episode yet, please do not continue reading this article.
As you can see in the video extract below, Roland Marci, the boss of the Mistral made his final appearance in Plus belle la vie. While we see him playing football with little Mathis, the senior is the victim of a heart attack. Collapsing to the ground on the sidewalk, he takes his last breath before his son Thomas (Laurent Kerusoré) discovers his body.
Interviewed in Le Parisien, actor Michel Cordes returned to how he learned of the death of his character. “I’m not very young anymore. I wanted to rest. Let’s say that it doesn’t matter personally. But, it’s a bit of a shame”, evokes the one who regrets the end of the series. “I had imagined my exit because I’m a little tired. I’ve been doing this job for fifty-some years. I don’t live in Marseille. It was starting to become heavy in my life”.
If the famous comedian did not expect the soap opera to stop, one of the screenwriters of Plus belle la vie explained the choice to remove the role of Roland Marci. “I salute the immense actor that is Michel Cordes. He was a pillar of the soap opera, a real dad. We can say it, he was the patriarchal figure both on the set and in the series”, explained Guillaume Wishing for Captain Cinemaxx. “We couldn’t end the series by leaving him in the lurch. But there was a kind of logic in killing this character, even if it’s heartbreaking”.
During the broadcast of this episode, many Internet users expressed their sadness at the death of the hero. “The pillar of the series has collapsed and marks the end of an era… Goodbye Roland”, “I think we all shed our tears”, “A page that turns”, can we read in particular in comments under the publication of the video on Twitter.
Denis and his mother Denise, two followers of Plus belle la vie since the start of the broadcast, were also saddened by the disappearance of this cult character. “I find it sad, but at the same time, it was to be expected because he was old and had a heart condition”, explains the viewer for Planet, putting it into perspective. “In any case, it’s good, because he ends his life surrounded by all his reconciled family”. While his son did not expect this end of life at all. “Especially not at the party he took days to organize.”
However, the law student confides that Roland’s death also marks the end of an era of fiction. “He was the most iconic figure on the show since its debut in 2004.” Same point of view for the mother. “Roland was the founding father of the series, he was there from the first episode and he was one of the emblems of the series”. Like millions of viewers, mother and son will be in front of their screens for the farewell to the soap opera, during the final episode broadcast in prime time on November 18, 2022.
