MARION COTILLARD - ACTRESS FELT PIAF'S PRESENCE FOR BIOPIC

ACTRESS FELT PIAF'S PRESENCE FOR BIOPIC

Actress MARION COTILLARD had a little help in conjuring up French singer EDITH PIAF for stunning new biopic LA VIE EN ROSE - from the dead diva herself. The A Good Year star insists the spirit of the tortured singer, who died in 1963, helped her perfect the role - but she's relieved Piaf's gosh didn't show itself. Cotillard admits she had long dreamed of playing one of her heroines and poured over books, records and films in an effort to perfect the singer's voice and mannerisms. And, just when she feared her portrayal of Piaf would be little more than a bad impression, the diva turned up on set. The actress explains, "After spending so long watching, listening to and loving her, I often had the impression she was there. "I was so deeply steeped in the way she moved and spoke, down to the tiniest inflections of her voice, that it was as if she existed within me. "I'm not putting any mystical or esoteric spin on all of this, it was just an encounter, and extraordinary encounter. Something of her recreated itself in me. "It lasted only as long as we were shooting. At certain moments, you felt her presence. I often felt like we were working together."