Actor Omar Sy also steals the show in the long-awaited third season of Lupine. He has not lost his charm in the role of France’s most wanted thief Assane Diop.
Like a thief in the night, French actor Omar Sy (45) as Assane Diop sneaks into all living rooms in 2021. Hit series Lupin appears to be popular not only among his fellow countrymen. Within a month, 70 million people devour all episodes and eagerly await the sequel, which once again turns out to be binge fodder. Now that the long-awaited third season is finally available to stream, we can definitively say that Frances most wanted its charm has still not been lost.
Sy stole hearts worldwide in 2011 with his role as Driss Intouchables, but he doesn’t do anything else in Diop’s jacket either. In Lupin Diop tries to avenge his father for the injustice done to him by a wealthy family. Viewers are treated to masterful burglaries and escapes by France’s most wanted criminal.
Is he scary? Anything but. Enchanted by a wide grin, you would open the doors of your house wide and give him your car keys. His irresistible charm makes you notice his ‘little problems’ without hesitation.
International hit
Lupin is Netflix’s third biggest international hit ever. Only Squid Game and Bridgerton scored higher. In 2021, the first season was the most viewed Netflix title of the first quarter and Lupine also scored unprecedentedly well in other areas. The republished books sold like hot cakes that year and even the sneakers that Sy wears in the series (Nike Air Jordans 1, for those who love them) experienced a revival.
The resounding success of Sy, which enchants more than just the French, stems from its allure as the couch potato’s cuddly toy. He has a benevolent mission and makes clever use of the moments when he is not taken seriously. Something that many can take as an example.
In Lupin everything is correct. The beautiful locations in Paris, the grandiose tricks that Diop performs that make people stare wide-eyed at the screen and of course the criticism of society. The latter is smoothly woven into the storylines by Sy.
Intouchables
Sy, born in Trappes near Paris, won the César for best actor in 2012 for his role in Intouchables, this makes him the first dark actor to win the prize. His African roots are still close to his heart. With a Senegalese father and mother from Mauritania, Sy is also concerned about Africa in 2023. After he gives an interview to the newspaper in January Le Parisien he provokes a national discussion. According to the Lupin star, there is too little attention for wars in Africa and he does not understand why the French are more sensitive to the war in Ukraine. “I’m surprised that people are so affected now. If it happens in Africa, does it affect you less?
A comment that is experienced as both a relief and a shock. While one person thinks it’s great that he is speaking out about this, another says he suggests that the French have ‘nothing to do with Africa’.
A distinct character, as it turns out. And that also applies to his character Diop. The beloved Fransoos will be featured in the new storyline Lupin depth while still managing to surprise people as a flamboyant gentleman burglar. Even if you don’t speak French.
In the brand new season, the viewer discovers how Diop ended up on the wrong path. The actor manages to make the most unrealistic storylines realistic and it will take some time before binge watchers get tired of his dressing up and burglaries. Often extremely far-fetched, but therefore genius.
Lupine can be seen on Netflix.