The TV show En Famille has become the summer must-see for millions of French viewers on M6. Here are 6 fun facts and behind-the-scenes secrets to know about this family series.
En Famille and Scènes de Ménages have the same creator
Launched in summer 2012 on M6, the TV show En Famille was created by Alain Kappauf and Florence Levard. While you may not be familiar with the name Alain Kappauf, you certainly know his work because he is also the creator of Scènes de Ménages. He adapted the Spanish series Escenas de Matrimonio for the French audience, making it a daily must-see for millions of viewers on M6. Alain Kappauf also co-created Caméra Café with Bruno Solo and Yvan Le Bolloc'h, as well as Kaamelott with Alexandre Astier and Jean-Yves Robin.
Axel Huet enjoyed the time jump in season 8
From season 8 onwards, the TV show En Famille took on a more soap opera format in terms of its storylines. After seven seasons where time was frozen for the characters, the writers decided to jump forward 5 years into the future. This allowed the characters to grow up, especially the children and teenagers. Axel Huet, who plays Antoine, told Allociné in 2019: "This time jump feels good. I feel comfortable in the character. It's nice not to have to play a teenager on his way home from school anymore. (...) We didn't really ask for the time jump, but at some point, it became necessary. As an actor playing a 17-year-old with T-shirts for 6-year-olds, it was no longer an option (laughs). And the writers eventually understood that. We were going in circles."
The reason behind Tarek Boudali's departure
In addition to the time jump, season 8 of En Famille was marked by the departure of Tarek Boudali. The actor who played Kader left the TV show at the end of the seventh season due to a busy schedule. In an interview with Puremédias, Tarek Boudali explained, "I reached a point where I had to make choices because I had too much work. It's cool, but at the same time, I was a bit tired, so I couldn't do everything." Tarek Boudali has been busy with numerous film roles in recent years, as a member of the comedy troupe La Bande à Fifi.
Charlie Bruneau experienced Tarek Boudali's departure as "a real break-up"
While her character Roxane was in a relationship with Kader in En Famille, actress Charlie Bruneau struggled with the departure of her co-star Tarek Boudali. She told Télé-Loisirs, "The Kader/Roxane duo was really important in En Famille, and when the couple broke up, it felt a bit strange. But as in real life..." She said she handled it "well" because "it was for good reasons," but she admitted, "It broke my heart because we had shared so many things together. It was a real break-up, even though we regularly keep in touch."
The filming of Marjorie and Jean-Pierre's wedding was disrupted by Storm Alex
In a special episode of En Famille that aired on January 18, 2022, Marjorie marries her partner Jean-Pierre. The filming of this special episode was particularly challenging for the series' team as it took place in the fall of 2020 during Storm Alex. "We had to adapt because we were filming right in the middle of Storm Alex. The outdoor scenes had to be relocated indoors out of necessity. The whole team, from production to set design to the writers, was incredibly reactive," said Jeanne Savary, who plays Marjorie, in an interview with Télé 7 Jours. Was it ultimately a blessing in disguise? "We were very attached to the original storyline, which included sunshine and the beach... The storm pushed the writers to refocus the script on certain things that had been put aside. In the end, I think this version is even better," said Olivier Mag (Jean-Pierre).
Pupuce has been played by several dogs
Pupuce, the Le Kervelec family's pet in the TV show En Famille, was played by several dogs on screen: Volnay, Burdy, Loukoum, and then Pirate. "The first ones passed away. They were very sturdy animals, weighing around a hundred kilos, but unfortunately, they don't live very long," revealed executive producer Jean-Luc Périchon to Le Parisien on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the series in August 2022.