THIS IS THE REAL LUCAS BRAVE

THEY SAY OVERNIGHT SUCCESS TAKES 10 YEARS. NO ONE KNOWS THIS BETTER THAN FRENCH ACTOR LUCAS BRAVO WHO WORKED IN SUPERMARKETS BEFORE HIS BREAK. THE EMILY IN PARIS STAR OPENS UP TO US.

- CEZAR GREIF

LUCAS BRAVO IS NOT who you think he is. Yes, he’s incredibly handsome and charming. He’s French and possesses that mysterious stare that has captured the imagination of millions of Emily in Paris fans the world over, playing Lily Collins’s on and off love interest Gabriel. But that is just a part he’s playing. It doesn’t reflect the real Lucas Bravo.

The man sitting before me was born 36 years ago and the son of Paris SaintGermain (PSG) legend, professional football player Daniel Bravo. He is a striking younger version of his dad. Usually reserved, Bravo rarely divulges any information regarding his personal life. But he opens up when speaking French, revealing a more reflective and profound personality than in the English interviews. He’s passionate about the environment and has given speeches in front of major international institutions. He’s friends with George Clooney, but used to work the early morning shift at a local supermarket while trying to make it big as an actor. We travelled to the Hotel Eldorado, in Paris’ 17th arrondissement, to meet the real Lucas Bravo.

Did you grow up in Nice or Paris?

I was born in Nice, then we went to Lyon, then Marseille, then Paris. We were in Italy for two years, then we came back to Marseille, then Nice again, then Paris for seven years with PSG. I grew up wherever my father transferred to.

And what was it like to be PSG’s Daniel Bravo's son? Did you feel the pressure during recess when you were playing football?

That's a good question. No one has asked me that before. I wasn't under any pressure – I've always played football for pleasure. If I missed a control, made a wrong pass, did a terrible move or committed a mistake, I was quickly reminded that I wasn't my “father's son.” After all, it's the age when kids make fun of each other. Even when I played for a club, I was often teased and compared to him when I wasn't up to scratch.