Credits: Selbymay / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0.
The singer Julien Doré, known for his musical career, is embarking on a new challenge: acting. On TF1, he plays the role of Panda, an eccentric former Camargue police officer. After leaving the police, he retrained as a bartender on a beach in the south of France. With atypical practices like yoga and cuddle therapy and a taste for distinctive shirts, Panda represents an amusing and unexpected turn in the singer’s career.
His motivation for accepting this role comes from his own life experiences. Having left the city for the Cévennes, Doré finds a personal resonance with his character, who also abandoned his previous career for a more peaceful way of life. This series marks an artistic turning point for the singer, giving us an opportunity to dive into a comedic and endearing world.
In Panda, the main character returns to duty with his partner Lola, a stressed policewoman. Together, they conduct investigations in a relaxed manner, bringing humor and lightness to the screen. The character of Panda, with his ultra-zen attitude and eccentric outfits, seems to be a comedic extension of Julien Doré himself. The actor emphasizes that the character is an amusing caricature, with exaggerated personality traits that invite self-mockery.
The series, according to Doré, is a breath of fresh air in a gloomy context, a space for humor and lightness. He highlights his own enjoyment in this role, having fun with the situations and Panda’s extravagant nature. Although seriousness is not absent, the series appears to be an invitation to laugh and to enjoy carefree entertainment.