We were lucky to catch up with Simon Catillon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Simon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My passion for cinema and theater took root very early. As a child, nothing thrilled me more than slipping into the skin of fictional characters—Cyrano and Zorro were among my favorites. It was my way of processing the world and expressing the many facets of my personality.
As I grew, I sought out every form of performance that could nurture my craft. From classical French plays to contemporary theater, from mime and puppetry to experimental work—I was drawn to disciplines where the body spoke as much as the voice. Physical theater, in particular, was a revelation. It taught me to embrace stillness, to embody tension, and to let silence carry emotional weight.
In parallel, I trained in athletic disciplines that helped sharpen my presence—fencing, which I have practiced since my teens, as well as stage combat, stunt work, and fitness racing. These tools now feed directly into my creative work, especially in roles that demand physical transformation.
Looking back, I do not regret the winding path—it gave me a deep reservoir I continue to explore.
Formal training played its role, of course. I studied for three years at Cours Florent while writing and directing plays in Paris. Later, I enrolled at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts to broaden my approach to acting.
But the most profound learning has always come from doing—by performing and experimenting. Growth happens when you risk taking new directions. Stepping outside your creative comfort zone can be disorienting—even intimidating—but that openness allows you to unlock parts of yourself you never knew existed, and to surpass your own limits.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a French actor, screenwriter, and director based in New York, originally trained on stage in Paris. I spent over a decade performing in theaters across the city—but also writing and directing original productions that explored longing, alienation, and classical references. One of those early works, Unusual Suspects (Enquête d’Amour), blended dark humor with lyrical tension and received strong support from audiences—a turning point that affirmed my voice as a creator.
When I moved to New York, my focus expanded to cinema. I began crafting short films that leaned into visual storytelling and psychological nuance. Lucien and Lullaby, both written and directed in 2023, were recognized at several international festivals and awarded for their direction, performance, and emotional resonance. Those projects allowed me to merge my background in physical theater with a cinematic language rooted in silence, vulnerability, and transformation.
I am interested in atypical moments that emerge from daily life. My characters navigate the line between tangible reality and their inner worlds. Whether I am performing or directing, I look for what is hidden beneath the surface: the emotional fractures, the quiet tension, the beauty of imperfection. My work often lives in that space between narrative and metaphor, where introspection takes center stage.
In 2024 and 2025, I joined two productions at the Metropolitan Opera: first as a king’s guard in Aida, then as a sailor in Moby Dick—a physically demanding performance that blended acting, stunts, and acrobatics. Earlier that spring, I also appeared Off-Broadway in Small Acts of Daring Invention, a deeply poetic piece created by Tracy Weller.
I am currently developing a new 15-minute short film that explores grief and emotional repair, in continuity with Lullaby.
Whether I am creating my own films or collaborating on stage, I try to approach each project as a personal journey—a chance to investigate, translate, and share emotional truth. Each role, each story that I immerse myself into invites me to discover new creative angles—and often gives rise to profound human bonds.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

As a child, I was not very talkative. I observed more than I spoke, often processing the world inwardly. Acting became my first language—the most instinctive and genuine way I could express myself. Later, writing and directing expanded that language and allowed me to shape entire emotional landscapes, not just individual roles.
What fascinates me most is the multiplicity of expression—how a single emotion can live through silence or movement, light or color, rhythm or stillness. I love weaving these elements together, finding new ways to echo a feeling, to make it resonate differently depending on the viewer’s own experience. That process—of sculpting emotion from multiple angles—is where the reward lies for me. It is not just about telling a story; it is about creating space for recognition, for reflection, and sometimes, for release.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I want to create a world that resonates on a deeply human level—stories that do not just entertain but stay with people for a long time. I aim to spark moments of emotional clarity—those sudden shifts where something inside aligns, even if just for a second.
As a child, I could spend hours in the video store, completely captivated by the mysteries hiding behind each VHS cover. Every title felt like a doorway, each image a world waiting to be explored. That sense of wonder, of infinite possibility, still drives me today. I want the work I make—whether on screen or on stage—to offer that same invitation to slip into another world and re-emerge with new eyes.
Art has the power to bypass logic. It invites us to feel, to remember, and to connect in ways that are often hard to explain. That pursuit is at the heart of everything I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.simoncatillon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simon_catillon/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SimonCatillon

Image Credits

Ted Ely