Michael Douglas and the cast of Franklin touched down in Cannes today with a message. Speaking to press ahead of the world premiere screening of the series at Canneseries on Wednesday evening, the actor said the Apple TV+ period drama is a great reminder of “how fragile democracy is and how generous France was.”
The series was entirely filmed in France, and Douglas spoke about returning to the country to launch the show before it’s bow on Apple TV+ on April 12. “It’s coals to Newcastle – this is where our whole project is based: It is the story of Benjamin Franklin coming to France to save America.”
The star, a French speaker and regular at the Cannes Film Festival, added: “The least we could do was come back and say, ‘Thank you, France – thank you first for saving America. [We are] reminding everyone of that story and role France played – and thank you for a wonderful production experience.”
The veteran star was alluding to the period in history dramatized in his new series – a time in which founding father Benjamin Franklin, aged 70, and without any diplomatic training, convinced France – an absolute monarchy – to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy.
Douglas is also an exec producer on Franklin. He said it “was the best production I have ever been involved in,” paying warm tribute to the cast and team. Among the stars are Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place), Thibault de Montalembert (Call My Agent!), Daniel Mays (Line of Duty), Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin) and Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), while the auspices include Kirk Ellis (John Adams), Howard Korder (Boardwalk Empire), Tim Van Patten (Masters of the Air), former HBO boss Richard Plepler, Tony Krantz, Philippe Maigret and Mark Mostyn.
Asked about the modern-day resonance of the show, Douglas said he thought Franklin be “highly, highly disappointed in the distortion of either a republic or democracy that the United States has become.” He added: “I hope this upcoming election will be a cathartic experience for the United States and turns the page onto a new chapter.”
Quizzed on whether he’d ever harbored political ambitions, Douglas said: “I have been asked to run for Governor of California, a while ago – [former California senator] Pete Wilson, I remember him asking. They said we needed someone in the Democratic Party – we had a Republican Governor then – who has the financial resources for a campaign and was a celebrity with well-known status. I said. ‘I think you’re looking for a kamikazee pilot, so no I don’t think so.’ That was that.”
The much-anticipated Franklin world premiere closes Canneseries, tonight.
The eight-part series comes from ITV Studios America and Apple Studios. Ellis wrote the show and exec produces. Van Patten is the director, with Plepler exec producing through Eden Productions and Krantz through Flame Ventures.
