In 1962, the iconic Rosebud cocktail bar opened in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. For many years, it was a meeting place for writers such as Marguerite Duras, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Roland Barthes. Facing a decline in the early 2010s, the Rosebud was at risk of closure.
Finally, in January 2025, the Rosebud was taken over by seven friends, including several movie stars: Chiara Mastroianni, Melvil Poupaud, and Benjamin Biolay, who share stories of love and friendship.
A dream shared by the three actors
In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche published on March 22, 2026, Melvil Poupaud explained that he was familiar with the Rosebud before becoming one of the owners. “My uncle Jacques Richard frequented it with Roland Topor. Christophe, Gainsbourg, Jean Eustache, Beckett, Duras… were seen there.”
For him and his friends, running a bar had always been a dream in the back of their minds. By taking over the Rosebud, they chose not to change the soul of this famous establishment. “We just added a piano,” commented Melvil Poupaud. “It’s a unique place, not snobbish or pretentious. It has become a source of pride.” He added, “At the Rosebud, everyone talks to each other.”
To breathe new life into the Rosebud, Melvil Poupaud and his group joined forces with the artist Philippe Parreno and the artistic director Mathias Augustin Augustyniak. “The best compliment received since the reopening was the regulars saying that we haven’t changed anything,” highlighted Mathieu Demy, one of the new owners, in an article from M, Le Magazine du Monde published in February 2025.
The intertwined destinies of Chiara Mastroianni, Melvil Poupaud, and Benjamin Biolay
Having come together behind the camera of Christophe Honoré in 2024 for the film Marcello Mio, Chiara Mastroianni, Melvil Poupaud, and Benjamin Biolay have known each other for several years. The first two met in a Parisian school and had a deep love story, while Benjamin Biolay met the actress in the early 2000s. Married from 2022 to 2025, they are the parents of a daughter, Anna Biolay, who is also an actress.
In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche published in May 2024, Chiara Mastroianni shared some insights about working with these two actors in Marcello Mio. “There are also very important men in my life in this film: Melvil Poupaud, who inspired me to pursue cinema, Benjamin Biolay, who encouraged me to sing, and Christophe Honoré, who pushed me to do theater. All of this has meaning.”
