Eric Cantona, 59, is not only a former French football legend, an attacker with a strong character (to say the least). Since hanging up his boots in 1997, he has pursued his passion for cinema and music. Art is his passion, and for more than thirty years, this amateur painter and photographer has taken on roles in the cinema (he even crossed paths with Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth” in 1998 and Ken Loach made him the hero of his film “Looking for Eric”!), television, and theater. His biggest supporter is his wife, Rachida Brakni, 49. But who is this actress who has shared his life for over twenty years?
How did Eric Cantona and Rachida Brakni meet?
After studying at the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art, Rachida Brakni joined the Comédie-Française in 2001. She became a resident there until 2004, when she decided to also focus on cinema. In 2002, she received the César for Best Female Hope for her role in “Chaos” by Coline Serreau. It was also that same year that she crossed paths with Eric Cantona. Two different worlds… And yet.
At the time, the former footballer was (still?) married to Isabelle Ferrer (sister of Bernard, also a footballer), whom he met in the early 80s at Auxerre (his starting club) and the mother of his two children, Raphaël (1988) and Joséphine (1995). Eric and Rachida met during the filming of the movie “L’Outremangeur,” by Thierry Binisti. The actress was captivated. Literally.
“I walked into the makeup room and I was grabbed by his gaze in the mirror,” the actress told L’Express in 2012. “I knew immediately! This filming period, which blurred the lines between the movie and our passion, was thrilling. But, on the last day, I was very unhappy: I was afraid it would all end!” And then she confessed, “It may sound cheesy, but I own up to it: my heart belongs to Eric.” And it still does. Rachida and Eric have not parted ways since. They got married in 2007, and the couple, who now live in Portugal, welcomed two children, Émir (2009) and Selma (2013).
A unified couple
Rachida continues her career as an actress (she has been seen in the series “Baron Noir” and “Les espions de la terreur,” among others), as a director, and a singer. With Eric, they have had the opportunity to collaborate several times. They acted together in the movie “Lisa et le pilote d’avion”… that was never released. They appeared in an episode of the series “Le Voyageur” broadcast in 2020 on France 3 – in which the former player was the hero.
Rachida directed Eric when he took his first steps on stage in 2010, in the play “Face au paradis” by Nathalie Saugeon. Eric wrote the songs for Rachida’s debut album (“Rachida Brakni”), released in 2012: “Eric did it for me. No one knows me better than him: he knows I like danger, that I want the luxury of making mistakes, because there is gold in error. Eric has created songs that speak about me,” she explained to L’Express. More uniquely, Eric Cantona and Rachida Brakni launched their own eco-responsible cosmetics brand, Nostra (“Our” in Italian), in 2019.
Oh, and we’ll also mention that in 2012, on the occasion of the extension of tramway T3 to Porte de la Chapelle (18th), the city of Paris entrusted musician Rodolphe Burger with creating a sound piece. He then “collected” numerous voices of anonymous and famous people, including Eric and Rachida, who could be heard at the Montsouris station.
Rachida Brakni and Eric Cantona, the great love
What does Rachida love about Eric? “I love his smile and the depth of his eyes. When he looks, he really looks,” the actress confessed to Madame Figaro in 2020. “He observes a lot, is cautious, but as soon as he is confident, his face relaxes. His posture is always straight and assured. When he enters a room, he exudes real charisma.” She also admires his integrity and the sense of humor of the former Manchester United star. “He respects his word, and I adore his fancy and self-deprecation.”
Her husband is no less admiring of the love of his life: “What I love most is what cannot be seen but is expressed in her gaze. She is lively, luminous, and full of humor. With her, we never get bored.” And when asked about her faults, he joked, “she has too many qualities.”
