Gilles Marini is treading the boards for the first time ever in Melissa James Gibson’s drama This, at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre. But then he’s accustomed to tackling new experiences.

Gilles Marini

More than a pretty face, he’s a bona fide renaissance man.  His first career was culinary. Born in Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France, Marini spent his childhood and adolescence working in his father’s bakery. After graduating high school, he joined the French army and was stationed in Paris, where he served as a fireman for the famous Paris Fire Brigade. During his service in Paris, he was introduced to the famous photographer Fred Goudon, who opened his eyes to the world of modeling.

Once released from the military, Marini came to the US, where he learned English and began working as a model. In 2008, Marini received international “exposure” for his role as Samantha’s perpetually nude neighbor Dante in the first Sex and the City movie.

Marini also has multiple television roles under his belt, most notably the recurring role of Luc Laurent in the popular ABC drama Brothers & Sisters. An athlete as well as a performer, Marini played soccer for the Hollywood United Football Club, and he took second place in the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars.

His newest endeavor This is a drama about the lives of five forty-something friends. “I’m playing the character of Jean-Pierre, who is a doctor without borders. His character is very different culturally than what we know here. He sees the world in a very different light, and it’s a bit of a culture shock between my character and the other characters, which brings a lot of tension and misunderstandings between him and the others.”

Saffron Burrows and Gilles Marini

For Marini, the opportunity to step into a new project and venture into a new form of acting couldn’t have come at a better time. “We were actually waiting to hear if Brothers & Sisters would get picked up when I met the [This] director Daniel [Aukin]. We talked about the character and he thought that I would really be great in the part. The next thing you know, Brothers & Sisters didn’t come back, so I had a little bit of time ahead of me to do something that is extremely challenging for me.

“I’ve never done a play before in my life. This is my first time ever. I’m not from the theater world, or even the movie world for that matter. I’ve only come to work in this industry fairly recently. I started a couple of years ago. In that time I’ve done quite a few things, but this is still all very new to me. It feels like I’m only 22 years old when it comes being an actor. I’ve always thought that one of the most difficult things for me would be being in front of a live audience. It’s the most difficult form of acting, I think. This is something that I really wanted to explore, to see if I have the guts and the courage and the talent to do it. It’s extremely scary for me right now! I’m shivering. But you know, that’s why we do acting. An actor should never be feeling too comfortable, whether it’s in a TV show or film. We’ve decided to live this extraordinary life where everything and every day is different.”

When asked what the greatest challenge has been for his transition from acting on film to the stage, Marini says the answer is very simple — there’s no room for mistakes. “There’s no safety net with a live play. You cannot mess up. There is no ‘Cut! Let’s do it again’. You have to be ready, you have to be aware of everything and the feeling has to be there. Every aspect of the moment has to be there in theater. There is no over-the-shoulder shot to catch someone’s reaction, there is no coverage. Every aspect of your performance has to be felt to the core, both for yourself as well as the audience.”

The high-brow theater crowd may cast a weary eye at his Dancing with the Stars fame, but Marini is adamant that it was this experience that not only helped prepare him, but also led him to explore the world of live theater. “I’m sure the theater people will think I’m silly for saying this, but Dancing with the Stars was the closest thing that I’ve done to something like This. That’s been my best preparation for performing in front of a live audience. That was extremely difficult. Granted, I didn’t have to talk, but I did have to perform a different character every week by learning a different dance. But it was exhilarating.

Gilles Marini, Darren Pettie, Glenn Fitzgerald, Eisa Davis and Saffron Burrows

“The first time I went on, I was ready to faint, but after that, I was extremely eager for it to be Monday night and perform in front of the live audience because the love I could feel from them was incredible. It’s palpable. I felt like their soul and their aura was touching me. It was very weird, and I felt so alive every Monday night. And I know that’s going to happen here, even if it’s a smaller audience. This is going to be at a different level. I’m not going to be myself. I’m going to be using someone else’s words and submerged in someone’s skin. I’m very eager to see and feel what we all experience from this performance.”

From Marini’s description, the experience Gibson’s play has to offer is quite the roller coaster. “The play is very unpredictable. Just when you think it’s funny, it becomes important and dark and when you think it’s going to be dark, it’s actually very funny. This play will really shake your mind. I want the audience to know that it’s going to take them two days to completely comprehend what just happened. When I was reading the script, after the fourth time, I still didn’t fully understand it because it wasn’t live. It has to be seen live. It’s such a spider web of emotions and feelings.  You’re always on the edge of your seat. It’s a very intelligent, very smart play, and I’m very honored to be a part of this wonderful cast.”

The cast—a venerable ensemble of film, television, and stage veterans including Saffron Burrows, Eisa Davis, Glenn Fitzgerald, and Darren Pettie—has been a constant source of inspiration for Marini. “I am the newbie in this cast. I am the one who has never had any experience with live theater. So at first I was very shy and humbled to be with them. They’re all such pros at this.

“We had to memorize 120 pages in only a few days, which for me was very intimidating. Also, my character is a bit quieter than the others, but as you know if you’ve watched theater, having a smaller amount of things to say is often times a lot harder than having a lot to say, because your dynamic has to match everybody in terms of intensity and you can never miss your cue, because if you do, the tension and the moment will collapse like a deck of cards. For this part I have to be alert and my awareness has to be very high, which again is very new for me. Everyday I’m looking at these four actors that I’m working with as an example for myself, and I’m just trying to learn as much from them as I can with the time we have together.”

For a man who brings such a breadth of skills and experience to the table, he has nothing but positive things to say about the oft-criticized Hollywood scene. “It took me about two years to understand the concept of L.A. You know, learning to be patient and spending four hours sitting in traffic was hard for me. Aside from that, I can never say anything bad about Hollywood, because they’ve been so accepting of me, despite the fact that I’m an actor whose first language was not English. There aren’t many actors who have broken that mold and have these opportunities. I truly feel like I’m living the American dream right now and I need to push myself and show the world that I’m here to stay in this industry.”

Gilles Marini

At first glance, one would think it would be so easy for Gilles Marini to remain idle and coast by on his European sex appeal and undeniable good looks. But Marini is determined to challenge himself and his audience in the process.

“Sometimes it’s hard for people to see past the physicality. I’m a foreigner and I’m exotic to some people. People tell me that I’m handsome and I tell them ‘No, I’m not. I’ve never been thought of that way in my life before.’ Things like this play will help for audiences to see more of my personality. I’m trying really hard to allow people to see every aspect and to understand that this is what I do for a living — I’m a professional pretender. You need to earn the respect of the industry and pay your dues and I’m working really hard to do that. I’m always going back to the grindstone.”

**Production photography by Craig Schwartz

This, Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City. In previews through August 6. Opens August 7 and continues through August 28.  Tues, Wed, Fri, 8 p.m.; Sat at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sun at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Added 8 p.m. performance on Monday, August 22. Tickets are available  at 213-628-2772, www.CenterTheatreGroup.org, or in person at the Center Theatre Group box office at the Ahmanson Theatre or two hours prior to performances at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.