Muriel Robin continues to enjoy remarkable success after decades in the entertainment industry. Her career began in the 1980s with comedy shows, sketches, and roles in television, theater, and film, achievements that ultimately earned her an international Emmy Award.
At 70 years old, the French actress and comedian shows no signs of slowing down. Recently appearing in Master Crimes on TF1, Robin recently opened up about deeply personal experiences in Les Rencontres du Papotin, which aired on February 21 on France 2. During the interview, she reflected on her difficult relationship with her mother and the harsh words exchanged between them.
Muriel Robin on Les Rencontres du Papotin
Robin has made a conscious decision to address sensitive topics in her life openly. She’s used her platform to discuss women struggling with alcoholism, and revealed she herself has faced challenges with alcohol. She has similarly repeatedly spoken about her complex relationship with her mother, explaining that her childhood was often difficult, lacking displays of affection or loving words.
Now, she’s gained perspective on the situation. When questioned about it during Les Rencontres du Papotin, she explained: “S’ils ne le disaient pas, c’est qu’ils étaient dans une famille où on ne l’avait pas dit.” (If they didn’t say it, it’s because they were in a family where it wasn’t said.) While this emotional absence left lasting scars, she “appris” (learned) to say “je t’aime” (I love you): “Maintenant je sais le dire et on me le dit donc tout va bien.” (Now I know how to say it and it’s said to me, so everything is fine.)
Muriel Robin: A Dark Thought About Her Mother
The mother-daughter relationship has been of particular interest to journalists at Papotin, who were aware of its long history of conflict. One journalist directly asked her, “Est-ce que vous avez déjà fantasmé de tuer votre mère?” (Have you ever fantasized about killing your mother?) Robin responded with startling honesty: “Oui, une fois. Je lui ai même dit… c’est affreux… je lui ai dit ‘je vais venir pour te tuer’, et je lui ai dit ‘je prendrai le cendrier qui est sur la table du salon et je te tuerai de dos’.” (Yes, once. I even told her… it’s awful… I told her ‘I’m going to reach to kill you,’ and I told her ‘I’ll take the ashtray that’s on the living room table and I’ll kill you from behind.’) These were chilling words, but the actress insists she never acted on them. She explained: “Je n’en suis pas très fière, mais j’étais très malheureuse et très en colère et ce n’est pas bien.” (I’m not very proud of it, but I was very unhappy and very angry and that’s not fine.)
Despite their complex relationship, Muriel Robin reconnected with her mother later in life, when she had already achieved career success, and remained by her side until her death in 2003. Her mother was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
