We mentioned this less than a year ago, and if you’ve watched the series, you probably agree: Guylaine Tremblay delivered an outstanding performance in Veille sur moi. She played a grandmother at odds with her daughter over custody of her young grandson, a role that showcased her talent and emotional depth.
On Thursday morning, the nominations for the 40th Annual Gémeaux Awards were announced, with Véronique Cloutier set to host the ceremony on September 14th. (Check out some reactions from the nominees here!) Veille sur moi earned a strong presence among the finalists, receiving nods in six categories—primarily technical awards like sound, costumes, makeup, and casting—and Pascale Renaud-Hébert, who served as both writer and lead actress alongside Guylaine Tremblay, is competing in both writing and acting categories.
However, Veille sur moi did not make the cut for Best Drama Series or Best Director. Additionally, Guylaine Tremblay was not nominated for her captivating portrayal of Maggie Bougie, a kindhearted yet uneducated woman.
During a meet-and-greet Thursday afternoon at Montreal’s National Holiday rehearsal, which she was hosting, Guylaine Tremblay told Hollywood PQ that she feels a bit disappointed about not being recognized by the Canadian Academy of Cinema and Television— the organization behind the Gémeaux Awards— for her work in Veille sur moi.
“I might have been spoiled a bit in the past,” she admitted, acknowledging her record of 23 Artis Awards and about ten Gémeaux trophies for various projects, including La petite vie, Unité 9, and Annie et ses hommes.
“But honestly, not being nominated stings a little,” she said plainly. “At least Pascale [Renaud-Hébert] is… That kind of hurts, because I gave everything for Maggie, everything for that character…”
With a sigh, she emphasized each overlooked colleague—actors in supporting roles, directors—elements she felt were unfairly ignored by the organization, visibly surprised by their absence.
“It really upsets me, especially for Rafael [Ouellet], the director. That’s a real bummer,” she lamented. “And there’s no Best Series category either.”
“What can you do? There’s nothing I can change about it. It doesn’t diminish the incredible experience I had working on Veille sur moi. But I would have loved for the entire series to be more recognized.”
Fortunately, her extensive experience in the industry helps her put such disappointments into perspective. Guylaine Tremblay remains busy with several projects, from the play Janette, where she is stunning as Janette Bertrand, to upcoming performances including Fallait pas dire ça! with her longtime collaborator Denis Bouchard, which will run for several more months.
After all, the Gémeaux Awards, which cast a wide net with their nominations in an effort to include as many deserving talents as possible, rarely achieve full consensus. There are always overlooked performances and disappointed nominees. Several production companies, like Aetios (Fabienne Larouche and Michel Trudeau), ALSO (Sophie Lorain and Alexis Durand-Brault), and Duo Productions (Anne Boyer and Michel D’Astous), have chosen to withdraw their shows from the process, as we explained last year.
“You can’t please everyone. There are so many outstanding performances each year! Eventually, the organizers have to make their choices… that’s just how it is. If I were a young actress, maybe I’d be pretty upset right now. But I still have my career, and look at what I’m about to do this weekend!” she said, her voice filled with pride.
She is referring to the upcoming National Holiday concert in Montreal, happening on Tuesday, June 24th, at Parc Maisonneuve, where she will be performing as host alongside icons like Robert Charlebois, Sara Dufour, Loud, Elisabeth St-Gelais, Matt Lang, Yama Laurent, Yann Perreau, Bon Enfant, and Antoine Bertrand.
At the time of our conversation, the story of a missing girl from LaSalle— which had captivated the entire province in recent days— had been resolved, as she was found 24 hours earlier. (Because of the Quebec Police instructions, sharing her name or photo is now forbidden.) The case’s dark events eerily echoed the plot of Veille sur moi, in which Maggie (played by Tremblay) fought in court to gain custody of her grandson, knowing he was unsafe with his drug-addicted mother.
“Thankfully, it ended well,” Tremblay commented about the recent tragedy that shook the community. “The little girl is alive. I believe all of Quebec felt a collective relief. We wish her and her family brighter days ahead.”
“But I also think about her mother. She’s not doing well. There’s a tremendous amount of pain in her. It’s not often talked about, but she’s in despair. She’s lost and hopeless,” she added gently.
In this way, Veille sur moi arrived at a poignant moment— during a somber time when stories of domestic violence and child abuse regularly make headlines. The series’ relevance instinctively resonated with viewers.
“That’s why I wish the series could have been nominated for a Gémeaux,” she said softly. “Just for that. Whether we win or not doesn’t really matter…”
The Grand Celebration for Quebec’s National Holiday, themed And if we talked about love…, begins at 8 p.m. on June 24th at Parc Maisonneuve. It will be broadcast on ICI TÉLÉ and TVA starting at 8:30 p.m., and the event will be simulcast on 96.9 CKOI, as well as on the Rythme and CIME radio stations.
Last year, a film featuring Guylaine Tremblay didn’t receive the recognition it deserved at the awards— an episode we previously discussed.
