"It's indescribable, it's like a dream. I had the best evening of my life and I was never happier than on this red carpet," he told AFP, the day after climbing the mythical steps of the Palais des Festivals.

In "Indiana Jones: The Dial of Destiny", he plays Teddy, a pickpocket who forms a shock trio with Professor Jones (Harrison Ford) and the archaeologist's goddaughter, Helena Shaw, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge ("Fleabag").

French actor Ethann Isidore (2nd r) hugs American actor Harrison Ford (2g), surrounded by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (r) and British actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge (l), after the screening of the film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", on May 18, 2023 at the 76th Cannes © Film Festival LOIC VENANCE / AFP

How did he end up at 14 years old in the cast of this blockbuster, which will be released at the end of June in theaters, while he had so far only turned in series and short films?

"I was coming home from school and my mom told me that I had received a call from the casting director asking me to go to a casting for a big adventure saga. At the time, I was very happy but, leaving the room, I see in the waiting room about fifteen children and I say to myself: it's dead, I'm not going to be caught, it stops there for me, "recalls Ethann.

A few days later, he went to London for a meeting with director James Mangold: "We went there and we were called back telling us that I was taken and that I was going to play in +Indiana Jones 5+ and, there, it was crazy, we cried".

French actor Ethann Isidore during the photocall of the film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", on May 19, 2023 at the 76th Cannes © Film Festival LOIC VENANCE / AFP

Born in 2007, he was only one year old when the fourth installment of the saga was released. This does not prevent "Indy" from being counted among his childhood heroes.

Cool head

"He's a character I grew up with so I don't have this feeling that it's old-fashioned. It's a timeless saga like +Back to the Future+, +Star Wars+. When I was taken, I had the impression of taking in my arms my child self, "says the young actor with Mauritian, Brazilian and French origins, who cites "The Last Crusade" as his favorite part.

"His" episode, he discovered it Thursday night during the Cannes screening, while the film was shot several years ago but delayed, with the health crisis.

French actor Ethann Isidore during the photocall of the film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", on May 19, 2023 at the 76th Cannes © Film Festival LOIC VENANCE / AFP

However, the glitter will quickly fade for the second-grader, who started theater at the age of 6.

"I'm in a high school where there's a film specialty so it's cool. It's a bit weird to be at the Cannes Film Festival and to know that I'm going back to class on Monday, as if nothing had happened," he jokes.

In any case, not all of his comrades were warned.

"I didn't tell that many people, only my close friends. At first, they found it hard to believe me and they were very happy for me. The rest of my high school classmates don't really know. I don't know if it's going to change when I come back from Cannes, I admit that I'm a little apprehensive, we'll see how it goes," he said.

Like many young people of his generation, he shares experiences on Instagram but he smiles, pointing out that his number of followers has "not increased that much".

Enough to keep a cool head?

"I'm surrounded by a family that hates pretentious people and will always be there to remind me that I don't know how to peel an apple without cutting my finger," Isidore said.

French actor Ethann Isidore, who stars in the film "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," during a photo shoot on May 19, 2023 at the 76th Cannes © Film Festival LOIC VENANCE / AFP

"I know that showbiz is not the real world and that we have to go back to reality by going to class on Mondays for example...", he concludes.

© 2023 AFP