Jet Lagged Jean

The almost superhumanly cool Jean Reno suffered an embarrassing instant of life imitating art this weekend when he fell victim to a strike by the notoriously stroppy Air France and became stranded in a Paris Airport en route to the Toronto Film Festival. A not particularly interesting or unusual instance of Gallic union action, you may think. But no, Reno was due in Toronto for the premie of his new film, romantic comedy Jet Lag in which – yep, you’ve guessed it – two people meet when stranded at the same Paris airport after a strike cripples Air France. With his co-star Juliette Binoche flying out on the last flight to Toronto, it’s also particularly fitting that it is Reno who is stranded as it is his character in the movie that takes delight in hurling abuse at France for its incessant cycle of strikes. Whilst frantically attempting to find an alternative airline to whisk Reno into town for the red-carpet walk to the gala, the film’s publicist wearily commented, "And no, we didn't arrange this as a savvy way to get some cheap press for Jet Lag."