To prepare for his role in Splendid, Gérard Lanvin sought help from comedian Coluche. In the late 1970s, Lanvin agreed to take over the role of his friend Thierry Lhermitte in Amour, coquillages et crustacés, a play that would later be adapted into the film Les Bronzés. However, Lanvin found himself in a difficult situation, as his future stage partners were not available to rehearse with him. In a 2024 interview with AlloCiné, Lanvin explained that no one wanted to rehearse with him, so he turned to Coluche, who was a close friend and lived with him. Coluche was familiar with the show, having attended several performances, and he also performed with the group Splendid at a nearby café-theater. The two shared a daily routine that included practical tasks like "stealing nails from BHV" together. The situation was complicated by Thierry Lhermitte's decision to leave the cast. As filming for Les Bronzés, directed by Patrice Leconte, approached, Lhermitte wanted to travel to Senegal before the others. His character, a sports teacher who would become Popeye in the film, needed a consistent tan for his sun-related activities. While other actors could arrive pale, Lhermitte felt he needed to be tanned to maintain credibility. He asked Lanvin to replace him, explaining that he needed to leave for fifteen days. Lanvin agreed, but the rest of the cast was not happy about Lhermitte's early departure. Lanvin clarified that the others were upset with Lhermitte, not with him, because they had to continue performing without him. Lanvin performed the role only once, under considerable pressure. Despite his knowledge of the play and the help of Coluche, stepping into the role of a well-known cast member was challenging. He described feeling stage fright and doubt, which he called "our flotation line." However, the discomfort was short-lived. Thierry Lhermitte returned two days later, possibly concerned about how well Lanvin was performing. Lanvin suggested that Lhermitte might have felt the others were upset with him for leaving early, so he came back to ease the tension. Despite the brief and difficult experience, Lanvin maintains a positive view of his friend. He admires Lhermitte's passion for acting and his sense of fun. The few hours Lanvin spent in the role of the future Popeye left a lasting memory, though it was an exhausting experience. The three films in the Les Bronzés saga are available for purchase or rental via VOD.