Off the ice with… Ludivine Reding

The current itshow on television, Fugueuse, is broadcast to about 1.5 million viewers every week on TVA. With the season finale set to air, we caught up with Ludivine Reding, who plays the main character Fanny, to discuss her passion for hockey and the Montreal Canadiens.

Do you consider yourself to be a huge Habs fan?
Ludivine Reding: Oh yes, ever since I was little. My dad would often take me to see games at the Bell Centre, and it's how we spent time together. My mom didn't really follow hockey though.
What kind of fan are you? Anxious? Easy-going? An armchair GM?
L.R.: Well, I become an anxious fan during the playoffs. In fact, I can hardly watch playoff hockey anymore! I'm always scared that I'll have a heart-attack, that's how nervous and stressed I get.
At games though, I love the atmosphere and hearing "Go Habs Go" being chanted live. Oh, and whether it's regular season or playoffs, overtime and shootouts always get me screaming in my living room!
I'm really a huge fan.
Don't you have a mini-putt anecdote involving former Habs forward Christian Thomas?
L.R.: (laughs) Yes! I went to play mini-putt with my brother and my boyfriend. It was an indoor course, and all of a sudden my brother let out this huge fart. Let's just say it didn't smell great! Three guys were playing behind us, and not long after, we heard them complaining about the smell. I started laughing and turned around to take a look, and that's when I realized one of the three was Christian Thomas! I went over to see him and he was surprised to be recognized. So it's "thanks" to my brother that I got to meet him!
Instagram from @ludivinereding: La fois où j'ai vu @cpt92 au mini-golf et que j'ai fait ma groupie ⛳️#gohabsgo #isitoctoberyet
What's your favorite hockey-related memory?
L.R.:The famous comeback from down 5-0 against the Rangers, with the Alex Kovalev goal. I was at the Bell Centre that night and it was just incredible! I've also been to a couple of playoff games, including two against the Boston Bruins in 2014, the year when the Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference finals. I remember when P.K. Subban came out of the penalty box to score on a breakaway. It was incredible!
You've already played hockey, haven't you? How were you on the ice?
L.R.: I played five years with the Laval Rebelles, and I was a goalie. I found it nerve-wracking to have all that responsibility on my shoulders, but I think I managed the stress well. We were a good group of girls, and I loved the experience. I stopped playing once my family moved to Montreal, but I did eventually get called back as an emergency netminder. We made a deal where I didn't have to show up for every practice, but after awhile I had to make a choice because my life was getting too busy with school, voice work, and hockey.
Did you watch the Winter Olympics thinking that could have been you?
L.R.: No, I never reached that level! But I watched the games and the women's team was amazing to follow. They were inspiring.
Who is your favorite Hab?
L.R.: I've always been a big Carey Price fan. When I was younger, I used to defend him in Halak-Price debates. I remember having a conversation with my dad, and he told me that Price was going to be a very good goaltender for the team. That chat stuck with me, and he became my favorite player ever since.
You've been enjoying fame recently thanks to Fugueuse. Would you say you've finally reached the big leagues in terms of your line of work?
L.R.: Yes! I went through all the steps to get here, but this has been a hard-hitting series, and people talk to me about it all the time. We knew it was going to be popular, especially given the writers, but the fan reaction has been a pleasant surprise.
And now you're the one being recognized in the streets, like Christian Thomas?
L.R.: Yeah, but people are really nice about it! I'm happy that this series and my character were able to open certain people's eyes. A lot of people share their personal stories with me, and tell me that the series has helped them, or that they're looking for help and I refer them to the right place. It's been very touching.
You also star in Dérape, which features karting, and Tactik, which is about soccer. Would you like to one day work on a hockey-related project?
L.R.:That would for sure be cool, and I wouldn't say no, but there are so many shows about hockey -- one about Junior hockey is about to begin -- so we'll have to see what happens. For myself though, the sport doesn't matter -- I love them all. I'm the type of person who would undertake a grueling training regimine in order to play a certain sport on TV.
The LNI (National Improv League) is inspired by hockey. Did you do a lot of improv at the start of your career?
L.R.: I love watching improv, and I find it fascinating how fast the brain can work, but I never really did it myself. We had an improv team at school that I tried out for in sixth grade, but I didn't make the cut. I got so discouraged after that, that I never tried it again!