A solid TV and film star in his native Quebec, Remy Girard is just becoming a familiar face to United States audiences. "Barbarian Invasions" marks his fifth film with writer/director Denys Arcand, and in it Girard reprises his role of the history professor first introduced 17 years ago in the acclaimed "The Decline of the American Empire." In this award-winning drama, Girard is dying of cancer and reunites with his friends, ex-wife and estranged son. In town for the Chicago Film Festival, Girard-looking younger than his 50 years in his leather jacket and designer frames-laughed frequently as we chatted about his career and of his latest movie.

Well, I was not supposed to be an actor. I was studying law but not doing well. My professional career really began when " Decline" was released, which was my first leading role on film. Twenty years ago Denys Arcand caught me in a play, met me afterwards and invited me to be in his next film. I figured he was just being gentle and kind. I'll believe it when I see it. But he did give me the script for "Decline" and so my career began. I just finished my 30th movie in Quebec last week. In 17 years, that's not bad. I do two to three projects a year. I enjoy that pace. Lots of television-in Quebec, television and movies are very mixed together-same directors, crews, scripters. It's fun to see the same people all the time!

The first morning we started shooting, it was the hospital scene and it was really magic. When we finished the rehearsal, we all said that it felt like we had just completed "Decline" only a month ago. All the affections that we had for each other, all the interactions we have with each other reappeared magically-like 17 years hadn't even gone by.

Do not forget that this script was written by Arcand, who is a historian. The invasion means a stranger or something is coming from the outside; could be bad or good. Here it is the invasion of sickness, the invasion of bureaucracy in the health care system, invasion of drugs, terrorism¾death. For my character the prince of this invasion is his own son.

Yes, the Genie's like an Oscar in Canada. A huge success in Quebec, about people who play garage hockey. I am the owner of a bar and the team's manager. "Les Boys" was released the same week as "Titanic." The first week "Titanic" made $6 million, "Les Boys," $5 million. The next week "Titanic," $7 million-"Les Boys," $6 million. Finally Hollywood called Toronto and asked "What the f--- is "Les Boys?" "It's your iceberg in Quebec!" the Toronto execs replied. What a thrill! I have enjoyed making all three of those films. Good comedies, with a good impact on the audience. It brought our public back to the cinema. Before "Les Boys" they were a bit bored with our movies.