Diksha Sundriyal
The fourth season of Netflix’s ‘Lupin’ adds another adventure to the story of Assane Diop. Following the events of Season 3, he decides to hang up his boots and retire, no longer wishing to plan any more heists. The idea is to come out of prison a free man and spend more time with his family, particularly his son, Raoul. Four years have passed, and a lot has changed for Assane’s loved ones. His son is no exception, and the show gives the character a transformation with the introduction of a new actor to the role. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Raoul’s Recasting Reflects the Significant Change in His Journey
In the first three seasons of ‘Lupin,’ Etan Simon plays Assane Diop’s son, Raoul. The fourth season recasts the role with an older actor, Théo Christine. One of the major reasons behind this decision was to reflect the passage of time between the two seasons. Four years have passed since Season 3, which means that when Assane comes out of prison, his son, who was still a teenager the last time, has entered adulthood. Notably, Simon is also currently 20, the same age as the character, but the show’s creators chose to go with Christine, who is a decade older.
Omar Sy, who plays Assane while also taking charge behind the scenes as co-showrunner for Season 4, explained that the recasting was important for Raoul’s arc. While the character may have been around since Season 1, he has primarily remained on the sidelines. The focus has always been on Assane’s increasingly audacious heists, and his family problems have remained in the background. The fourth season changes that by making the Diop family dynamic a crucial element in shaping the course of the story. Raoul is not a kid anymore, and his father’s actions and choices now reverberate more strongly on him.
With the fourth season, the creators of the show intended to explore more of Assane and Raoul’s father-son dynamic. They wanted to delve deeper into the implications of Assane’s past on his son’s life and their relationship. Sy also revealed that they wanted to present Raoul as a grown-up who is also prone to making bad decisions and has to face the consequences of his actions. To present that evolution and complexity on the screen, they needed a different actor, one who would not still be seen as a kid. The audience needed to see Raoul in a different light, highlighting the significant changes he has undergone over the past four years.
As the season progresses, the reason behind the recasting becomes clearer. All this time, Assane has failed as a father, and finally, he thinks he has the chance to be one. However, the arrival of a copycat kickstarts a series of events that push him back into that life. Still, he tells himself this is the last job and that he will give Raoul his undivided attention once this heist is done. However, he doesn’t realize his son isn’t the same kid anymore. Raoul can no longer be appeased with promises of the future. Dropped plans and broken promises now have serious implications. Ironically, the recasting represents the change that Raoul has experienced, while his father continues to see him as the child he left behind, not as the adult that he has grown into.
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