diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c46d73c..56d695a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -306,6 +306,11 @@ Then put it behind your existing reverse proxy like everything else
       album page's row grid) and its missing album art (a track almost
       never has its own image — now falls back to its album's) — see
       docs/architecture.md
+- [x] Reworked the video player's bottom bar (episode/request actions/
+      fullscreen, one bar instead of three floating pieces) and added a
+      real fullscreen toggle — fullscreen now targets the whole player,
+      not just the `<video>`, so the request buttons stay visible — see
+      docs/architecture.md
 - [ ] Try a full party end-to-end with two real accounts (still the main gap)
 - [ ] Try casting to a real Chromecast (only the SDK's own bootstrap is
       confirmed here — no real device/session)
diff --git a/client/src/views/player/Player.css b/client/src/views/player/Player.css
index 41ff7e1..746edf1 100644
--- a/client/src/views/player/Player.css
+++ b/client/src/views/player/Player.css
@@ -141,33 +141,20 @@
 
 .playerError p { color: var(--danger); font-size: 14px; margin: 0 0 10px; }
 
-/* One column, bottom-anchored, gap between whichever children are
-   actually visible - same "stack in normal flow instead of guessing a
-   fixed pixel offset per absolutely-positioned block" fix .topOverlay's
-   own actionBar+presenceOverlay grouping already needed (see its own
-   comment, and docs/architecture.md for the exact bug this avoided: a
-   <p>'s default margin silently throwing off a hand-picked bottom offset
-   on the element above it - not repeatable once nothing is positioned
-   independently any more). Centered on purpose - this is exactly where
-   a native <track> subtitle renders too, but both children here are
-   passive text (a transient banner, a static notice), not something a
-   viewer needs to click through subtitle text to reach - unlike
-   .requestToolbar below, which used to live in this same column and
-   was moved out for exactly that reason. */
-.bottomOverlay {
+/* Transient toast (see showRequestBanner in Player.ts) - positioned
+   independently near the top so it never fights the persistent
+   .bottomBar below for space, and reads as a pop-in/fade-out
+   notification rather than a fourth thing bolted onto a fixed layout.
+   Centered under .topOverlay's usual (single-line) height - see
+   Player.html's own comment. */
+.requestBanner {
   position: absolute;
-  bottom: 20px;
+  top: 64px;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translateX(-50%);
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 10px;
-  z-index: 6;
+  z-index: 7;
   max-width: calc(100% - 32px);
-}
-
-.requestBanner {
+  text-align: center;
   background: rgba(0, 0, 0, .75);
   color: white;
   padding: 8px 16px;
@@ -175,50 +162,124 @@
   font-size: 13px;
 }
 
-.followerNotice {
-  margin: 0;
-  background: rgba(0,0,0,.6);
-  padding: 8px 16px;
-  border-radius: 20px;
-  font-size: 13px;
-  color: var(--muted);
-}
-
-/* The non-host's way to ask the host for something - see
-   Player.ts's requestPauseBtn/requestResumeBtn. Pill buttons matching
-   the banner/notice's own dark-overlay look above, not the plain-text
-   .linklike used in the (opaque) top action bar - this sits directly on
-   top of the video image, same as .bottomOverlay.
-   Its own bottom-RIGHT corner, independently of .bottomOverlay -
-   deliberately not centered-bottom any more (see .bottomOverlay's own
-   comment): that's also where a native <track> subtitle renders, and
-   these are real buttons someone needs to read and click, not passive
-   text a subtitle could just as easily sit behind. Stacked as a column
-   (not a row, unlike the old centered layout) so two pill buttons next
-   to each other never has to fight a narrow phone screen for width -
-   each just takes however much it needs, right-aligned under the other. */
-.requestToolbar {
+/* Replaces what used to be three separate floating pieces (a centered
+   banner/notice column, a request toolbar cornered bottom-right, an
+   "Épisode suivant" link in the top bar) with one persistent bar - see
+   Player.html's own comment on why staying inside .playerWrap (not a
+   sibling positioned relative to it) also matters for plein écran. */
+.bottomBar {
   position: absolute;
-  right: 16px;
-  bottom: 20px;
+  left: 10px;
+  right: 10px;
+  bottom: 10px;
   z-index: 6;
   display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  align-items: flex-end;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 10px;
+  background: rgba(10, 8, 11, .8);
+  border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, .08);
+  border-radius: 12px;
+  padding: 8px 10px;
+}
+
+.bottomBarZone { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; }
+.bottomBarZone.left { flex-shrink: 0; }
+.bottomBarZone.center { flex: 1; justify-content: center; min-width: 0; }
+.bottomBarZone.right { flex-shrink: 0; }
+
+/* Center zone: never more than one message at a time (see
+   updateAmbientNotice in Player.ts) - "L'hôte contrôle la lecture" for
+   a follower, or "Diffusion en cours sur le Chromecast" while casting
+   (that one takes priority - the more useful thing to know in the
+   moment), empty for a host who isn't casting. */
+.ambientNotice {
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: 12px;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+}
+
+/* Nested in .bottomBarZone.left now, not its own cornered overlay - see
+   Player.html. Never shown alongside #nextBtn below - that same zone
+   shows exactly one of the two (host vs follower), never both. */
+.requestToolbar {
+  display: flex;
   gap: 8px;
-  max-width: calc(50% - 16px);
 }
 
 .requestBtn {
-  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, .6);
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 6px;
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, .1);
   color: white;
-  padding: 8px 14px;
+  padding: 7px 12px;
   border-radius: 20px;
-  font-size: 12.5px;
-  white-space: nowrap; /* keeps the pill shape even in .requestToolbar's own narrow corner on a phone-width screen */
+  font-size: 12px;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  white-space: nowrap;
 }
 
-.requestBtn:hover { background: rgba(0, 0, 0, .8); }
+.requestBtn:hover { background: rgba(255, 255, 255, .18); }
+.requestBtn svg { flex-shrink: 0; }
+
+/* Host-only, sharing the request buttons' left zone (see .requestToolbar
+   above) - a real pill button now instead of the old plain underlined
+   top-bar link. Accent green, not the neutral grey .requestBtn uses -
+   this is a direct, primary action, not a muted ask. */
+.nextBtn {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 7px;
+  background: var(--accent);
+  color: white;
+  padding: 7px 14px;
+  border-radius: 20px;
+  font-size: 12px;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+
+.nextBtn:hover { background: var(--accent-bright); }
+.nextBtn svg { flex-shrink: 0; }
+
+.fsBtn {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  width: 30px;
+  height: 30px;
+  padding: 0; /* base.css's own `button` rule defaults to 12px 16px - wider than this button's declared box, and a flex item's default min-width:auto would otherwise let that padding grow it past 30px */
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, .1);
+  color: white;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+.fsBtn:hover { background: rgba(255, 255, 255, .18); }
+
+/* Replaces the video content while casting - the local <video> is
+   paused/torn down (see Player.ts's startCasting/cast.ts), so leaving
+   its last frame frozen with no explanation would just look stuck. */
+.castingScreen {
+  position: absolute;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: 10px;
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, .4);
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+.castingScreen strong {
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, .85);
+  font-size: 14px;
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
 
 /* Shown to EVERY member (including the host and the requester themselves)
    on the matching person's circle while their pause/resume request is
diff --git a/client/src/views/player/Player.html b/client/src/views/player/Player.html
index 3439352..585843d 100644
--- a/client/src/views/player/Player.html
+++ b/client/src/views/player/Player.html
@@ -1,6 +1,20 @@
 <div class="playerWrap">
   <video id="video" playsinline></video>
 
+  <!-- Replaces the video content while casting - the local <video> is
+       paused/torn down (see Player.ts's startCasting/cast.ts), so
+       leaving its last frame frozen with no explanation would just look
+       stuck. See docs/architecture.md's "Casting to a Chromecast". -->
+  <div id="castingScreen" class="castingScreen hide">
+    <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="40" height="40" aria-hidden="true">
+      <rect x="1" y="4" width="22" height="16" rx="2" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.6"></rect>
+      <path d="M4 15a5 5 0 0 1 5 5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.6" stroke-linecap="round"></path>
+      <path d="M4 11a9 9 0 0 1 9 9" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.6" stroke-linecap="round"></path>
+      <circle cx="4" cy="20" r="1.3" fill="currentColor"></circle>
+    </svg>
+    <strong>Diffusion sur le Chromecast</strong>
+  </div>
+
   <p id="loadingNotice" class="loadingNotice"><span class="spinner"></span>Chargement du flux...</p>
   <div id="playerError" class="playerError hide">
     <p id="playerErrorText"></p>
@@ -11,7 +25,6 @@
     <div class="actionBar">
       <span id="itemTitle" class="itemTitle"></span>
       <span id="members" class="members"></span>
-      <button id="nextBtn" class="linklike hide">Épisode suivant &rarr;</button>
 
       <button id="castBtn" class="iconBtn hide" title="Caster sur un Chromecast" aria-label="Caster sur un Chromecast" aria-pressed="false">
         <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="16" height="16" aria-hidden="true">
@@ -38,24 +51,57 @@
     <div id="presenceOverlay" class="presenceOverlay"></div>
   </div>
 
-  <!-- Stacked as one column (same reasoning as .topOverlay's own
-       actionBar+presenceOverlay grouping - see Player.css) so the
-       transient banner and the passive notice always sit in the right
-       order relative to each other regardless of which is visible at a
-       given moment, instead of each guessing a fixed pixel offset from
-       the bottom edge. The request toolbar (the actual buttons) used to
-       live here too, third in this same column - moved out to its own
-       bottom-right corner instead (see .requestToolbar in Player.css):
-       centered-bottom is also where a native <track> subtitle renders,
-       and the buttons sat right on top of it. -->
-  <div class="bottomOverlay">
-    <div id="requestBanner" class="requestBanner hide"></div>
-    <p id="followerNotice" class="followerNotice hide">L'hôte contrôle la lecture.</p>
-    <p id="castingNotice" class="followerNotice hide">Diffusion en cours sur le Chromecast.</p>
-  </div>
+  <!-- Transient toast (see showRequestBanner in Player.ts) - positioned
+       independently of the bottom bar below, near the top, so it never
+       fights that persistent bar for space and reads as a pop-in/fade-out
+       notification rather than a fourth thing bolted onto a fixed layout. -->
+  <div id="requestBanner" class="requestBanner hide"></div>
 
-  <div id="requestToolbar" class="requestToolbar hide">
-    <button id="requestPauseBtn" class="requestBtn">Demander une pause</button>
-    <button id="requestResumeBtn" class="requestBtn">Demander une reprise</button>
+  <!-- One bar, bottom-anchored, replacing what used to be three separate
+       floating pieces (a centered banner/notice column, a request
+       toolbar cornered bottom-right, an "Épisode suivant" link up in the
+       top bar) - see Player.css. The left zone shows exactly one of
+       #nextBtn/#requestToolbar - host or follower, never both, since
+       only the host ever has a queued item to advance and only a
+       follower ever has someone else's playback to request against.
+       Center is a single ambient status line (see updateAmbientNotice in
+       Player.ts - never more than one message at a time). Right is the
+       fullscreen toggle, for everyone. Staying INSIDE .playerWrap - not
+       a sibling positioned relative to it - is what keeps all of this
+       visible and clickable once plein écran targets the whole wrap
+       instead of just the <video> (see Player.ts's fullscreen handling
+       and docs/architecture.md). -->
+  <div id="bottomBar" class="bottomBar">
+    <div class="bottomBarZone left">
+      <button id="nextBtn" class="nextBtn hide">
+        <svg width="12" height="10" viewBox="0 0 14 10" aria-hidden="true">
+          <path d="M1 1 L6 5 L1 9 Z" fill="#fff"></path>
+          <path d="M7 1 L12 5 L7 9 Z" fill="#fff"></path>
+          <rect x="12.4" y="0.5" width="1.6" height="9" fill="#fff"></rect>
+        </svg>
+        Épisode suivant
+      </button>
+      <div id="requestToolbar" class="requestToolbar hide">
+        <button id="requestPauseBtn" class="requestBtn">
+          <svg width="9" height="9" viewBox="0 0 10 10" aria-hidden="true">
+            <rect x="1.5" y="1" width="2.4" height="8" fill="#fff"></rect>
+            <rect x="6.1" y="1" width="2.4" height="8" fill="#fff"></rect>
+          </svg>
+          Demander pause
+        </button>
+        <button id="requestResumeBtn" class="requestBtn">
+          <svg width="9" height="9" viewBox="0 0 10 10" aria-hidden="true">
+            <path d="M1.5 1 L8.5 5 L1.5 9 Z" fill="#fff"></path>
+          </svg>
+          Demander reprise
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+    <div class="bottomBarZone center">
+      <span id="ambientNotice" class="ambientNotice hide"></span>
+    </div>
+    <div class="bottomBarZone right">
+      <button id="fullscreenBtn" class="fsBtn" title="Plein écran" aria-label="Plein écran"></button>
+    </div>
   </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/client/src/views/player/Player.ts b/client/src/views/player/Player.ts
index 0223001..dc9300d 100644
--- a/client/src/views/player/Player.ts
+++ b/client/src/views/player/Player.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,20 @@ const PAUSE_ICON_SVG = `
     <rect x="6.1" y="1" width="2.4" height="8" fill="#fff"></rect>
   </svg>`;
 
+// #fullscreenBtn's icon, swapped in place (updateFullscreenBtn) rather
+// than kept as two separate elements - same "one small SVG string
+// constant" pattern as PAUSE_ICON_SVG above, just two of them since this
+// one's shape genuinely changes (outward vs inward corners), not just a
+// class toggle.
+const ENTER_FULLSCREEN_SVG = `
+  <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="16" height="16" aria-hidden="true">
+    <path d="M4 9V4h5M20 9V4h-5M4 15v5h5M20 15v5h-5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path>
+  </svg>`;
+const EXIT_FULLSCREEN_SVG = `
+  <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="16" height="16" aria-hidden="true">
+    <path d="M9 4v5H4M15 4v5h5M9 20v-5H4M15 20v-5h5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path>
+  </svg>`;
+
 /**
  * Route `/party/:id` - dispatches on the party's mediaType, fetched here
  * once. A video party still gets the full-page theater-mode takeover
@@ -128,7 +142,9 @@ export function renderPartyPlayer(root: HTMLElement, params: RouteParams): Clean
 function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPublicState): CleanupFn {
   root.innerHTML = html;
 
+  const playerWrap = root.querySelector('.playerWrap') as HTMLElement;
   const video = root.querySelector('#video') as HTMLVideoElement;
+  const castingScreen = root.querySelector('#castingScreen')!;
   const loadingNotice = root.querySelector('#loadingNotice')!;
   const errorBox = root.querySelector('#playerError')!;
   const errorText = root.querySelector('#playerErrorText')!;
@@ -137,7 +153,7 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
   const presenceOverlay = root.querySelector('#presenceOverlay')!;
   const requestBanner = root.querySelector('#requestBanner')!;
   const nextBtn = root.querySelector('#nextBtn') as HTMLButtonElement;
-  const followerNotice = root.querySelector('#followerNotice')!;
+  const ambientNotice = root.querySelector('#ambientNotice')!;
   const requestToolbar = root.querySelector('#requestToolbar')!;
   const requestPauseBtn = root.querySelector('#requestPauseBtn') as HTMLButtonElement;
   const requestResumeBtn = root.querySelector('#requestResumeBtn') as HTMLButtonElement;
@@ -149,7 +165,7 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
   const qualitySelect = root.querySelector('#qualitySelect') as HTMLSelectElement;
   const burnInHint = root.querySelector('#burnInHint')!;
   const castBtn = root.querySelector('#castBtn') as HTMLButtonElement;
-  const castingNotice = root.querySelector('#castingNotice')!;
+  const fullscreenBtn = root.querySelector('#fullscreenBtn') as HTMLButtonElement;
 
   qualitySelect.innerHTML = QUALITY_PRESETS.map((q) => `<option value="${q.value}">${q.label}</option>`).join('');
 
@@ -220,12 +236,34 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
     if (!isCasting) return;
     isCasting = false;
     castBtn.setAttribute('aria-pressed', 'false');
-    castingNotice.classList.add('hide');
+    castingScreen.classList.add('hide');
     activeDriver = localDriver(video);
+    updateAmbientNotice();
     stopCast();
     revokeCastToken(partyId).catch(() => {});
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The bottom bar's center zone (see Player.html/Player.css) - never
+   * more than one message at a time. Casting takes priority over "L'hôte
+   * contrôle la lecture": it's the more useful thing to know in the
+   * moment (it explains why the local video area looks different), and
+   * showing both at once would just be two lines fighting a one-line
+   * slot. Called whenever either input changes - becomeHost, startCasting/
+   * stopCasting, and once at init.
+   */
+  function updateAmbientNotice() {
+    if (isCasting) {
+      ambientNotice.textContent = 'Diffusion en cours sur le Chromecast';
+      ambientNotice.classList.remove('hide');
+    } else if (!isHost) {
+      ambientNotice.textContent = "L'hôte contrôle la lecture";
+      ambientNotice.classList.remove('hide');
+    } else {
+      ambientNotice.classList.add('hide');
+    }
+  }
+
   // Used by both the cast button's own "stop casting" click and a session
   // ending on its own (the receiver's remote, the TV losing power) -
   // captures wherever the TV left off before tearing the cast driver
@@ -261,7 +299,8 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
       activeDriver = driver;
       isCasting = true;
       castBtn.setAttribute('aria-pressed', 'true');
-      castingNotice.classList.remove('hide');
+      castingScreen.classList.remove('hide');
+      updateAmbientNotice();
       sendLocalState();
     } catch (err) {
       // The user cancelling the device picker rejects requestSession() the
@@ -322,9 +361,9 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
     isHost = true;
     video.controls = true;
     settingsWrap.classList.remove('hide');
-    followerNotice.classList.add('hide');
     requestToolbar.classList.add('hide'); // the host acts directly - no requests to make once promoted mid-session
     nextBtn.classList.toggle('hide', !hasNextQueued);
+    updateAmbientNotice();
 
     video.addEventListener('play', sendLocalState);
     video.addEventListener('pause', sendLocalState);
@@ -598,6 +637,44 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
     else startCasting();
   });
 
+  function updateFullscreenBtn() {
+    const isFullscreen = document.fullscreenElement === playerWrap;
+    fullscreenBtn.innerHTML = isFullscreen ? EXIT_FULLSCREEN_SVG : ENTER_FULLSCREEN_SVG;
+    fullscreenBtn.title = isFullscreen ? 'Quitter le plein écran' : 'Plein écran';
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Fullscreen always targets .playerWrap - the whole player, video AND
+   * overlay chrome - never the bare <video>. Native per-video fullscreen
+   * (the browser's own double-click gesture on the video, or the host's
+   * own native <video controls> fullscreen button - see becomeHost) only
+   * ever shows that element's own subtree: every sibling overlay (the
+   * top bar, presence, and critically the request toolbar) would vanish,
+   * leaving a follower with no way to ask the host for anything. This
+   * listener fires on ANY fullscreen change, not just ones #fullscreenBtn
+   * itself caused - if that's what just happened (fullscreenElement is
+   * the bare <video>, not .playerWrap), it immediately corrects course:
+   * exit, then re-enter on the wrap instead. See docs/architecture.md's
+   * "Lecteur vidéo" section for the full reasoning.
+   */
+  function onFullscreenChange() {
+    if (document.fullscreenElement === video) {
+      document.exitFullscreen().then(() => playerWrap.requestFullscreen()).catch(() => {});
+      return;
+    }
+    updateFullscreenBtn();
+  }
+  document.addEventListener('fullscreenchange', onFullscreenChange);
+
+  fullscreenBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    if (document.fullscreenElement) {
+      document.exitFullscreen().catch(() => {});
+    } else {
+      playerWrap.requestFullscreen().catch(() => {});
+    }
+  });
+  updateFullscreenBtn();
+
   async function onItemChanged(msg: ItemChangedMsg) {
     itemTitleEl.textContent = msg.itemName || '';
     hasNextQueued = !!msg.hasNext;
@@ -741,14 +818,13 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
     showRequestBanner(msg.userId, msg.userName, 'une reprise');
   }
 
-  // The toolbar itself - see .requestToolbar in Player.css for why this
-  // replaced the old "click your own avatar" affordance, and for why it
-  // sits in its own bottom-right corner rather than centered-bottom like
-  // .bottomOverlay next to it (that's also where a native <track>
-  // subtitle renders). Each button has its own client-side cooldown
-  // (mirroring the server's own independent per-request throttle in
-  // SocketGateway) purely so a rapid double-click doesn't even bother
-  // emitting the second request.
+  // The toolbar itself - see .requestToolbar in Player.css/Player.html
+  // for why this replaced the old "click your own avatar" affordance,
+  // and for why it now lives in the bottom bar's left zone instead of
+  // its own cornered overlay. Each button has its own client-side
+  // cooldown (mirroring the server's own independent per-request
+  // throttle in SocketGateway) purely so a rapid double-click doesn't
+  // even bother emitting the second request.
   requestPauseBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
     const now = Date.now();
     if (now < pauseRequestCooldownUntil || !conn) return;
@@ -766,7 +842,7 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
   async function init() {
     itemTitleEl.textContent = party.itemName || '';
     hasNextQueued = !!party.hasNext;
-    followerNotice.classList.toggle('hide', party.youAreHost);
+    updateAmbientNotice();
     requestToolbar.classList.toggle('hide', party.youAreHost);
 
     // Before loadTrackOptions: renderSubtitleOptions' host-only gating
@@ -819,6 +895,7 @@ function renderVideoPlayer(root: HTMLElement, partyId: string, party: PartyPubli
     if (requestBannerTimer) clearTimeout(requestBannerTimer);
     if (hls) hls.destroy();
     document.removeEventListener('click', onDocumentClick);
+    document.removeEventListener('fullscreenchange', onFullscreenChange);
     unsubscribeCastAvailability();
     unsubscribeCastSessionEnded();
     // Deliberately NOT stopping an active cast here - leaving this page
diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index 055a438..ed6a4a4 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -2577,6 +2577,88 @@ to see the queue/card layout itself, so those were checked visually
 against a mockup built from this app's own real theme tokens/typefaces
 rather than a live instance.
 
+## Reworking the player: a unified bottom bar, and a fullscreen that doesn't hide it
+
+Asked for directly - a UI rework of the video player, "in both normal
+and fullscreen mode", with one concrete requirement: a viewer in
+fullscreen still needs to see the pause/resume request buttons. A
+mockup was built first (this app's own theme tokens, not a generic
+one) and iterated through a few rounds of feedback before any of this
+landed - the mockup itself ended up covering three things, not the two
+first asked for.
+
+**The actual fullscreen bug, found while investigating the request.**
+This app never had its own fullscreen button - the only way in was the
+browser's native affordance on the bare `<video>` element itself
+(double-click, or the host's own native `<video controls>` fullscreen
+button - see `becomeHost`). Native per-element fullscreen only ever
+renders that element's own subtree: every sibling overlay - the top
+bar, presence avatars, and critically the request toolbar - is a
+sibling of `<video>` in the DOM, so all of it disappeared the instant
+fullscreen engaged. A follower in fullscreen had no way to reach the
+host at all.
+
+**The fix**: a new `#fullscreenBtn` that calls
+`playerWrap.requestFullscreen()` - the whole player, video AND overlay
+chrome - never `video.requestFullscreen()`. Since a native per-video
+path is still reachable too (the same double-click/host-native-controls
+gestures as before - nothing about those was removed, so the host keeps
+native play/pause/seek/volume exactly as today), a document-level
+`fullscreenchange` listener watches for `document.fullscreenElement ===
+video` specifically and corrects it: exit, then immediately re-enter on
+`playerWrap` instead. This runs regardless of which gesture triggered
+it, so the overlay chrome is never actually lost for more than the
+listener's own tick.
+
+**The bottom bar rework.** What used to be three independent floating
+pieces - a centered column (`.bottomOverlay`: the transient request
+banner, a static "L'hôte contrôle la lecture" notice, a separate
+Chromecast notice), a request toolbar cornered bottom-right, and an
+"Épisode suivant" text link up in the top bar - are now one bar
+(`#bottomBar`, three flex zones):
+- **Left**: exactly one of `#nextBtn` (host, now a real accent-green
+  pill button with a skip-next icon, not a plain underlined link) or
+  `#requestToolbar` (follower, `#requestPauseBtn`/`#requestResumeBtn`,
+  each now labeled "Demander pause"/"Demander reprise" with a small
+  icon). The two are mutually exclusive by construction - only the host
+  ever has a queued item to advance, only a follower ever has someone
+  else's playback to request against - so there's never a conflict for
+  the same slot.
+- **Center**: a single `#ambientNotice` line, replacing the two
+  separate static notices - `updateAmbientNotice()` shows "Diffusion en
+  cours sur le Chromecast" while casting (checked first - it's the more
+  useful thing to know in the moment), else "L'hôte contrôle la
+  lecture" for a follower, else nothing for a host who isn't casting.
+- **Right**: `#fullscreenBtn`, for everyone, always.
+
+The transient request banner stays independent, near the top rather
+than folded into the persistent bar - it's a pop-in/fade-out toast
+(`showRequestBanner`), and merging it into a bar that's otherwise always
+present would have made it read as just another static line rather
+than something that needs attention right now.
+
+**A visible cue for casting.** `#castingScreen` now covers the video
+area whenever `isCasting` is true - the local `<video>` is paused/torn
+down while casting (see "Casting to a Chromecast" above), so leaving
+its last frame sitting there with no explanation would just look
+stuck. A plain icon + "Diffusion sur le Chromecast", not an attempt to
+mirror the TV's own picture.
+
+Verified: full `typecheck`/`build` on the client (no server changes at
+all - this is pure client markup/CSS/TS). Checked in a real browser
+against the actual compiled `app.css`/bundle (not just the mockup) -
+injected the new markup with its real classes for the host view, the
+follower view (with the toast), and the casting view, and confirmed
+each renders as designed; caught and fixed one real sizing bug this
+way (`.fsBtn` grew to 32px instead of its declared 30px - a flex item's
+default `min-width: auto` was letting `button`'s own base 12px/16px
+padding win over the smaller explicit width; fixed with an explicit
+`padding: 0` on the icon-only button). **Not verified**: the Fullscreen
+API itself needs a real user gesture and an actual browser fullscreen
+transition, neither of which this sandbox can exercise - worth trying
+for real once deployed, same as this project's other can't-verify-
+without-the-real-thing items.
+
 ## Known limitations
 
 - Playback always goes through `hls.js` against whatever Emby's