Matilda De Angelis is having some time.
The Italian actress who made her mark in European cinema as a race car driver in Matteo Rovere’s Italian Race (1930) and has been a regular since then, named in
one of Berlin’s European meteors and by virtue of 2018 in Rose Island . American audiences will likely learn from her performances with Nicole Kidman and Nicole Kidman in David E. Kelley’s HBO series The Undoing . Recognize her in Hugh Grant’s supporting role, or play the fictional Milanese noblewoman and muse Caterina da Cremona to the legendary Renaissance artist, written by Aidan Turner stars in RAI’s Leonardo, which airs in the US on The CW.
International Viewers will see more of De Angelis. Her new feature film The Robbery of Mussolini , on
Netflix October she is currently working on the Russo Brothers Amazon Prime multi-series Citadel .
The Hollywood Reporter before the world premiere of The Robbery of Mussolini with German Angelis talks at the Rome Film Festival. The period drama is directed by Renato De Maria and produced by Bibi Film, in which she plays 1945 Italian nightclub singer Yvonne becomes embroiled in a plan to steal the treasures of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini amid the chaos of the Allied-progressed war.
What appeals to you about this character?
I think over the years I’ve chosen characters that are quite different from each other, with a certain depth. In some ways, Yvonne can be seen as a supporting character rather than a real protagonist. But I like her. I also like her because she reminds me of Mrs. Gina in Miyazaki’s Porco Rosso [in The classic animation of s Italy.
What do these two movies and two characters have in common?
It seems to me that [connections] are everywhere. For me it was an automatic connection. When I was asked about references or inspiration for [the character], I mentioned Porco Rosso . Of course, there are differences. The tone of the narrative, a. But I love Yvonne because she can sing and bring such a fragmented world together in her own way. On the one hand, you have men fighting for glory, and on the other hand, she’s very feminine and cool. Very calm mind.
You also starred in Into the Woods with Lev Schreiber, according to Based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway. What was that experience like?
This is a very powerful experience. During filming, I was going through the worst time of my life; I used that sense of sadness and destruction that I felt. My character Renata needs that. She is very melancholy. Working with Liev Schreiber was also a unique emotional experience for me.
why?
I am a big fan of him and he helped me a lot on set. I can never thank director Paola Ortiz enough: we became friends, we stayed in touch. But Lev taught me a lot. Josh Hutcherson is another fantastic find. When I’m able to work like this, with actors who are super normal, super calm and helpful, I feel lucky. But we shot it at night in Venice in the middle of winter. So I froze. Physically, it’s probably tougher than the Citadel I’ve been training with.
is The Undoing starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant Is the HBO series your springboard for an international career?
Yes of course. Although I believe I was first noticed by international producers 1945 when I won the Meteor Award in Berlin. It doesn’t make sense to talk about international actors now. With Netflix, you can easily reach 190 countries while simply performing in your own language in a local production. The border is slightly more ephemeral. It’s easier. Working with Hollywood actors in the US is still complicated. Undo is a starting point, yes, but it may still happen.
2018 Certain types of films, such as action films, are rarely produced in Italy. I’m thinking about Matilda Lutz, she’s on Red Sonja now in the international group . However, Matilda took a much more international path than my own, and took on more of an action role. Personally, I’m drawn to characters that require a certain amount of physical strength, like in Citadel. There aren’t many people in Italy and I think I’m ready. Because these jobs are also plentiful.
how come?
My training experience over the past few weeks has taught me a lot. It gave me a new spiritual dimension, especially body awareness. The actor is his body and his mind, it’s true. So yeah, I’d love to play more of these characters.
Has anything changed in the Italian film and television industry? More interesting female characters?
Certainly something has changed. But my consciousness has also changed. I realize I’m more picky and I have different needs. I miss art theaters. I am not a victim. I am working and I am happy. But I miss reading stories with fresh, personal, and most importantly, authentic perspectives.
1945 In Italy, there is a short circuit between local productions and audiences: theatres continue to struggle.
I don’t know how to reverse this trend. Maybe it’s because we produce too much. Too much stuff. After a while, people lose enthusiasm and interest. The average attention span of viewers is getting shorter and shorter.
As an audience, what kind of stories are you looking for?
I am an omnivore. When I go to the movies, I’m looking for a different perspective. I don’t like stories copied or told by people who haven’t experienced it. Movies can’t tell good things alone; movies sometimes have to show us the worst of life. Just so that we can appreciate it. Beauty comes from hardship. ugly. That’s what I’m looking for: films that enrich me and make me curious.
Curious to watch Luca Guadagnino’s [Cannibal Love Story] Bones and All?
Very, I admit. For me, Guadagnino has never gone wrong. I also love his TV series for Sky and HBO, We are Who We Are, very. Guadagnino always tells things from his own perspective, according to his own needs. His character is first and foremost human. They feel fear, love, make mistakes. This is something I’ve found in other series, almost all aimed at teens, like Skam [on Netflix Italy] and Prisma [Amazon Prime]. These stories feel believable: they remind me of real life.
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