Skip to main content

Triple Threat- Luigi Iacuzio

Looking back at one of my favorite film festival experiences, I remember the 2008 Rome Film Festival and the film I enjoyed the most- the sleeper hit of the festival, a small film made by young director, Toni D'Angelo, called "Una notte." The story follows five Neapolitan friends reunited after a tragic accident takes the life of another belonging to the group. It's a beautiful, character-driven story that focuses on these successful and not so successful adults who look back on their lives and choices. 

I talked with one of the stars of "Una notte," Luigi Iacuzio. He was born in Rome, and grew up in Naples. He knew at a very young age that he wanted to have a career in the performing arts. Now in his early 40’s, he is a classically trained actor with a wide-range of training in theater, dance, singing and acting for film. He has studied his art in schools all over Italy including the University of Calabria, Teatro Bellini in Naples and Centro Internazionale di Danza in Cosenza. When you see him perform, it is obvious that he's had much diversity in his training. In "Una notte," Iacuzio plays the part of a jazz vocalist who performs in a small club in Naples. The role brought together his talent as a singer, songwriter and dramatic actor. After the screening of "Una notte" at the Casa del Cinema in Rome, Luigi Iacuzio sat down with me, and we talked about his career, his love for American cinema and how being raised in Naples is an asset to his acting.


How did you get your start in acting?
I started in theater 16 years ago. I made my first film in 2003 called Pater familias. It was directed by Francesco Patierno. Then, I made three movies in which I was the main actor and now, Una notte is the fifth movie I've made.

"Una notte" is a beautiful film about the bonds of friendship. What do you appreciate most about the story?
Well, I really like the friendship of these five people. They're not perfect. They all have their problems. I also like that my character is a singer because one of my dreams is to sing. I really love it, and I've performed in some musicals, too. And, I wrote the song for the last scene in "Una notte."

In the film, you're a jazz singer. Do you like to sing jazz?
Oh yes, I love Frank Sinatra!
 
Has growing up in Naples helped you as an actor?
Yes, I believe that if you live in Naples, you have something in your soul that makes you an actor. The Neapolitans are different from people of other regions and cities in Italy.  Naples is a place that is very alive, and very spontaneous. You can feel it in the streets. You are always talking with people, always greeting people when you get into your car, when you walk down the street. You're always saying "Ciao, come stai?" We're always communicating with each other.

Do you like American cinema?
Yes, it's fantastic! I love American cinema. I just met Al Pacino at the Actor's Studio here in Rome. I studied there with the Italian actress, Francesca De Sapio, who played Al Pacino's wife in "The Godfather."

Did Al Pacino have any advice for you?
He told us to conserve the child inside of us, and to be spontaneous. 

Has he influenced your work as an actor?
Well, I saw many of Al Pacino's movies when I was growing up, and I studied his characters as I watched them.

Which Italian actors have influenced your work?
In Italy, the actor Giancarlo Giannini has had an impact on my work. In America, I'd have to say Al Pacino and Robert Deniro. I also like Vincent Gallo.

What is your dream?
My dream is to be a complete actor that sings, acts and dances. This is a dream for me, but I know that it will take many years of experience to achieve this.

Iacuzio's latest film "Terra" was recently shown at the Pesara International Film Festival. Directed by Marco De Angelis and Antonio Di Trapani, the atmospheric film explores the mysterious forces and energies of the earth and how they influence us. Check out the trailer..




For more information on Luigi Iacuzio- visit him online.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Anna Foglietta: Actress and Activist with Old School Elegance

One look at actress Anna Foglietta in her any of her roles, and the Golden Age of Italian cinema comes to mind. Among Italy’s most sought-after actresses today, Foglietta brings to the table a classic eloquence of yesterday while representing Italy’s modern woman. Born in Rome in 1979, Foglietta began her career in 2005 with a role in the RAI television series La squadra . Her character Agent Anna De Luca had a two-year run on the series as she was transitioning to cinema with Paolo Virzì’s 2006 ensemble project 4-4-2- Il gioco più bello del mondo . Since then, she has become one of Italy’s most diverse actresses, transforming herself into interesting, layered characters for comedies and dramas alike. Aside from a small part in Anton Corbijn’s 2010 film The American starring George Clooney, Foglietta’s work began reaching mainstream American audiences in 2015. As Elisa in Edoardo Leo’s 2015 comedy Noi e la Giulia , Foglietta showed her funny side playing a goofball pregn

The Life and Work of Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci as Malèna Born in Umbria in 1964, Monica Bellucci is one of the most recognizable faces of international cinema. But she didn't always have her sights set on the spotlight. She went to college to study law and modeled to pay her tuition. Her success in the fashion world coupled with the offers that were pouring in to appear on the big screen eventually took over, changing her fate. Bellucci made her on-screen debut in the 1990 television movie, " Vita coi figli." Just two years later, she scored her first American role in Francis Ford Coppola's "Dracula."   In addition to her native language, she speaks fluent English and French, which has made for a smooth transition from Italian to international cinema. Stateside, she has acted in blockbusters such as "The Matrix-Reloaded,"     " The Passion of the Christ" and " The Sorcerer's Apprentice." She has also appeared in several French films, a

Pasolini's Playground of Roman Ruins

Anna Magnani in a scene from "Mamma Roma" Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1962 “Mamma Roma” starring Anna Magnani , follows the title character, a Roman prostitute determined to change her life and give her son the opportunities she never had. She seizes the opportunity to leave her life on the streets behind when her pimp (Franco Citti) gets married and frees her from his possession. Mamma then goes to the small provincial town of Guidonia to fetch her son, Ettore (Ettore Garofolo), and bring him to Rome to embark on their new life together. She buys a pushcart, finds an apartment in a nice neighborhood, and uses her connections to secure him a job in a restaurant. However, Ettore gets mixed up with boys who are petty thieves and is negatively influenced by them. At the same time, Mamma Roma’s pimp resurfaces and sends her back to the streets. When Ettore learns about his mother’s prostitution, he goes astray and wholeheartedly joins in on the petty crimes of the boys. One day, while

Stefano Natale- the Charismatic Muse behind Carlo Verdone's Iconic Characters

The beauty of Italian cinema lies in the diversity of its genres and styles. Although the ’80s have received its share of criticism for its less-than-profound output, it was the decade in which contemporary maestro Carlo Verdone emerged as a creative young director and actor. The characters he brought to life during those years became permanent fixtures in Roman pop culture. Films like “Un sacco bello,” “Bianco, rosso e Verdone,” and “Borotalco” gave birth to the iconic Mimmo, Leo and Sora Lella.   Enter Stefano Natale, the real-life muse behind Leo and Mimmo. Natale was the subject of a documentary presented at the 2015 Festa del Cinema in Rome. One of four protagonists in Luca Ferrari’s “Showbiz,” he is a soft-spoken gentle giant who recalls his life with Verdone and the creation of his characters in a nostalgic, affectionate manner. “Verdone and I grew up together in the same building near Ponte Sisto,” Natale recalls. “Our grandmothers were cousins, and for 30 years we saw each o

Nicoletta Braschi and Roberto Benigni.. What cinema dreams are made of

The Toronto International Film Festival is wrapping up its retrospective of the cinematic collaboration of husband and wife team, Nicoletta Braschi and Roberto Benigni. Over the last few days, the couple have participated in discussions, Q & A sessions and have introduced several of their films. Today, I attended a screening of "La voce della luna" (The voice of the moon). It was  Federico Fellini's last film and is a wonderful tribute to the director's signature poetic madness. The film gave Benigni the opportunity to team up with fellow beloved comic, Paolo Villaggio, and the two created a truly unforgettable adventure. Today's screening began with an introduction by Benigni. The moments leading up to his introduction were noticeably serious and somewhat tense. Benigni's publicist and TIFF security staunchly guarded his privacy. There was no interaction and no photos were allowed. Guided by his entourage, he walked quickly from the Green Room to th