Roman Actor Luca Zingaretti: Diverse as his Eternal City

His career is diverse as he has played everything from a Fascist tablecloth salesman to a 5-star womanizing chef. He has been onstage, on television and on the big screen but the one thing that is always consistent is the strong conviction with which he portrays each role.

Roman born actor Luca Zingaretti is a fixture in Italian cinema and television. His guy next store appeal gives him the ability to assimilate into a crowd yet hold his own in the presence of other cinema heavyweights. Zingaretti had his eye on entertainment at a young age and was classically trained at Rome's prestigious drama school, Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico. Upon graduating in 1984, he immediately hit the stage, appearing in classic plays such as Chekhov's "Three Sisters" and Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus."

A few years after graduating film school, he landed his first feature film role in Giuliano Montaldo's "Gli occhgioriali d'oro" (The Gold-Rimmed Glasses) and later that year made his first television appearance in "Il Giudice Istruttore" (The Investigating Magistrate) by the late film director and screenwriter, Florestano Vancini. In the mid-90's, he gained recognition by working with directors, Marco Risi and Ricky Tognazzi. Then, his big break came in 1999 with the lead role as

Salvo Montalbano, a loyal inspector in search of justice, in RAI television's, "Il commissario Montalbano," a mystery series based on the character and novels created by Andrea Camilleri. The series ran for a whopping 12 years and consisted of 22 films. Since the series ended, he's taken on a variety of roles working with seasoned directors like Pupi Avati and Marco Tullio Giordana as well as younger filmmakers like Daniele Luchetti and Ivan Cotroneo. Between 2008 and 2010, he worked on eight new Montalbano films that were broadcast on RAI through 2013. The original Montalbano mystery series may have ended, but the actor has not abandoned the character. Zingaretti is mesmerizing to watch in both lead and supporting roles. In Daniele Luchetti's 2007 drama, "Mio fratello è figlio unico" (My Brother Is An Only Child). Zingaretti had a supporting role as Mario Nastri, the aforementioned Fascist tablecloth salesman. In the film, he plays a father figure to the lead character, Accio, a rebellious teenager who feels like the black sheep of his family. Mario Nastri is caring and takes the boy into his home. On the other hand, he is strong in his Fascist beliefs and carries out violent acts in the name of politics. When he meets his sad fate, you can't help but empathize with Accio when he cries for "Poor Mario".

In the docudrama, "Perlasca," Zingaretti plays another Fascist character. This time, the title role of Giorgio Perlasca, an Italian credited for saving thousands of Jews during World War II. During the fall of Mussolini in 1943, Perlasca was working for an Italian importer in Budapest, Hungary. When Italians residing in the country were urged home, Perlasca refused, on the grounds that he did not want to live under German occupation in Italy. He stayed in Budapest and found work with a Spanish envoy. He, along with other members of the diplomatic community, issued protective passes to Budapest Jews. In late 1944, after the Spanish envoy left the country, he appointed himself in charge and continued issuing protective passes. In the end, about 3,500 Hungarian Jews were saved because of his efforts. Zingaretti articulately communicates the sensitivity and passion that Perlasca had as he carried out this brave mission. The film is a two-part made for TV movie, which serves as a history lesson and entertaining drama.

Zingaretti continues to move back and forth between television and cinema. He recently worked on a program for Rai titled, "Il giudice meschino." Directed by Carlo Carlei, the project gave Zingaretti the opportunity to work with his wife, actress Luisa Ranieri. It was not the first time the couple had worked together. They also shared the screen in the television miniseries, "Cefalonia," directed by Riccardo Milani.

Comments

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann. Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...

Alessandro Gassmann: Born to Act

Alessandro Gassmannin his directorial debut "Razzabastarda" Alessandro Gassmann is the son of the iconic Italian actor/director Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel. He was born in 1965 and grew up around cinema royalty. He made his cinema debut in 1982 at the age of 17 in his father's autobiographical film, "Di padre in figlio." He went on to study his craft under his father's direction at the Theatre Workshop of Florence. Vittorio Gassman was very active in theater and seemed just as comfortable on stage as he did in front of the camera. Known for his powerful interpretations of Dante's "Inferno" and "Paradiso," it is no surprise that he nurtured his son's acting aspirations on stage before he launched his career in television and film. One of Gassmann's strong qualities, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father is his incredible range and ease in going from genre to genre. He can play ...

The Sweetness and Genius of Giulietta Masina

Fellini and Masina on the set of "La Strada" As open-hearted and sunny as Federico Fellini was dark and complex, they were perfect counterpoints during a half-century of marriage and professional collaboration. Nicknamed a “female Chaplin” and described by Chaplin himself as the actress who moved him most, Giulietta Masina confronted the tragedy of her characters with an eternal innocence and enthusiasm that gave Italians hope in the most challenging of times. Born in 1921 in San Giorgio di Piano, a commune north of Bologna, Masina was the oldest of four children born to a father who was a music professor and violinist and a mother who was a grade-school teacher. Her parents sent her as a child to live in Rome with her widowed aunt while she attended school there. As Masina took an early interest in gymnastics, her aunt saw in her a passion for performing and encouraged her to pursue acting. So after high school, Masina attended Rome’s La...

The Extraordinary Career and Legacy of Dino De Laurentiis

Producer Dino De Laurentiis was one of the most prolific filmmakers ever, having produced or co-produced more than 600 films during a career that spanned seven decades. His legacy continues not only through the work of his children and grandchildren but also through a new generation of filmmakers in his Italian hometown. De Laurentiis was born in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius on Aug. 8, 1919, in the city of Torre Annunziata, located just minutes from the ruins of Pompeii. As a child, he worked at a local pasta factory owned and operated by his father. That experience had a profound effect on him, shaping a lifelong passion for food and an appreciation for business. At the age of 17, he decided to leave home for the big city. He arrived in Rome and enrolled in the prestigious film school, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. After attending the school for about a year, he managed to produce one film in 1940, The Last Combat , before having to leave Rome temporarily for m...

The Legend of Alberto Sordi - Rome's Eternal Son

′′They will always judge you, whether you behave well or if you behave badly. So screw it and live as you want but above all don't listen to anyone.′′ - Alberto Sordi By giving his fellow Italians something to laugh about during tumultuous times, he emerged as his generation’s King of Comedy. One of Italy’s best-loved personalities, Alberto Sordi played a pivotal role in Italian cinema from the end of World War II to the postwar economic boom of the 1950s. During those tumultuous years, he gave his countrymen a hearty laugh when they might have otherwise cried. Former Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi perhaps said it best: “Alberto Sordi interpreted the feelings of Italians, especially in their most difficult and tough moments.” Born in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome in 1920, Sordi grew up in a creative household. His mother was an elementary school teacher and his father, a professional musician for the Rome Opera House. A young Sordi joined the children’s choir o...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog