Skip to main content

Margherita Buy: A Road Traveled

Margherita Buy (L) and Sabrina Ferilli at the 2015 Rome premiere of Io e Lei
She has been a fixture in Italian cinema for decades with an impressive range that has landed her in all kinds of zany predicaments. Whether she's discovering the secret life of her deceased husband, dealing with a coming-of-age-daughter or struggling with the effects of a depressed economy, Margherita Buy's strong presence and command of her roles makes her a spell-binding leading lady.

Born on January 15, 1962 in the Eternal City, Buy studied her craft at Rome's Academy of Dramatic Arts Silvio D'Amico. That's where she met her future husband and lifelong collaborator, Sergio Rubini. The two made a number of successful films together, including Tutto l'amore che c'e, L'amore ritorna and L'uomo nero. Although their marriage didn't work out, the two have remained close friends and continue to work together.
  
Buy has been making movies since the mid-80's but her international breakthrough came in 2001 with Ferzan Ozpetek's drama, La fate ignorante (His Secret Life). Buy takes on the role of Antonia whose husband is killed suddenly in an automobile accident. Shortly after his death, she discovers a painting that was given to him. Upon further investigation, she learns the painting was a gift from her husband’s lover. Only then does she learn about the other life he led. It's a complicated role that called upon Buy's ability to express her emotions through her gaze, which is a trademark quality in Ozpetek's direction, as well as acting out her feelings in her emotionally-charged scenes. 
In 2003, Buy showed us a lighter, more comical side in Paolo Verzi's coming of age film, Caterina va in città (Caterina in the Big City). Buy is the mother of Caterina, a teenager who moves from a small town to big time Roma and is faced with the huge task of assimilating. Buy's character also has to put up with her politically passionate, basket case husband, hilariously played by Sergio Castellitto. The two Italian cinema veterans present us with a funny, touching portrait about the trials and tribulations of one family just trying to evolve with the times.


2007 proved to be a busy year for the actress. She starred in two international blockbusters; Ferzan Ozpetek's 2007 hit ensemble film, Saturno Contro (Saturn in Opposition) and Silvio Soldini's Giorni e Nuvole (Days and Clouds). Saturn in Opposition focuses on a group of contemporary 30 and 40 - somethings and their struggles with coming to terms with the reality of dreams that didn't always come true. Buy's character deals with infidelity and the challenges facing a couple trying to hold onto their marriage. She dealt with a similar subject matter in Soldini's Days and Clouds, which is the story of a middle-aged couple that seems to have everything; a beautiful home, lots of friends, a great social life; but when Michele, portrayed by Antonio Albanese, loses his partner's confidence, he finds himself at square one looking for a job. Margherita Buy pulls no punches in playing the part of Elsa, Michele's wife who is faced with the task of downsizing her whole life. She succeeds in communicating the deep frustration she feels and her desire in finding an outlet for that frustration that will ultimately save her marriage.

Buy's performance in Nanni Moretti's 2011 reflective comedy, Habemus Papam (We Have a Pope)  combined her talents for comedy and drama with role of a renowned psychiatrist who guides a newly elected Pope to look back on his life and figure out why he really doesn't want the job. Buy shares the screen with another beloved Italian filmmaker, this time Nanni Moretti, and the two created a beautiful and sometimes funny retrospective on life.

In Ferzan Ozpetek's 2012 masterpiece, Magnifica Presenza (Magnificent Presence), Buy plays an elegant and charming actress from a 1940's acting troupe that comes back from the dead, articulately and beautifully dressed from head to toe, to help solve the murder of her friend and fellow actress. The story line is a little over the top and you can tell that she genuinely had some fun with this role. The musical score mixed with the costumes and sumptuous design give this film an air of decadence and fantasy.


Her latest film, Io e lei is a love story about two women. Right now, it's the most popular film in Italy and just opened to rave reviews. Read my review here. Buy's character, Federica finds herself in love with a woman for the first time in her life and she is dealing with a whole host of emotions, shame being one of them. The beautiful aspect of her character is the innocence reflected by her genuine feelings of love. She doesn't see herself as a lesbian, just a woman in love. That innate ability to be a humble character with flaws is what makes Buy so special and her performances so convincing.

Margherita Buy works continuously creating character-driven performances that mirror the modern woman. She currently has four projects in production.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Emma Dante's 'The Macaluso Sisters'

In a moving story that spans several decades, “The Macaluso Sisters” follows five orphaned sisters born and raised in an apartment on Palermo’s outskirts. They support themselves by renting out pigeons for events, a unique and symbolic business that reflects their resourcefulness and the transient nature of their lives. Directed by Emma Dante, who adapted the script from her 2014 play of the same name, the film boasts an all-female cast that brings a unique power to the story. It unfolds in three chapters that show how the tragic events of one day haunt the sisters through childhood, adulthood and old age.   The first chapter reveals the tragedy of the youngest sister, Antonella, who dies during a beach outing. She remains a permanent presence in the household, never aging. The film returns again and again to the beauty of the day at the beach when tragedy struck. The apartment is a central character, housing the memories and rage each sister carries inside her. This exploration of...
Post a Comment
Read more

Director Gianni Di Gregorio explores relationships in later life with 'Never Too Late for Love'

In “Astolfo” (“Never Too Late for Love”), director Gianni Di Gregorio delivers a coming-of-age film for the golden years of life about a retired professor who leaves Rome to return to a tiny mountain village in Abruzzo. The film opens with the title character, played by Di Gregorio, walking through the streets of his Roman neighborhood, groceries in hand, only to find his landlord waiting for him when he arrives home. She is there to announce that he will have to vacate his humble residence to make way for her daughter, who is getting married soon.  After some contemplation, he calls his ex-wife to ask her about an old family castle he split with her in their divorce. When she confirms that a portion of the castle is his for the taking, he gleefully returns to his spacious new home only to discover it has been occupied by a squatter, who turns out to be an acquaintance from his childhood who is also down on his luck. Without hesitation, Astolfo adopts the man as his roommate. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Isabella Rossellini Pays Tribute to David Lynch

Three iconic women of Italian cinema took part in the Governors Awards on October 28 in Los Angeles. Sophia Loren gave a heartfelt tribute to her longtime friend and collaborator, director Lina Wertmuller, who received an honorary Oscar for her tremendous body of work that includes classic films like Seven Loves, Swept Away and Il Professore. Isabella shared the stage and translated Wertmüller's acceptance speech. Rossellini gave her own tribute that evening to American director David Lynch. She told the story of how the two met at a dinner when Lynch brought up the script that he was working on. Helen Mirren had turned down the lead role, and he was wondering if perhaps Rossellini would be interested in checking out his script. Well she did and the rest is history. That 1986 film, Blue Velvet , instantly became a contemporary classic and has remained a masterpiece of American cinema. The thriller co-stars Kyle MacLachlan and Dennis Hopper. Set in a small North Carolina town,...
Post a Comment
Read more

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 ...
Post a Comment
Read more