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 other every day until the ’80s when he got married and moved to another house. The characters of Leo first and then Mimmo arose because I lived with my parents and then, after my father’s death, I stayed with my mother for another 14 years. Everything he says in his films is partly true, from the Spanish girl that I brought home to what was going on with my mother to the phone calls and my relationships with my girlfriends. I thought that the success of these characters would last a few years and yet still, my tone of voice is easily recognizable and imitated. Wherever I go — in stores and cafes — I take with me this story. It’s been more than 30 years, and it still gives me so much pleasure and fun.”

Natale enjoys showing old pictures of the two of them together and does hilarious impressions of Verdone impersonating him. Those characters had an impact on his life and career. He pursued acting and appeared in television shows and commercials throughout the following decades. He also had parts in Verdone’s films, “Bianco rosso e Verdone,” in which he played a sharpshooter, and “Grande grosso e Verdone,” in which he played the brother of Verdone’s character. However, there is a whole other side to Natale that most people don’t know about. He is an award-winning graphic designer and accomplished painter. In the film, we see that the walls in the foyer of his home are graced with his colorful portraits. For as much as he loves to meet his fans and talk about the old days, like most artists, he needs his solitude. Often, he eats dinner alone and then retreats to his studio to create magnificent works inspired by the enchanting Eternal City and his love for cinema.

When he’s not painting, he’s rehearsing for the stage. He is a favorite on the Roman theater scene and his larger-than life persona engages his audience and draws crowds of locals who enjoy watching this character that, for some, brings them back to the simplicity of the ’80s with his undeniable echoes of Leo and Mimmo. There is an Italian expression used to describe someone that is simple and sincere: “Pane al pane, vino al vino.” This phrase perfectly describes Natale and is the reason people are drawn to him whether on stage, on screen or having a cappuccino at his local Roman café.

Comments

Golden Age Masterpiece: Luchino Visconti’s 1957 “White Nights”

Photo Credit: Archivio Luce Cinecittà Luchino Visconti’s 1957 film, “White Nights” (“Le notti bianche”), offers a thoughtful and poignant exploration of themes such as loneliness, desire and emotional vulnerability. Based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novella of the same name, it transports the tale from 19th-century St. Petersburg to a dreamy mid-20th-century Italian setting. While Visconti remains largely faithful to Dostoevsky’s narrative, his characteristic style infuses the film with emotional depth, striking visuals, and a focus on class and societal constraints. The story follows a young man named Matteo, played by Marcello Mastroianni, who lives a solitary life in a small Italian town. One evening, he encounters a beautiful young woman named Natalia, portrayed by Austrian-Swiss actress Maria Schell, who is also feeling isolated. Although she is initially reluctant, Natalia eventually confides in Matteo about her love for a man who has promised to return and marry her, but he ha...

Toni Servillo: Master of His Craft

Named by Vogue Italy as the most versatile performer in the history of Italian cinema, Toni Servillo has earned a reputation as a masterful character actor who hauntingly transforms himself into dark, troubled protagonists indifferent to the dubious methods they employ to get what they want. Born in 1958 in Afragola, a town in the province of Naples, Servillo began his acting career on stage during the 1970s, founding Teatro Studio in Caserta and participating in a number of productions in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Influenced by Eduardo De Filippo, he interpreted several of the legendary actor and playwright’s roles and writings. Servillo made his feature film debut in Mario Martone’s 1992 “Morte di un matematico napoletano” (Death of a Neapolitan Mathematician) and appeared in Martone’s follow-up projects: the 1993 “Rasoi,” the 1997 “I vesuviani” (The Vesuvians) and the 1998 “Teatro di guerra” (Rehearsals for War). He was tapped by Paolo Sorrentino to play a starring...

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 ...

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...

The Life and Art of Marcello Mastroianni

A legendary actor who influenced cinema across the globe, Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni was born in 1924 in Fontana Liri, a mountainous area of Lazio, about an hour from Rome. Mastroianni spent his childhood near the Eternal City experimenting with acting in stage roles at his local church. During his teenage years, he took odd jobs in Rome, including bit parts in movies. Then during World War II, he was forced by German soldiers to work at a labor camp in northern Italy. He escaped, taking refuge in Venice until 1945. During the post-war period when war-torn Italy was recovering from the devastation it had just endured, Mastroianni returned to Rome and landed a job as a clerk with a British film company. During off-hours, he would get together with local actors to hone his craft. Then in 1947, he landed his first significant acting role in Riccardo Freda’s adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel, “Les Miserables.” Watch this video that I recently shot on the Isola Liri,...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog