«Anxieties and obsessions? Growing up you find a balance»- time.news

by time news
Of Valerio Cappelli

The saga inspired by the French cult film seen “from within” continues on Sky. «They offered me 40 scripts, I ran away to Paris»

The surreal, secret, often unknown rules governing the relationship between cinema agents and their clients, actors and directors. To be an agent, you have to be desperate or desperately love cinema. A profession without rules or schedules. A melee, a ring made of neuroses, fears, foibles, obsessions. Stefano Accorsi makes himself on Friday in one of the last two episodes (in the other there is Corrado Guzzanti) of «Call My Agent»the Sky series directed by Luca Ribuoli and written by Nur Sultan.

In the episode he says he can do both Romeo and Juliet. How much does that Stefano look like to you there?

«I was like this until ten years ago, when I returned to Italy from France. I lived that anxiety. I had gone to Paris because in Rome they offered me forty scripts together, I needed a detachment, I was no longer lucid. I was represented by Dominique Besnehard, producer of the original French series that is titled Ten percent (the percentage of the agents), and in Friday’s episode makes a cameo appearance. I returned to Italy, to the starting point, I missed that adrenaline, good coffee, family… Checco Zalone in Where am I going? describes well the simplicity of life after he moved to Norway, a dimension that was foreign to him».

A train he didn’t get on?

«It happened twice with Marco Bellocchio, and I was very sorry because he is a real author, a curious man in constant search: “The nurse”, where the role didn’t seem indispensable to me and it was my evaluation error, e “Good morning, night”, where the opportunity went out by itself».

Projects that overlap?

“They proposed to me at the same time”The last Kiss” by Gabriele Muccino and “The ignorant fairies” by Ferzan Ozpetek. I was desperate, I wanted to do both. I thought of choosing the most distant role from me, for Ferzan, and I also wanted the other one. Gabriele told me about each. Making everyone angry, I managed to bring forward and postpone the two projects».

His first steps?

«The debut was at the age of 20 for Pupi Avati. My photo book were shots of the sea when I was a lifeguard. I had my mess tin. I came from the small bourgeoisie of the Emilian province, father a printer, mother a secretary in a public school. Work was that thing, I came from a normal family. Cinema was a leap in the dark, I didn’t have any kind of knowledge. In Rome at the age of 24 I had my good nights, but it wasn’t what I wanted, my practical Emilian instinct saved me».

What was cinema for you as a teenager?

“It was a way of making up movies in my head. I loved Sergio Leone, the westerns he invented in Spain, and then heroes and anti-heroes who are despite themselves. If I think of a famous film by him, the good isn’t completely good, the ugly is bad and the bad has a sensibility of him».

In «Call My Agent», the agents are no-nonsense, they never contradict the client, actor or director. But in the past Giovanna Cau could be fierce with Mastroianni.

«There are those at the mercy of the actors, I’m lucky enough to work with Moira Mazzantini who has great experience and if she tells you it can’t be done, it can’t be done. There are many emotional components, maybe an actor doesn’t work, or is under pressure, or the projects don’t fit together, or he promises and can’t say no. The message of this series is not to take yourself too seriously.”

What other episode did you like?

«Paolo Sorrentino’s monologue on parents’ useless enthusiasm for their children at school is very brilliant».

Which father are you?

«I have four children, from 2 to 16 years old, three live in Milan with me and my wife, an author on TV, I’m in love, I’m fine with her. We talk about many non-cinema things, which help me and feed my imagination. I like everyday life with my family, I like running, training. I’m 51 years old, always working around a bit is starting to weigh me down».

So slow down?

“The movie is out”Hypersonia” on Prime, then I’ll have the series “A love” with Micaela Ramazzotti, “Azul” at the theater and…».

Do you see him falling back?

“I explore everything. And I’ve always loved laughing and joking, only these aspects of mine don’t come out so much, because they stick labels on you and an image that isn’t easy to shake off. You have such pressure on you that it’s not easy.”

Then call the agent.

“At the weekend only for emergencies. In any case, growing up you find a balance».

January 30, 2023 (change January 31, 2023 | 08:08)

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