IN CONVERSATION WITH MARTA GASTINI

interview by DEMET KAMBUROGLU

Having made her debut as an actress in 2009 at the age of eighteen, Marta Gastini progressively continues to captivate international audiences with her dedication to the craft. A major breakthrough for the actress was starring alongside Anthony Hopkins in “The Rite” (2011), which led to her gaining international recognition. The outstanding Italian actress later appeared in works like “Borgia,” “Dracula 3D,” and “Quattro Metà.” Her renowned performances in Italian cinema include “Questi Giorni” and the Amazon Prime series “Tutta Colpa di Freud.” In 2023, she played the role of Sofia in Florian Zeller’s play “The Son,” once again demonstrating her unique talent to audiences.

Marta, your career has spanned over both Italian and international productions. How do you experience the distinctions between these diverse projects in storytelling and acting styles?
Recently, distinctions have become less, probably due to platforms that created new rules and guidelines. Cultural aspects play a big part in differentiating acting styles and themes. In some countries, storytelling is a perfect mechanism with particular regulations. 

Working alongside legendary actor Anthony Hopkins in “The Rite” was a significant moment in your career. Would you like to share any lingering memories of the preparation and filming of such an intense role in a Hollywood production?
Anthony Hopkins’ kindness and generosity will always be remembered. He would give his best at any take to help other actors’ performances. He would crack jokes between takes to keep the atmosphere up. A wonderful person. I also remember that when I got to Budapest, the production sent me to work with the stunt coordinator to create the “choreography” and physical work of the exorcism scenes and with the dialogue coach to work on my English. 

At the end of the fourth day of shooting, the most extended production of the exorcism scene gave me a present: two relaxing massages! But the most potent memory was probably witnessing real exorcisms, thanks to Matt Baglio, the book’s author on which the movie is based. 

You’ve portrayed many characters, from historical figures like Giulia Farnese in “Borgia”, to modern-day roles in Italian television series. How do you approach character building and development for such varied roles?
There is a level of the work that never differs, and that is text analysis, which leads to identifying the character’s objectives, obstacles, strategies, where the characters come from before each scene, and so on. 

After that, you need to consider who that character is, her job, temperament, the period in which she lives, and her social background, and try to find those characteristics in you. And then, for each character, there might be very different suggestions that get you to the energy, rhythm, and mood you need to reach. Music is a potent tool in this sense. But words and images can also work magic. 

“Questi Giorni” presents a complex character for your role, Caterina. What drew you to this role, and how did you connect with her surly and troubled persona?
Carolina said a line in the film I still remember: “Sometimes I want to be in places where there is no trace of my past”. Caterina and I met precisely when our inner chaos was pushing to come out, but we were not ready yet to look straight into it. Giuseppe Piccioni had me audition for two roles, and I remember him saying: “I’ll pick for you the character that less suits you”. I 

believe Caterina and I didn’t fit in a superficial look (my public persona is everything but troubled, shy, maybe). However, Giuseppe Piccioni looked more profound and saw Caterina’s chaos in me. 

Your performance in “Tutta Colpa di Freud” earned you critical acclaim and a nomination for the Ciak D’Oro award. How do you think this might’ve influenced the future of your career?
“Tutta Colpa di Freud” was initially a very successful feature film by Paolo Genovese. It then became a series supervised by Genovese himself but directed by Rolando Ravello (whom I want to thank for believing in me). 

Indeed, it was an excellent opportunity to learn and test myself in a genre that I felt was less close to my inclinations. In this sense, I believe it changed my career because it made me realise that comedy and I are not entirely different planets! Also, it got me a nomination to the Ciak d’Oro, which I am grateful for. 

“Quattro Metà” marked your venture into comedy. What are your biggest challenges or differences in preparing for a comedic role?
I learnt that there aren’t differences in preparing a dramatic or comedic role as far as the work on the objectives, obstacles, and fights of the character is concerned. Comedy is very dramatic, seen from the inside. What changes are rhythm and style? Comedy is a language with precise rhythms. 

What does a typical day look like for you? How do you keep your creative momentum stable?
When I am home and not working, I usually take my son Orlando to school, pick him up and Take him to the park, or we go home and spend time together. When he is at school, I do yoga, care for the apartment, and study either for auditions or university. Some days I meet with my friends. When I can, I love reading or trying to catch up with the immensity of series and feature films that constantly come out. And this is part of keeping my creative momentum stable. To do that, I also take advantage of auditions and work on them with my coaches, Azzurra Rocchi and Gian Piero Rotoli (both actors). I learnt that training is essential for actors, athletes, musicians, singers and so on. 

Transitioning from screen to stage, you recently starred in “The Son” by Florian Zeller. What drew you to this theatrical production, and how does your approach to acting differ in a live theatre compared to film and television?
“The Son” from Zeller is a highly well-written play that discusses youthful distress due to family traumas (in this case, the separation of the parents) and psychological illness. It also focuses on the immense difficulty for young people to communicate their emotions and traumas, the impossibility for parents to fully understand their kids, and the fact that in some situations, love is not enough. These themes were very current topics I wanted to explore more. 

This experience was also my first theatrical tournée, and I felt drawn to test myself. I discovered the approach to acting doesn’t differ much. What I loved about working in theatre was having time to rehearse, to discover the real meaning of a line even after 30, 60 shows, to develop the relationships among characters… time. 

As an actress, you’ve had the opportunity to work with acclaimed directors like Dario Argento and Oliver Hirshbiegel. What have been some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned from collaborating with such acclaimed professionals?
Oliver Hirshbiegel once told me, “Follow your guts because you have a strong instinct.” That was powerful advice that I try to remember always. But generally, all the great professionals I had the privilege to work with taught me the importance of hard work. 

What types of roles or genres are you eager to explore in your future projects?
I want life to surprise me and send me projects to help me grow as an actress and person.

TEAM CREDITS:
talent MARTA GASTINI
photography ALAN GELATI
styling GLORIA RIPAMONTI
photography assistant ALESSIO SPANU
hair MARCO VENTRELLA
makeup MADDALENA BRANDO
publicist MPUNTO COMUNICAZIONE
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director JANA LETONJA
interview DEMET KAMBUROGLU