Italian actor Andrea Di Luigi chatted about his latest acting projects, which include “Il Corpo” and “Nuovo Olimpo.”
Background on Andrea Di Luigi
He was born in Ascoli Piceno in Italy; he started playing the drums at an early age and grew up playing in various local bands.
After graduating in Accountancy, he worked for his father’s office and in the meantime, persuaded by a friend, he attended the Scuola di Cinema IFA in Pescara where he discovered his great passion for acting.
In Abruzzo, he worked as an actor both in theater and in various independent film projects, and in 2020 he moved to Rome where he met the acting coach Azzurra Rocchi with whom he is still studying and training.
In 2022, he obtained the leading role in the movie “Nuovo Olimpo,” which was directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.
On November 28th, his new film “The Body,” an Italian thriller directed by Vincenzo Alfieri, will be released where he stars as a lead actor.
In addition, he has a band, and one of his biggest passions in life involves playing the drums.
How was your experience in “Il Corpo”? (“The Body”) and what did you like most about playing your character?
Working on “Il Corpo” has been a deep, wonderful experience. I’ve never worked on a character like Bruno before.
It’s been exciting for me to discover his hidden fears and fragilities and translate them into behavior. Bruno may seem like a fearless man, but the truth is that he’s trying to redeem himself from a heavy past.
His inner fire is strong… I tried to create it, feel it, and then I went back to the script to work on the scenes of the movie. It’s been an incredible journey. I found an amazing cast and crew on set.
The director, Vincenzo Alfieri, pushed me to do my best as an actor and guided me through a tricky, yet wonderful, story full of twists. The cinematographer Andrea Reitano also inspired me a lot and helped me believe that what I was seeing around me was real.
The costumes and makeup were terrific as well. I’m so glad to have had the chance to work with talented actors like Giuseppe Battiston, Claudia Gerini, Andrea Sartoretti, and Amanda Campana. I love thriller movies, and I never imagined I would be part of one.
What motivates you each day as an actor?
I try every day to find my truth and follow my instincts. For an actor, it’s very important to be real, even in everyday life…
Most people ignore how they really feel. Being an actor means understanding the reasons behind the choices and behaviors of our characters, then trying to truly feel like them.
It’s an interesting process of empathy… It means knowing and accepting different versions of ourselves, so that we can accept others.
I work with the instruments of the human being… Is there anything more exciting than that? I don’t think so. And when I feel unmotivated, I watch a movie with an actor I admire, and the inspiration comes back!
How does it feel to be an actor in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent)
It’s weird… You have to take care of your social media accounts. The more followers you have, the more opportunities you might get. It’s not a rule, but it helps… so you have another thing to manage. It’s another job in a way.
Plus, there’s AI, which can be a little scary. You could see your face in a movie you never worked on. It’s important for actors to protect their image.
We should learn how to handle it now, but there are also many amazing things you can do with technology and social media.
You have another “channel” to share your art with people. For example, I love playing
drums, and I can share that on my Instagram account.
What is your advice for young and aspiring actors?
I can say that acting is a long and wonderful journey. It’s hard because you’ll be rejected many, many times. You can only find the courage to keep going if you find joy and curiosity in the process.
Never focus on the outcome. Just enjoy the journey and keep doing what you love. Learn as much as you can, break habits, try different methods, and then find your own.
If you love the work, sooner or later someone will notice the spark in your eyes, and an opportunity will come.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Joy is the most powerful form of success for me. I found it last year while shooting the movie. I studied hard for the role, but sometimes I felt stuck. I was too focused on the outcome.
Vincenzo told me that he wanted me to be free and enjoy what I was doing. Even though the character’s circumstances were difficult and scary, he reminded me to enjoy the fact that we were creating something, that we were making a movie, which is a privilege.
That helped me a lot. I started going with the flow, following my instincts more, and I felt happy. That’s the most powerful energy you can feel and use.
What would you like to say to your fans?
I want to thank everyone for their curiosity about my career, my ideas, and for their support, which means everything to me. I do what I do because there are people listening.
So thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you’re receiving something from me, just as I’ve received so much from you. Also, I’d like to invite you to watch “Il Corpo,” which will be released very soon.
I’m very curious to hear what you think about it!
How was your experience in “Nuovo Olimpo”? How is it different than the experience you made in “Il Corpo”?
The characters are actually opposites. Pietro in “Nuovo Olimpo” is shy and reserved. Bruno is selfish and arrogant. Both have fragilities, but they deal with them in completely different ways. The story and genre are different too.
For me, it was fantastic to move from a romantic movie to something completely unexplored like the story of “Il Corpo.” This was my first thriller, and it’s very mysterious, with a lot at stake. I hope you’ll enjoy it.
To learn more about Andrea Di Luigi, follow him on Instagram.
