Actress Catharine Daddario chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about starring in the film “Donna Stronger Than Pretty,” which was directed by Jaret Martino.
It is a romantic tragedy, an unlove story, that spans three decades in the life of a gentle young woman, Donna, as she tries to live up to the traditions and expectations of her Italian roots and of the “American Dream.”
That dream becomes a living nightmare and nearly breaks her until she finds the silent force of her inner voice and breaks free from a husband who refuses to be responsible to her, himself, their family, or even his own dreams.
“It was really cool to be a part of this film,” she said. “Obviously, this is Jaret Martino’s passion project and it’s very personal for him. It is really crazy the number of people that have been affected by domestic violence. Everyone on set took this very seriously. It was a really nice set to be on.”
The synopsis of the film is as follows: A young mother’s “American Dream” turns into a living nightmare, until she finds the inner strength to listen to a voice she hadn’t heard before: her own.
On being an actress in the digital age, she said, “You do the work, and work begets work. It’s all about passion and everything. The digital age is both good and bad. As a consumer of media, I love all of the streaming platforms. As an actor, you want to do the art, you want to work.”
For young and aspiring actors, she said, “Be sure that you really want to do this and that there is nothing else that brings you joy. That’s No. 1, otherwise, you will not have the same energy. Then, work, work, work. Go to class and get together with your friends and practice. Read plays and movie scripts, and watch videos online that teach you how to watch a movie, analytically. All of these things are available now.”
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she said, “Climbing through the window and side entrance.” “That’s where I feel I am at,” she said.
Daddario defined the word success as “being able to pay rent from acting.” “That is always the dream for actors,” she said. “Success means happiness and peace of mind.”
For her fans, she concluded about the film”Donna Stronger Than Pretty,” “Domestic violence is very prevalent and it should not be talked about in whispers. You can step in and I want people to feel comfortable doing that. I want people to feel comfortable talking about the subject, which is tough to talk about.”
To learn more about actress Catharine Daddario, follow her on Instagram.
