Martina Monti chatted about her acting journey, which includes moving from Italy to Los Angeles, and being a part of the vertical space in the digital age.
What inspires you each day as an actress?
I’m really inspired by emotions. I like feeling things deeply, and acting is a way for me to express that. I’m always striving for aliveness, and acting gives me the space to feel things fully and to express them honestly.
In real life, we’re often encouraged to tone our emotions down, to be more distant, more controlled, not too vulnerable.
I’ve always felt things very deeply, so acting inspires me because it allows me to be myself without shame, to embrace that sensitivity, and to fully experience and express what I feel.
How does it feel to be a part of the vertical drama world?
I really love being part of the vertical drama world. I actually started doing verticals just a few months ago, after I obtained my O-1 visa to work as an actress in the United States, so I’m still pretty new to this environment.
Honestly, I’m having an amazing time. I’ve had so much fun shooting these series so far, I love playing different characters and constantly meeting new people on set.
I think verticals are such a fun and creative way to explore different worlds and characters. I’ve done stories about werewolves, high school, mafia, and each one feels like stepping into a completely different universe.
You get to play, transform, wear different costumes, and really enjoy acting in a very dynamic way.
Apparently, I often play mean girl characters, which is ironic, since I don’t think I have much in common with them in real life (luckily). But I have to say, I had a lot of fun playing those roles.
In “Pregnant by the Heartless Lycan King,” for example, my character is so mean and so not likeable. When I watched the show I was like: “damn, I hate this girl!”
What do your plans for the future include?
In the future, I definitely want to keep acting in more vertical series, while also continuing to work on other projects like feature films and TV series.
I’d also love to do more modeling; I recently started doing professional modeling, and I’m really enjoying it.
Another big goal of mine is to keep sending my own films to festivals and attending more film festivals. That’s something I’ve loved since the beginning of my acting career.
It’s such a special experience to present your work, meet new people, and watch your film with an audience in a movie theater.
Overall, my plan is to work as much as I can, keep growing, and keep practicing the craft, so I can become the best actress I can be.
How does it feel to be an actress in the digital age?
I think it’s exciting to be an actress in the digital age because there are so many ways to tell stories now.
Streaming, social media, and verticals allow projects to reach people instantly and all over the world.
At the same time, what matters to me hasn’t really changed, it’s still about emotion, honesty, and connection.
Technology is just the tool, but the heart of acting stays the same.
What is your advice do you have for young and emerging actors?
My advice for young and emerging actors is to be proactive. Don’t just wait for things to come your way, create your own work, meet people, and really put yourself out there.
Take risks and don’t be scared of failing. I see a lot of actors who only wait for auditions and hope the right role will arrive, but I truly believe that when you collaborate, build relationships, and create, you’re planting seeds.
Those seeds eventually bring opportunities, sometimes in very unexpected ways.
From my own experience, a lot of things started coming to me later in a more passive way, but only because I had been very active before. So always be proactive, you never know what can come from putting yourself out there.
Love the craft deeply, but also remember that this is a business. When you’re on set or auditioning, give yourself fully to the art. And when you’re not, treat the industry strategically, because both sides matter.
What did moving from Italy to Los Angeles teach you?
Moving from Italy to Los Angeles taught me so many things, and honestly, I believe it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made in my life.
I took a real leap of faith, because when I moved here, I didn’t know anything about LA, Hollywood, or how the film industry worked. I had no connections, no roadmap, and I had to build everything from scratch.
At the beginning, I was very scared. I was scared I wouldn’t find any work, scared I wouldn’t be able to stay, scared that I might have to go back home without having achieved anything. I remember thinking, what if I get there and I’m completely lost?
What if I don’t even know where to start? But at the same time, I knew one thing very clearly: I didn’t want to live with regrets. I wanted to know that I had tried everything, even if it was scary.
So I told myself, yes, this might be a crazy move. Yes, it’s a jump into the unknown. But I’d rather take that risk than look back one day and think, I wish I had done it.
That experience taught me that sometimes, even if you’re a rational person, doing something a little crazy, something out of the ordinary, can be the best decision you make.
Acting is a high-risk career, but I really believe that high risk can bring high reward. I still have so many goals I want to achieve, but at the same time, I’m already proud of how far I’ve come.
There were moments when I didn’t know if I would even reach this point, and realizing that reminds me that courage can truly take you to the best places.
What does the word success mean to you?
To me, success isn’t only about where you are in your career. In a path like this, it’s really important to appreciate the journey.
If you only focus on the final goal and don’t value where you are right now, you’re always going to feel unsatisfied.
Acting is a very competitive career, and it’s a long climb, so success, for me, means recognizing and appreciating the small achievements along the way.
Sometimes success is also accepting that you tried something and it didn’t go the way you hoped, but you still had the courage to do it.
I don’t think success is only about fame, awards, or being in a huge movie. It’s also about daily successes: every project, every opportunity, every person who believes in you and calls you in for a role.
It’s the moments when your work moves someone, when you make someone laugh, cry, or feel seen. And it’s every time you choose not to give up. That’s what success means to me.
What would you like to say to your vertical fans?
I’ve been so humbled and grateful to see people supporting my work. Having fans reach out, telling me they loved a character I played, or just enjoying what I do, it really means so much to me.
It’s incredible to know that the things I do on set can actually move people, entertain them, make them laugh, or simply give them a fun moment.
That’s the beauty of acting and storytelling, connecting with people, even ones I’ve never met, and sharing something meaningful or joyful with them.
Every message, every post, every expression of appreciation reminds me why I love this work. It makes me so happy to know that what I do resonates with someone, and I’m truly grateful for all the people who support me.
To learn more about actress Martina Monti, follow her on Instagram.
