Monica Bellucci Exclusive Interview
Monica Bellucci in Paris to discover more about her life and work. Having begun her modelling career at 13, Bellucci’s first major film was the BAFTA-winning 1996 romantic thriller L’Appartement, which also starred Vincent Cassel – the man she went on to marry.
Having split with him nearly five years ago, Bellucci has been balancing work on high-profile projects – she starred as the oldest ever “Bond girl” at the age of 51 in Sam Mendes’s Spectre – with raising her impressively multilingual daughters Deva (13) and Léonie (seven). Along the way, she’s been unafraid to tackle unusual and challenging projects, the most controversial being Gaspar Noé’s 2002 psychological drama Irréversible, in which her character is raped in a notoriously protracted scene.
Fluent in at least three languages, Bellucci learnt Serbian for Emir Kusturica’s 2016 drama On the Milky Road, which was four years in the making.
![<p>High-profile American films include the Matrix sequels, Shoot ’Em Up and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ; Bellucci is also increasingly active in TV projects such as the 2017 series of Twin Peaks and the latest series of French sitcom Dix pour Cent, in which she plays herself. She’ll next be seen in Israeli director Eran Riklis’s upcoming spy thriller Spider in the Web, in which Sir Ben Kingsley will be co-starring.</p><p><strong>What’s it like working with Emir Kusturica?</strong></p><p><strong>How is he different from other directors?</strong></p><p>He’s interesting because he does so many things … he’s a director, a writer, an actor, a musician. In his way of working, he’s a bit like Fellini. It’s another way of making movies – everything is about the light.</p><p>The sun has to be right … everything can change, so the script is more like a base. But it was very interesting to be in this movie because it was a special atmosphere; this land I was in was beautiful but also very sad. I think Kusturica makes movies where there is duality between fantasy and pain, fantasy and reality.</p><p>This is one of the most interesting parts of his world, and that’s why I approached this project from its human and artistic point of view, never a political one. The film is interesting because it’s a love story between two adults, and it proves that love and sexuality are a matter of energy and not age: we see two people that aren’t young any more but the moment they meet, something beautiful and magical happens. I got acquainted with [Kusturica’s] work through Time of the Gypsies.</p><p>I saw it a long, long time ago – it was a really amazing work. In every movie he does, even when the stories are different, he comes back to his subject of fantasy and reality: it’s as if he’s in some way trying to escape the pain of his country through the dream. In his films there is violence, but at the same time there are moments of ecstasy.</p><p><strong>What were the positives and negatives of acting on such a small-scale, parochial film?</strong></p><p>No negativity at all. And I’m happy there are good Italian directors like Alice Rohrwacher, [Matteo] Garrone, [Paolo] Sorrentino, [Luca] Guadagnino – it’s amazing to see the possibility to come out of [Italy] and make an international career. Because we were very stuck with Fellini, Rossellini, Visconti, De Sica, which was great, but it’s beautiful to see this new generation of young, talented directors coming out.</p><p>The talent of directors and actors is there, it’s just that sometimes there are political and economic problems. I like Alice very much – she’s very natural, very direct, very human and very private. I like that very much.</p>](/_next/image?url=%2Fassets%2Fimg%2Fmonica-bellucci-interview01.jpg&w=3840&q=75&dpl=dpl_6dd3m2jn8Rr2zUXLeeEqhweB3PBE)
High-profile American films include the Matrix sequels, Shoot ’Em Up and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ; Bellucci is also increasingly active in TV projects such as the 2017 series of Twin Peaks and the latest series of French sitcom Dix pour Cent, in which she plays herself. She’ll next be seen in Israeli director Eran Riklis’s upcoming spy thriller Spider in the Web, in which Sir Ben Kingsley will be co-starring.
What’s it like working with Emir Kusturica?
How is he different from other directors?
He’s interesting because he does so many things … he’s a director, a writer, an actor, a musician. In his way of working, he’s a bit like Fellini. It’s another way of making movies – everything is about the light.
The sun has to be right … everything can change, so the script is more like a base. But it was very interesting to be in this movie because it was a special atmosphere; this land I was in was beautiful but also very sad. I think Kusturica makes movies where there is duality between fantasy and pain, fantasy and reality.
This is one of the most interesting parts of his world, and that’s why I approached this project from its human and artistic point of view, never a political one. The film is interesting because it’s a love story between two adults, and it proves that love and sexuality are a matter of energy and not age: we see two people that aren’t young any more but the moment they meet, something beautiful and magical happens. I got acquainted with [Kusturica’s] work through Time of the Gypsies.
I saw it a long, long time ago – it was a really amazing work. In every movie he does, even when the stories are different, he comes back to his subject of fantasy and reality: it’s as if he’s in some way trying to escape the pain of his country through the dream. In his films there is violence, but at the same time there are moments of ecstasy.
What were the positives and negatives of acting on such a small-scale, parochial film?
No negativity at all. And I’m happy there are good Italian directors like Alice Rohrwacher, [Matteo] Garrone, [Paolo] Sorrentino, [Luca] Guadagnino – it’s amazing to see the possibility to come out of [Italy] and make an international career. Because we were very stuck with Fellini, Rossellini, Visconti, De Sica, which was great, but it’s beautiful to see this new generation of young, talented directors coming out.
The talent of directors and actors is there, it’s just that sometimes there are political and economic problems. I like Alice very much – she’s very natural, very direct, very human and very private. I like that very much.
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Comments (2)
I just wanna say, that Monica is the best ever female celebrity, I know. Wish you a very Happy and successful life. And the reason that makes me feel a really proud fan of "Monica", is that I have the same date of birth as my Superstar ❤️
Without any doubt, Monica is the best ever celebrity and offcourse the best female superstar for me. Its my wish to you Mam, that may you be blessed with all the success and happiness in your personal as well as the professional life, and be protected from the evil eye forever. The one major reason that made me a proud fan of you is that, I have the same date of birth as my Super Hero "Monica" Lots of love and respect to Signora Monica <3