REBECCA
ANNA: What are some fundamental values for the young woman you are at this point in your life?
REBECCA: Definitely never settling, never expecting anyone to do things for me. I’ve learned this a lot from the women in my family, I also consider myself quite resilient. I’ve faced several setbacks, but even when I’ve suffered, I’ve never let myself dwell in sadness. I’ve always found a way to turn it into growth.
A: Can you give me some examples?
R: A significant part of my resilience comes from gender-related issues, whether it’s through student or community activism, participating in marches, protests, and demonstrations, or in my everyday life. I’m also very determined when it comes to my biggest ambition: I want to become an actress, and it’s not an easy career. My journey began in a rather painful way because it started with an experience of abuse, but I’m moving forward because I truly believe in it, I’m giving it everything I’ve got.
A: Do you find that same resilience in your peers?
R: Definitely, although it depends on the context. For instance, I see people today being much more aware than they were years ago, they speak out loudly about important issues. But, you know, sometimes we all feel overwhelmed by problems handled by people much more powerful than us, and it’s tough. We just want to build our lives; we want to survive.
A: Tell me about your sense of freedom.
R: From a young age, both my sister and I were taught to be “Autonomous and independent” it was a mantra my mom would always repeat. I remember learning how to ride a bike so I could go to school on my own and that’s where my sense of freedom was born. Sometimes, I even joke that I’m too dependent on my independence because it’s something I never want to give up.
A: Why acting?
R: It’s a passion passed down to me by my father, who is the artistic director of a theater company. I’ve been acting forever, and in a more concrete sense, as soon as I earned my first paychecks, I gained the freedom to enroll in acting courses and schools.
My first audition experience was negative because it turned out to be a scam, and it really demoralized me, I felt completely lost. But, as I mentioned earlier, I pushed forward, the experiences that followed were
positive. I met professionals, worked on my weaknesses, and came to understand that this is a never-ending journey.
There’s an immense beauty in acting that I struggle to find elsewhere.
A: Do you think you can build a career as an actress in Italy?
R: In Italy, as elsewhere, all artistic fields are challenging, there’s no clear path. In Italy, in particular, funding for both education and artistic institutions is often cut. For example, the Paolo Grassi School, the most famous theater school in Italy will likely be shut down because they’ve decided to allocate funds elsewhere.
That said, the Italian film industry isn’t stagnant; good films are still being made, and I hope to be part of that world in the future. At the same time, I’m also very inspired by the idea of going abroad, who knows what might happen?
A: What kind of person do you want to be?
R: I never want to lose my sensitive and altruistic side. I want to remain someone who never stops asking questions, who is open to conversations and self-reflection, at the same time, I’d like to learn to protect myself more, to always take care of myself.