Alice Lussiana Parente is an artist who has made contamination between languages his own distinctive figure. Actress, performer, passionate about painting, sculpture, music and dance, the Turinese transplanted to New York for twelve years has retraced its history to the microphones of New York, guest of the podcast Portraits.
A story that passes through artistic experiences, decisive encounters and the deep bond with the city that today considers home.
During the interview, Parente explained how his relationship with art deepens the roots in childhood. Grown up in a family where creativity was part of everyday life, thanks to her mother painter and teacher of artistic disciplines, she has developed since childhood a sensibility towards different forms of expression.
“I think I was very lucky because I was born immersed in art and beauty. My mother is a painter and teacher of painting disciplines in high school, so I grew up seeing her paint. I think this dimension has entered my heart since childhood.”.
For her the various artistic disciplines have never been stagnant compartments but complementary elements of a single training: “Dance, movement and music continue to be part of me and I think they make an artist more complete.”.
The actress then recalled one of the key moments of her professional growth: the meeting with British director Peter Greenaway. He was only 16 years old when he supported his first audition for a project at the Venaria Palace.
An experience that left her a profound sign: “He gave me so much. First of all it was my first true professional experience, but emotionally it is difficult to explain the gratitude I feel towards a teacher like Peter Greenaway”.
Still today perfectly remembers that first day on the set and the most important lesson received: “I understood that I could do this job and above all I learned a fundamental lesson: to make art not enough love, it serves dedication. We must work hard and have discipline”.
Another decisive encounter was that with Gigi Proietti, who chose it for the role of Annika in the Pippi Calzelunghe show. Rethinking at that time, Alice Lussiana Parente stressed above all the rigour and passion of the great Roman actor and director. “What I have left is his absolute love for the craft of the actor, for acting as a craft”.
An experience that lasted two years and that allowed her to observe closely a teacher able to personally follow each stage of the scenic work: “He was an extremely present person, he followed every stage of work.”.
The next passage of his life was what brought her overseas. Twelve years ago she arrived in New York with the idea of stopping only for a few months, but that temporary project soon became a choice of life: «I had grown up with the myth of this city, of Marlon Brando, of Robert De Niro and of the great American cinema».
The turning point came thanks to the possibility, casual but illuminating, to enter the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, one of the most prestigious acting schools in the United States: “My initial idea was to stay in New York only three months to attend a summer course,” he explained. After admission, however, she obtained a form of scholarship that allowed her to attend the academy, so she made the decision that she would change her life and her professional path: «I returned to Italy to prepare and then left. That trip is never over. I’m still here.”.
New York, however, was not only opportunities and professional growth. The actress also told the most difficult side of American experience, made of loneliness and adaptation. “If I have to choose the most difficult moment, I would say the first month. It was a very cold winter, I was alone and I didn’t know anyone. Loneliness was the biggest challenge,” he confessed.
Yet that phase has proved fundamental to its personal growth: “That’s where something took in me. I think it happens to a lot of people coming to New York. You live a moment when you feel lost, you want to go home and you don’t know what direction will take your life.” The answer came thanks to the school and the relationships built over time: «I built my New York community. The success stories, difficulties, personal growth I met along the way have enriched me and made me understand that I wanted to stay in this city».
Among the professional satisfactions gained in the United States, a special place is occupied by the Golden Film Awards received in Los Angeles as the best emerging actress. A recognition that for Alice Lussiana Parente represented much more than just a prize. “Receiving that award was a great confirmation. It was my first recognition in the United States and it came right into the heart of Hollywood.”.
It still holds a vivid memory of the return journey: «The prize was glass and during the flight to New York I kept it as a treasure». An episode that sums up the enthusiasm and gratitude with which every milestone has reached.
In the dialogue during the podcast, a reflection on time and artistic maturity emerged. At 35, Parente looks to the future with serenity and without fears related to age. «I am proud of every year that I have lived and I would not take even one». A particularly significant message in an area such as entertainment, where actresses often compare with stereotypes and age-related pressures: «I hope to continue to be proud of every year that passes and to live this growth as a wealth».
One of the projects that await her in the coming months is the docufilm dedicated to the birth of the New Yorker, in which she will play the role of Chiara. An adventure that the actress looks enthusiastically but also with the respect she feeds on every character: “I don’t know how much I chose the character and how much the character chose me. I like to think it was Chiara who chose me.” For Alice Lussiana Parente the value of the work lies also in the fact that she tells New York through a story born in the city itself: “To me tell New York through a story born in New York, that loves New York and that tells it every day, is a huge emotion”.
Finally, the actress stressed the value of the dialogue between journalism and cinema, a central element of the project. “I believe that communication between different languages is something very valuable”. A concept that recalls his own artistic experience, built on the encounter between different disciplines.
L’articolo Alice Lussiana Parente, the protagonist of the film de ilNewyorkese proviene da IlNewyorkese.
