Fabio De Luigi on Cinema, Sanremo, and His Career
Fabio De Luigi, currently starring in “Un bel giorno” (A Beautiful Day), recently appeared on Gianluca Gazzoli’s podcast, BSMT, discussing his latest film, his experiences at the Sanremo Music Festival, and his career trajectory. The interview, conducted at the Oz Multiplex in Brescia, offered insights into his comedic approach, early career beginnings, and thoughts on the Italian entertainment landscape.
Sanremo and the Pressure of Comedy
De Luigi admitted to feeling apprehensive about participating in the Sanremo Music Festival, despite being a longtime viewer. He explained, “Sanremo scares me a lot – I remain admired by that television machine that moves and I have said no a few times to some invitations: I was pissed off, despite being a historical spectator of that programme.” He acknowledged the legacy of performers like Roberto Benigni, stating, “When the comedian arrives you have Benigni’s overwhelming 20 minutes in mind, but you feel that legacy there: for those who do our job it’s a very difficult stage.” He and Virginia Raffaele appeared at Sanremo to promote “Un bel giorno,” which he described as a different experience with less personal pressure.
De Luigi also reflected on the challenges of comedy, noting, “Making comedies is complicated because you have to make normal things that happen in everyday life captivating. It seems easy but it isn’t.” He described the vulnerability inherent in the profession, stating, “You are authorized to do anything to make people laugh, but if you don’t succeed you feel like an idiot and that thing hurts.”
Early Career and Breakthroughs
De Luigi recounted his early career beginnings in Santarcangelo, participating in a competition for emerging young performers in Bologna. Inspired by Daniele Luttazzi, a friend who had previously competed, he submitted an autobiographical piece and reached the final round. While he didn’t win, placing fourth, he was subsequently discovered by Gino and Michele, who invited him to perform at Zelig. This led to a steady stream of work, balancing comedy with a semi-professional baseball career in Serie A1 with Rimini.
“Mai Dire Gol” and Character Development
His breakthrough came with “Mai dire gol,” where he joined a generational shift alongside Crozza and Dighero. He shared how he was initially brought onto the show to avoid being considered for a program hosted by Dandini. He developed popular characters like Bastilani and Fabius, the latter created due to a require for a quick, fast-paced character. He credited his hairdresser with suggesting the name “Olmo” for a character, which later led to collaborations with artists like Giorgia and Jovanotti, and even a record that sold 250,000 copies.
Transition to Cinema and the “Zalone Effect”
De Luigi expressed a desire to evolve beyond his established characters, leading him to pursue roles in cinema and theatre. He acknowledged the impact of Luca Medici (Checco Zalone)’s success on the Italian film industry, stating, “The success of Luca reverberates on everyone, because trust returns in the relationship between the public and the theater in Italian films: it moves a lot, the Zalone wave is decent for everyone.”
He also noted the difference in media landscape, remarking on the limited impact of social media during his early fame, relying primarily on television ratings as a measure of success.