Simone Liberati has always had a strong desire to tell stories, almost a necessity. A passion that he has had since he was a child and which he has tenaciously followed as an adult. He left his hometown, Ciampino, in 2011 and moved to Rome. There he attended Gian Maria Volonté School of Cinematographic Art, which trained and educated much of the new generation of actors on the small and large screen.
Liberati’s career took off. His film debut was a starring role in the film ‘Pure Hearts,’ premiered at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs section of the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. His name became hot in the industry, and soon other important occasions arrived. In 2014 he returned to the cinema with Suburra, a film directed by Stefano Sollima, as the right-hand man of Numero 8, played by Alessandro Borghi. A few years later came La profezia dell’armadillo, a project that brought the colourful world of Zerocalcare to the cinema long before the advent on Netflix of Tear Along the Dotted Line and later of This World Can’t Tear Me Down.
«An intense and melancholic path had ended. Now I can finally look beyond»
«We were also forerunners in introducing the animation part at the beginning and end of the film», says Simone, «that period marked a decisive watershed for me». An important but at the same time unusual project «that frightened its author and perhaps even some others. I just happened to see a few scenes of it recently and noted that time has made it even better. It seemed like a sweetly imperfect film then, today people who discover it through Zero’s animated series call it a cult film, and they’re right».
Years passed and the actor’s CV was enriched with further experiences. He ranges between cinema and television, from the mystery Petra alongside Paola Cortellesi to the starring role in Rai Uno’s fiction Chiamami ancora amore with Greta Scarano. In December 2021, he joined the cast of A casa tutti bene, a serial remake by Gabriele Muccino of the film of the same name he directed. For two seasons he played the role of Paolo Ristuccia, one of the children who starred in the family drama. «Paolo Ristuccia was the first character I worked on for a longer amount of time, about two and a half years», the actor revealed. «Many things happened in that period of time, from the audition with Gabriele to today; I’ve played other roles, but my professional orbit continued to gravitate around A casa tutti bene».
Talking about his journey in the Sky series, Simone comments on the conclusion of the second season. «Finishing the series was a bit abrupt, I wanted to see more of Paolo’s future, but at the same time, it was also a great relief. An intense and melancholic path had ended. Now I can finally look beyond».
«Honesty wins me over with a script»
Liberati is certain that Gabriele Muccino’s directing and artistic direction represent an important asset that he will also benefit from in future opportunities. «I will carry what I learned working with Muccino forever, a pure filmmaker, one who directs the actors, causing them to separate from the rational part of their brains, leaving only the most animalistic instincts to vibrate».
A trait d’union that distinguishes many of his experiences is the story of what happens within families. Normal stories that become extraordinary, great tormented loves that end with uncontrollable consequences. «That of the family is a recurring theme in my characters, it’s true. There’s always a familiar totem from which individual compromises and discomforts derive», he reflects. Simone adds, however, that it is difficult to bear the label of “family drama”. «It wants to reduce a dramaturgy to a “genre” that becomes powerful in the story of small key steps that are decisive in the formation of each of us. I think there is only growth if we have really come to terms with our families of origin, so in a way it relates a bit to everything», he firmly argues.
His lips are sealed when we ask about his projects shortly. There’s only one great certainty: the attention with which he chooses the clothes to wear and the scripts in which to apply his art. «I can only accept a role if I see a projection of my acting in the story», Liberati specifies, «my work must not be forced, I don’t feel compelled to make one film after another, I am not collecting figurines. I must be able to feel a belonging from the first reading. Honesty wins me over with a script».
Credits
Photographer Davide Musto
Stylist Stefania Sciortino
Grooming Chiara Crescenzi – @Simone Belli Agency
Photographer assistant Cristina Proietti Panatta
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