Big eyes and a good boy face.
When he tells about himself he is serious but he disarms you with jokes that he throws there almost naively. Although he is only 26 years old, he is a concrete young man. Self-critical and self-ironic and has many elements of the great character actor.
Family tradition, Domenico Pinelli grew up on “bread and theater”.
He is strongly linked to the Neapolitan tradition and he has a strong cultural identity.
After finishing high school he would have opted for studies in computer science and attended university but the magnetism of the theater prevailed.
His father, the actor Franco Pinelli, who has been also assistant director in some of Eduardo De Filippo’s plays, introduced him to the Maestro when he was still a child.
At that time, following his father ‘theatrical activity, Domenico was captivated by the charm of this world that was fantastic.
He has worked in many plays with his father and has also worked under the direction of directors such as G. Gallo, P. Favino and P. Sassanelli. His passion is so intense that he too has founded his own theater company.
In addition to being in the theater, Domenico has also made himself noticed on television and in the cinema.
Since 2013 he has been playing the character of carabiniere Zappavigna in the television series Don Matteo, starring Terence Hill, getting great success. His character is in fact quite popular and much loved by audience of any age.
Domenico debut in the cinema was by participating in the film “L’Oro di Scampia”, directed by Marco Pontecorvo, in which he plays Felice, a blind boy.
This was followed by other movies such as “Si Acceptano Miracoli” (Miracles are Accepted) by Alessandro Siani, “Noi e la Giulia” (The Giulia and us) by Edoardo Leo and, more recently, “I Fratelli De Filippo” (De Filippo Brothers) by Sergio Rubini.
The release of “I Fratelli De Filippo” was very successful. Domenico plays as Peppino De Filippo. He is the young Peppino, with his insecurities, his inner conflicts and the conflictual relationship with his brother. From his interpretation emerges a naturalness who gives authenticity to the character of the young Peppino. In addition, the young actor has discovered to have some things in common with him. So the result was easier to achieve.
Domenico has answered to some questions and gave us the opportunity to get to know him more closely.
IP – Can you describe your Napoli? –
DP – Napoli is a contradiction.
Eduardo De Filippo said: “Napoli is a curious country, an ancient theater that is always open”. And this is true. The most beautiful thing about Napoli is that, even today, Neapolitan people carry the signs of its history in the heart and on their face. Neapolitans daily experience what this magnificent city has been over the centuries. For better or worse. –
IP – Do You think that being born in Napoli has influenced your artistic talent in some way? –
DP – In Italy, from Milan to Syracuse, people say that “the Neapolitan has an edge”. I think that if you want to be an artist it’s lucky for you to be born here, but that’s obviously not enough. Without self-denial, without the constant search for self-awareness, without curiosity, talent it is worth less than zero. –
IP – What’s one of the first things you have learned from your father as an actor? –
DP – It’s not easy to answer. I started following my father over twenty years ago. I have seen a lot, I have listened a lot. Maybe the first most important thing I have learned (and which i still have to refine) is listening to the audience during my own performance on stage. –
IP – What does Tradition means to you? –
DP – Tradition is very important because if we know where we come from, then we understand better where we are directed, and the reason why we’re going there. By the way if we don’t like where we are going we can always change direction. –
IP – Can you talk about your own theater company? –
DP – Today, especially if you don’t have a good production behind you, you cannot survive working in the theater. And yet if I hadn’t “il Croco” (my theater company) I would not have survived in many circumstances of my life. Four years ago, me and my colleague friend Ciro Pauciullo decided to found our company to carry on our idea of theater which is clean, elegant and, at the same time, it is a simple and popular theater. Luckily people like our works, so we continue following this way. In February we debuted with our new comedy “London Pub”. –
IP – Can you tell about when you’ve got the role of Peppino De Filippo in “I Fratelli De Filippo” by director Rubini? –
DP – The emotion was undescribable. Peppino De Filippo was one of the greatest actors in Italy, as well as being part of the history of my city. I grew up watching his own and his brother’ films. Eduardo, Peppino and Titina De Filippo are the heaviest part of my cultural and spiritual baggage. Being one of them (even if it’s just pretending) is more than just a dream. It’s something i could never even dream of. And let’s not forget that being directed by an artist like Sergio, being flanked by extraordinary actors/human beings, participating in a huge production like this… I think it’s simply the best thing that could have happened to me! –
IP – Has your way of seeing Peppino changed? If so in which way? –
DP – Of course, my way of seeing Peppino changed. It changed because we really met on this path. Peppino allowed me to investigate his life, his ailments, his sufferings and his joys. I’ve lent him part of my obsessions, of my own ailments. I’ve known him better, but I’ve known also me better. All this, it must be said, could only happen thanks to the sensitivity of my director. –
IP – What do you expect as a man from Domenico as an actor? –
DP – My analyst says that my biggest problem is to make the man coinciding with the actor. The former doesn’t exist without the latter and vice versa. I don’t expect anything. I just hope that the actor gets rid of the man as soon as possible! –
IP – Would you leave your country to go to live and work abroad?-
DP – No, I wouldn’t. I love my country and i hope a day my love will return to me. If it won’t, i think i could rather change my job. I’m too lazy to re-start learning about living in another country, and i don’t like traveling. –
IP – What are your projects for this coming spring and/or Summer? –
DP – Theater. Then I hope that someone notices me and another good job arrives. Let’ see what happens! –
