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Destination Paradise with Alessio D’Ortenzi
written + interview CHIDOZIE OBASI
Alessio D’Ortenzi is the kind of person you just want to keep talking to, which is probably why our conversation ends up going over the amount of time planned. He’s chatty, funny and has plenty to say about the highs, lows of becoming an actor, his determination to make it outside of his native city in Italy and all the things that inform his work, from his inmost drive to the power of discernment, which he even offers to send me a list of. That openness is fitting for an artist whose debut role and freshness is about letting all the layers fall away. There’s also something very matter-of-fact about the way D’Ortenzi talks about his career.
He decided she wanted to make movies, so he’s hitting the screens. He felt he needed to leave his routine, so he left and went to Rome. He wanted to make the right connections, so he enrolled in one of Milan’s most famed acting academies and got a spot. There doesn’t seem to have been much room for a Plan B. “I focused full-time on fashion from 2018 until a few months ago, and it was one of the best choices I've ever made because wanted to leave home,” D’Ortenzi opines to LE MILE’s Fashion Market Director, Chidozie Obasi, when they begin to settle into conversation. “Creativity had a huge positive impact on me, as fast forward a few years I landed my first job with Dolce&Gabbana, and I began thinking I could really invest in this career,” he shares. “I connected with different cultures and people that broadened my horizons in an extraordinary way,” he adds. Below, the model-turned-actor unpacks early stints, influences and hopes. You’re welcome.
Alessio wears shirts by CANALI and TOD’S, trousers by QUARTO ATTO and a tie by TAGLIATORE
Chidozie Obasi
Thank you for being with us, Alessio. I’m curious to learn what made you pivot from your Economics undergraduate to a path in the creative sphere. Mind sharing with us?
Alessio D’Ortenzi
Fashion gave me a lot from a career perspective, I rediscovered myself through it a little, but acting rebuilt my passion for the creative industry. I poured my heart into this day and night because it was something I longed for. I spent three years at Accademia09, undertaking various courses. Until then, at the end of multiple paths, I was able to crown my biggest feat of working in the film industry with my first project titled Il Paradiso della Signore. I was lucky enough to take on this huge role because it’s a series that’s already been around for years with a solid fan base that’s also loyal. At the time, I thought it was a niche product, but then I discovered that it was also followed by an older and younger demographic. So far, after six months of filming, I’ve learned a lot and I really managed to understand what it meant to be an actor. There are a lot of dynamics; it’s like working with a big family. You find yourself in contact with a lot of people with the same goal, therefore one helps the other. I was lucky enough to work with experienced actors, and from them you can always steal something special in these spaces, so it’s a continuous learning curve.
Let’s rewind and go back in time: what really pushed you to enter these realms, and could you touch on any influences that drove this desire?
I started the fashion route with my brother, and when planning the first month in Milan we visited the city together. I have to say that it was very interesting, and that I owe him this initial experience. Without him, I don’t know if I would have never been able to take this step because he pushed me. I was very sceptical, but he convinced me. The nice thing is that with him we have a beautiful relationship. He’s only two years older, so as soon as I have time, I travel with him as he’s a flight attendant.
What was your most formative experience?
Certainly the Academy and the world of performances, theatre and cinema, gave me precious skills. In cinema, precisely in the Academy, I had emotional support, so I started to gain more confidence in myself and to try out being acquainted with scripts. While learning, you also overcome other people’s judgments, because it’s a way in which you totally open up to your peers. You have to be gentle, which is often difficult to have without fearing the judgement of others. In fashion, I learned through relationships and contacts with people from different cultures or different clients, embracing how to adapt wherever you are.
Then, speaking of the politics of rejection, how do you tackle it?
I’ve always been a person who welcomes what comes and always tries to learn also from the no's and from mistakes. And I never try to find motivation or blame myself because, after a while, you learn that there are various reasons why things can go a certain way. I’m convinced that if a person really believes in what he does and puts passion into it, there must be a reward sooner or later. It’s what happened to me as well.
Meanwhile, what motivates you besides acting and fashion?
I’ve tried all kinds of sports. Also, being in touch with nature is a positive feeling. That, as well as my other great passion, is music. I’ve always sung in an amateur way. In fact, when I was a kid, I played the piano for two years and I’ve also learned to play the guitar.
Lastly, what advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?
Do what you want, experiment, don’t look back, you are young. I wouldn’t throw you down for a no. You’ll gain security little by little. There’s still a long way to go. Don’t judge others, don’t think about what others want for you. It’s never too late. The important thing is to take care of yourself.
Alessio wears long-sleeved tops by LABO.ART and EXTREME CASHMERE, trousers by SETCHU and shoes by BEPOSITIVE
Alessio wears a top by ZONA20 and trousers by QUARTO ATTO
talent ALESSIO D’ORTENZI via INDEPENDENT MODELS
photographer ANTONIO CROTTI
fashion market director + stylist CHIDOZIE OBASI
head of production JESSICA LOVATO
contributing fashion editor EDWARD PUSCA
fashion coordinator FILIPPO CANCELLIER
make up GIULIA MATARAZZO via STUDIO REPOSSI
hair GIOVANNI ERROI via THE GREEN APPLE ITALIA
fashion assistants ISABELLA RUIZZ + SIMONA VERNAZZA + AURORA TOMASELLI + ANNA LAMASTRA + EMMA DE GUARDA + GIUSEPPE MUSSO + LETICIA SALVIONI + SEBASTIAN TOMMY SINANI QUISPE + ELISA RISPETTOSO
credits
all Images (c) LE MILE
and Antonio Crotti