Among the various encounters I’ve had with figures from the world of entertainment, I had the pleasure of meeting an artist truly remarkable for his uniqueness.
Lorenzo Balducci embarked on his journey in the arts at the age of fourteen, dedicating himself to acting. In 2001, he shone on stage in the leading role of “Romeo and Juliet” alongside actress Myriam Catania, under the direction of Claudio Boccaccini. However, it’s on the big screen that he solidified his presence, making his debut with the film “The Knights Who Made the Enterprise” (2001) directed by Pupi Avati, followed by “The Heart Elsewhere” (2003).
His career has unfolded between cinema, television, and even music, appearing in the music video for “Telecomando” (2002) by Matteo Bassi. TV series such as “Days of the Lion” (2002) and “The Good Pope” (2003) highlighted his talent under the guidance of renowned directors like Francesco Barilli and Ricky Tognazzi.
Lorenzo has become a familiar face in cinema with films like “What Fault Is It of Ours” (2003), “Three Meters Above the Sky” (2004), and “Gas” (2005). In 2007, he stood out with titles such as “Last Minute Morocco,” “The Witnesses,” and “The Black Sun.” In 2009, he showcased his versatility with films like “Two Lives by Chance,” “I, Don Giovanni,” and “There’s Enough for Everyone.”
In addition to his cinematic successes, Lorenzo has brought his international talent to projects like “31 Days” in Mexico and “Falling Star – Estel fugaç” in Spain. He also made his directorial debut in 2022 with the music video for the single “Per dirsi mai” by electro-pop violinist H.E.R.
His commitment to LGBTQ+ rights has been evident since his coming out in 2012 in Il Venerdì di Repubblica, becoming an outspoken advocate for the community ever since. He served as a judge at the Turin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in 2015 and the Florence Queer Festival in 2023.
His career continues to shine with TV series like “Just for Love” (2015) and “Medici: Masters of Florence” (2016), and films like “In Search of Fellini” (2017). In 2024, in addition to starring in the third season of “Doc – In Your Hands,” he debuted with his stand-up comedy show “E.G.O. – The Art of Happiness.”
Lorenzo Balducci’s life is a story of artistic success and social commitment, uniting his talent with contemporary challenges.
Let’s delve deeper into his personality and artistic abilities.
- What was your first experience in the arts and how did you decide to take up acting?
My first experience in the art world was an acting course I took when I was 14, for three years. As a child I often played alone or with friends, inventing stories, playing characters from fantastic worlds, making videos with my parents’ camera. I felt I wanted to express myself through acting, despite my shyness. Often the stories I told represented a fantasy universe, the art was pure fantasy in my eyes. At 14, I knew I wanted to be an actor and my mother advised me to attend a theatre workshop. That was the beginning of everything. There I had the confirmation: acting made me happy.
- Can you tell us about your experience in your theatrical debut with ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in 2001 and how it influenced your career?
It was my first real theatre work, I have a beautiful memory of working with Claudio and Miriam, I was 19 years old and I felt like I was living an experience that was bigger than me, as if I was not up to it. But it was beautiful, I remember feeling a strong affection towards the whole cast, I considered them family at that time, I felt protected. Participating in that project made me feel more adult for the first time.
- How was your film debut with ‘The Knights Who Did the Deed’ in 2001, and how did you cope with this transition from theatre to the big screen?
It was a very short experience, one day on set, I was totally fascinated by the ‘machine’ of cinema. Seeing how a set worked, admiring Pupi Avati at work, I was terrified, happy, it was what I had always wanted, I wanted to make cinema, to work in front of the camera. The transition from theatre to cinema is only a matter of technique, the essence of the work of finding the truth remains the same.
- You have worked with renowned directors such as Carlo verdone, Alessandro Aronadio, and Gianluca Maria Tavarelli. What has been your experience working with these leading figures?
They are directors I admire and who have marked my path. Alessandro Aronadio is also a friend and playing the protagonist in his debut film was a unique experience that I would repeat a thousand times. Working with Verdone was a real honour, seeing him in action as a director is wonderful, I was fascinated by his seriousness and absolute precision in everything he did. Tavarelli is a great director, very nice, and he directed me in one of the projects I am most attached to, ‘Le cose che restano’. I will never forget that set, that character, that crew.
- Among the many films you have starred in, is there a film or TV series that you feel has had a particular impact on your artistic growth?
If I had to choose among the most important ones, I would say ‘Gas’, the debut feature by Luciano Melchionna, which was my first film as a protagonist. I was 21 years old and I was playing a highly dramatic character, at the centre of a real tragedy. I felt really grateful for the work experience I was having, it was my first complete artistic experience, exactly as I wanted it. Luciano Melchionna, with whom I later worked in the theatre, was wonderful in directing all of us actors in the cast. A big family had formed again.
- How did you approach your return to the big screen in 2009 with three films and what challenges did you have to overcome during this period of your career?
That was probably the most intense year in terms of work. Three projects I loved, three characters I am very fond of, three dramatic stories. As someone who tends to be hyperactive, I like the idea of having to untangle a thousand commitments. It was a very good period, perhaps the high point of the first part of my career. The difficulties, the obstacles, I experienced later, but I discovered another part of me, as a person and as an artist. From 2012, for eight years, I worked very often as a waiter, while I continued to be an actor, but less frequently. It was the most formative experience of my life.
- You have experienced the international sphere with works such as ’31 días’ and ‘Stella cadente – Estel fugaç’. What has been your perspective and challenge in approaching international projects?
Travelling while working is the biggest dream. I love Spain, I love the Spanish language. Acting in Spanish for me was a dream, meeting Carlos Saura on the set of ‘I, Don Juan’ taught me so much. The set of ‘Stella Cadente’ was wonderful, I was acting in Castilian while almost all the cast was acting in Catalan. “31 Dìas” was filmed in Mexico. Working immersed in Mexican culture was a dream. The film was a romantic comedy with an American style, I felt that when you are abroad your body and mind ask more of you, because you want to live up to the situation, and this gives me a greater dose of energy in the work.
- Your commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community is evident. How has it influenced your career and what challenges have you faced in becoming an assertive gay rights advocate?
It has definitely influenced my life because since I came out publicly, I have felt free, transparent, unfiltered, and this has helped my work, my work choices, but above all my life. I’ve always felt like a supporter of my community, I think it’s fundamental to put your face out there, each in their own way, but not to back down, and to continue every single day what is celebrated and manifested during Gay Pride.
- How did you approach the third season of ‘Doc – In Your Hands’ and what can we expect from your new stand-up comedy show, ‘E.G.O. – The Art of Happiness’?
Doc’s set was a short but very intense experience. It’s not easy to enter such an environment that has been tried and tested for years and try to perform to the best of your ability in a very short time. I really loved the dynamic work of the director. You have the impression of being on a rollercoaster that never stops, it’s really stimulating. And it’s definitely exciting to be surrounded by a stellar cast, I have a really good memory of it. As for E.G.O., we debuted on 1 March in Modena and then continued between North and South. This is the third theatre project I am taking part in with Mariano Lamberti and Riccardo Pechini, who are the authors of the text. This time the theme is death, in a comic key, but above all all all those things one does in life to exorcise it. It is a merciless, funny monologue that offers various food for thought.
- How do you balance artistic success with your social commitment? What are your future aspirations in your career and activism?
For me, the only form of success is the luck of being able to do in life what one loves. Today I am lucky enough to live the life I want in the artistic field. I would like to be able to write for the theatre, because I have never done that before. I would like to bring the characters I bring to life on social media, on a stage. As for activism, I have never really felt like an activist, but as we said before an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, and I always will be.
- You have a very active social presence. How do you manage the balance between your online and offline life?
Certainly, the use of social media is addictive, some more, some less. If social media becomes your job, the risk of that addiction becomes greater. Basically, I use social to tell the world of surreal characters, that’s my priority, private life has little presence on my Instagram. I prefer it. It has happened to me to share moments of my life on social or through interviews, but they are precise choices, born from the pleasure or the need to share something personal.
- What are your goals and motivations about interacting on social platforms? What is the main message you want to convey?
The main goal is to unleash my creativity, to be able to tell my world in my own way, without any compromise. This is a great freedom, to be consistent with one’s own artistic style. There is no precise message I want to convey; I don’t really like messages. I prefer suggestions, food for thought, or more simply to shock the audience. But with meaning, never in a way that is an end in itself.
- Thank you for this interview. What could be your ‘slogan’?
Thank you. I don’t think I have a real slogan. When I was a child, I heard many times ‘freedom is the respect of rules’. And I always said no, I was against the rules. In time I transgressed these rules too much, damaging myself and sometimes others. Today I would like to learn to respect them more.
