Nobody, not even his mother, recognized Pierfrancesco Favino in his first Hollywood role: a cameo as Christopher Columbus in “Night at the Museum.”
But the 35-year-old Rome native has followed up with a meatier part in another Yank pic, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” as Lord Glozelle — a general on horseback whom Favino calls a “bad guy with a conscience.” This time, could international notice be far behind?
“Of course I care about visibility,” says Favino, “but I’ve never been that hungry for popularity.”
While Favino is still waiting to land a proper lead on either side of the Pond, playing Glozelle in “Narnia” is “really a gift,” he says.
“The thing about this type of (Hollywood) production is that — unlike Italian films I’ve done before — if you have a scene in which you’re on a horse, you prepare by riding for two months.”
But that doesn’t mean Favino is indiscriminate when it comes to big-budget Hollywood endeavors.
“I’ve had several offers from the U.S. to play stereotypical ‘pizza and mandolin’ Italians,” he says, “but I had to turn them down. I just can’t.”
Read the rest at Variety.com