2023-09-02 09:47:04
There are many more proposals to act that Giovanni Ciccia Ridella (Lima, 1971) rejected, than those he accepted in his almost three decades of artistic career. The person in charge of iconic roles, such as the elusive criminal ‘Django’ -perhaps his most eternal character- or the despot Diego Montalbán from “Al fondo hay sitio”, only admits roles that really move him or have something to say or denounce.
“I rejected theater, film and television proposals because I have to find something for him that as a director, producer or actor moves me or hooks me. It goes beyond an economic issue. There must be something I need to say or that is important for me to share. They can offer me the most spectacular or juiciest thing in the world, financially speaking, but if it’s not my turn, it’s going to be hard for me to do it. There has to be an artistic connection, otherwise it’s not going to work out for me. Once, while in a project, I had to apologize and retire, because I didn’t feel comfortable”, says one of the most outstanding Peruvian actors in recent years and winner of the 2022 Luces Award for Best TV Actor.
EC – Giovanni Ciccia
He debuted acting on stage, in “Tartuffe” (1993), an adaptation of Molière’s classic. She was 23 years old. He then made “The King of Sodoma”, “The Great Magic”, “Seventh Heaven” with Alberto Ísola, among other stagings.
Giovanni Ciccia masterfully interprets Diego Montalbán in the most watched series on Peruvian television, “Al fondo hay sitio”. (Photo: Julio Reano)
How do you get to the movies?
I came through the theater, because a good friend, Ricardo Velásquez, a notable actor, was doing the casting for the film “Don’t tell anyone” (1998) by Francisco Lombardi. They already had all the actors. The only thing missing was the character of Alfonso Córdova, a crazy, coquero and bisexual boy who gets involved with the character of Santiago Magill. Since I was too old for that role (he was 26 years old), I had to lose weight, cut my hair and change my look. I lost more than 6 kilos. In the end they chose me.
─He was a controversial character for the time, who came with praise and criticism. How did you face them?
Luckily he didn’t grab me so small. I faced them with pride and joy. I don’t remember feeling bad because of some ugly comment, even though horrible things were yelled at me on the street.
─What did they tell you?
Coquero, drug addict, waste of man, disgusting. People often confuse the character with the actor. A relative even said that he was immoral because in the movie he passionately kissed me with another man.
─And what did your parents say?
My mom is a person who reads a lot, she knew Bayly’s novel. She knew where it was going. She was happy. My dad wasn’t very amused when his son exposed herself naked, kissing another man. But that was not my first daring role. It was in the play “The King of Sodom.” From my beginnings I profiled myself as an actor who made characters that might surprise.
─With “Tinta Roja” came your first leading role.
Exactly. And I got a little more nervous because Alfonso Fernández appeared in all the scenes. It was a very daring film, it had extremely harsh language. In Spain they censored it, they took several minutes from it.
What part was censored?
It was one of the narrations of Saúl Faúndez, the character of Gianfranco Brero who says very strong things.
─To build Alfonso you accompanied police journalists and photojournalists to their daily coverage. How was that experience?
The photographer Pantera (Alejandro Rojas) showed me how he took photos of the bloodiest scenes. It was a great learning. To make a character I always do research beforehand, I try to dress as what the character does. Like when I did “The Gospel of the Flesh”, some friends from the Villa El Salvador police station allowed us to spend a few days with them to see how everything worked. We dress up as policemen. When the criminals recognized us we played crazy. That way, you learn a lot.
─In 2002 you starred in “Django: the other side”. Is it true that some did not agree to give you the main role?
My great friend Gustavo Sánchez, who had this project, liked my work very much. But I know that he had discussions with the team, with the director (Ricardo Velásquez). They told him: “How a white boy, from San Borja, is going to be a delinquent from Callao.” But Gustavo bet on me because he had faith that I might do well.
─You assumed a great responsibility.
And I did the best I might. Until then, “Don’t tell anyone” and “Red ink” belonged in my environment, but Django didn’t. In order to get into a skin totally far from me, I had to meet Oswaldo (a criminal who inspired the film). It was a real challenge. Fifteen years later I had my first child as a film producer, which is “Django: blood of my blood” (2018). Then came “Django: In the Name of the Son” (2019). It was one of the most beautiful things that has happened to me and for which I am most grateful. Django grew up with me. We grew old together.
─Which movie in the saga is your favourite?
I like the second a lot because there is a very human family drama, regarding a man who wants to get his life back, his family. However, the first one is very loved by people because the script is fantastic. He has a great amount of Peruvian in his dialogues, in the Creole, the moth and the Peruvian pendejada that people celebrate a lot.
─It is also the most remembered for the scene on the roof.
“Django” is 90 minutes long and people celebrate a 45-second scene of two actors having sex to support the whole love triangle story, which for me falls way short of the rest of the movie. I’m not happy that she’s remembered specifically for that scene because I think there’s much more interesting work beyond that.
─What is the best scene of your career?
The scene of the procession in “The Gospel of the Flesh”, when my character (the policeman Vicente Gamarra) carrying his wife Julia (Jimena Lindo) tries to reach the image of the Lord of Miracles. It was a royal procession, in October. It was a fantastic scene that I also remember as a huge daring on our part. Many believed that he really was a desperate man trying to save his woman.
─How long did it take you to record that scene?
From 6 am to noon, and always carrying Jimena. I ended up with costochondritis, with inflammation (of the cartilage that connects a rib to the sternum) that left me half paralyzed for six months. It’s that I have a badly made body (laughs). I have huge double scoliosis. My spine always makes me suffer. Physical exertion is not recommended for me. Despite everything, I am proud to know that I was part of that terribly Peruvian film in which there is no salvation for anyone. It is very sad, very hard. Talk regarding human misery. When we finished recording it, I hugged Eduardo (Mendoza de Echave, director) and said to him: “Why have you made such a beautifully ugly movie?”
─At that time you received the proposal to play Diego Montalbán in the third season of “Al fondo hay sitio”. Why do you think your character didn’t thrive back then?
I went in with a lot of desire, but with little time. Since I was doing film and theater, I had no free space to record. I became a problem for the production. I was sorry when the series ended in 2016. I thought it had been the end, until, in March 2021, coming out of a horrific pandemic that left us all beaten, Gigio Aranda called me to tell me that “there is room in the background He came back and he wanted to count on me. I said yes immediately.
─And they gave another dimension to your character. From being Miguel Ignacio’s friend, he became the head of the Maldini family.
Although now he has been kicked out of his house, but I have faith that he will get his family back because he loves them deeply. He is in love with Francesca, and I am also in love with Yvonne. She is the best actress that exists in this country.
─Diego Montalbán should be one of the most hated characters for his wickedness, but he is one of the most loved and most relevant of the current stage of “Al fondo hay sitio”. What is his success?
I think he won the affection of the public because he has his funny side, although he represents a very tough and toxic sector of society. But I also think that many recognize me for all my work. Even for my music, which is like underground. Chabelos is not on radio or television, but he has a large audience.
─What was it like to create “Más triste que la mi….”, a song that you did in homage to Kenneth Quiroz? Did it stir up a lot of feelings?
It was a catharsis, I needed to do that song. I had lost my friend, my partner, my partner. We were making music and suddenly everything disappeared. Ricardo Mendez and Mapache supported me to do it. We gave it a rock and very raw tone. So, a very desperate and painful song remained. We played it for the first year and we won’t play it anymore. We no longer want to be sad or cry. We want to celebrate that he was with us, remember him and spread the word regarding what we did together. In our new album for the 20th anniversary of Chabelos (“With the eggs hanging”) we will take out some things that were pending.
─When does the new album come out?
I hope by the end of the year. It will have 14 themes. It is being produced by Diego Dibós. It has very current, political, critical and humorous songs.
─Is it true that you will be the next to launch yourself into the public during a Chabelos concert?
(Laughs) I mightn’t do it because of my scoliosis. Sergio is the one who does it, but what happened last time was overstated. It was something totally unexpected. They didn’t catch it because it wasn’t something prepared. It was not as stated, that they did not want to catch him.
How do you define this stage of your life?
It is intense, requires a lot of work and growth at all levels: maturity and also aging.
─ Does the passing of the years scare you?
I’m not afraid of time passing because it’s the only way for things to happen. Losing faculties and health is something I can fear.
Giovanni Ciccia won the 2022 Luces Award for Best TV Actor for “Al fondo hay sitio”. (Photo: Julio Reano)
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