Federica Sabatini
originally published in volume 12
Photography_ Alessandro Treves
Creative Direction & Styling_ Eleonora Gaspari
Make Up_ Claudia De Simone
Hair_ Cosimo Bellomo
Photography Assistant_ Jose Limbert
Stylists Assistant_ Linda Giacalone
Special Thanks_ Leon's Place, Urbanstar Roma, Woolcan, Next Agency
A Conversation with Federica Sabatini
Words_ Daniel Titchener
Portrait_ Alessandro Treves
Federica Sabatini is an actress, known for Where Water Comes Together with Other Water (2016), Suburra: Blood on Rome (2017) and Saremo giovani e bellissimi (2018).
Let's start at the beginning, what was your upbringing like; how did it shape you to be the person you are now?
How I was brought up shaped who I am today - I think this is the same for everyone. We are the result of our family and society's teachings, but the best part is that we can choose what we want from life, transform it, and then we can use it to create.
How did you get your first break in acting?
It all started when I was just a child and acting was already a dream of mine. When I became a teenager, my sisters helped turn my dream into reality by signing me up to an agency and helping me get my first acting job. I consider every new work experience as a new first break in acting. But, of course, my role as Nadia in Suburra was a major breakthrough for me.
Did you always aspire to be an actor?
Pretty much!
Can you talk about your approach to acting and how you immerse yourself in each character you portray?
Acting is a real source of freedom and joy for me and my soul. It's truly a blessing sometimes to be given the opportunity to live another life, even if just for a short period. I'm in love with this job because it allows me to study and better understand the complexities of human beings. For my characters, I always put a lot of effort in studying their psychology and emotional side. I try to get into the character as much as I can starting from studying the screenplay all the way to the actual body of the character.
I am especially interested in your portrayal of Nadia; can you talk about this and how you defined this role?
Nadia is like a wounded animal. She has nothing to lose apart from Aureliano, who is her only hope of survival, and she wants to redeem herself, to move on from her background. To do that, she needs power, and she works and fights for it.
What have been the biggest challenges you have had to overcome to get to where you are at this point in your career?
I think that the biggest challenge I have overcome in order to achieve what I want is often myself. I don't know, perhaps everyone is their own worst enemy!
How do you see your career progressing from where you are currently?
By keeping my feet firmly on the ground and entrusting myself to the hands of life and the universe -the rest will come.
Away from acting you also make art; can you tell us about this? How serious are you about your art and how far do you want to take it?
I like to paint and create; I don't know if I make art, but I have an artistic approach to all aspects of my life. It feeds my soul, which is what I care about more than anything else. I use what I can to transform my emotions, but I don't know how far it will go; I just try to stay in the present.
How does living in Rome inspire you? What are the best and worst things about the city?
Rome is such a fun and unique place; sacred and profane; light and dark; accepting and rejecting; unifying and divisive - all at the same time. You can constantly feel these dualities and the unity underneath. The city has dense energy, and it is the perfect place for me to live in and evolve.
Looking at 2021, what are your ambitions both professionally and personally?
Professionally, I have a few projects lined up that I'm really looking forward to starting and I will hopefully be able to share these soon. Personally, my hope for 2021 is to continue being happy and free.