GIRACE I’m very empathetic, so I create a very strong bond with the characters, but I don’t let myself be overwhelmed by them. Slowly, through a deep study Lila, I began to understand her. I tried to give justice to her character, to bring out her strengths and her fragility.
This third season covers a long time period, and Lenù By the end, Lila and Liam have children. The characters are older than you by the end.
GIRACE Lila was 13 when I first met her. I played her at 14 and 15 and it felt like it was easy to get to know her as an older woman of 25- or 30-years. And Lila has always been mature for her age, so for me it wasn’t particularly difficult for me to identify with an older woman.
MAZZUCCO When I did the scene in which I give birth I asked my mom a lot of questions — like, “How do you hold a baby?” — and watched videos of women giving birth. It was fine for the rest of the scene, once they helped with the makeup and hair. They were very helpful.
Was there any part of this season that was particularly difficult to film?
MAZZUCCO When I had to be a mother, especially at the beginning, when the children were really small and they’d start crying and I didn’t know what to do — especially because their real mothers were nearby. But I became more comfortable with it.
GIRACE It was somewhat hard to be Lila when she was so sick, because, as a young girl full of energy, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to play a very tired, destroyed, woman. It was hard to convey that fragility without looking fake.
Source: NY Times
