THE NEXT BIG THING
JUAN^NAHARRO^G.^ /CONTOURBYGETTYMariana Di
Girolamo
ISBREAKINGOUT...
R
ising Chilean actress Mariana Di
Girolamo may have hailed from
a family of artists, but her first life
choice saw her study obstetrics at
uni. “It turns out I hated it,” she grins. “I was
unhappy.” Thankfully, medicine’s loss is our
gain. Now the 29-year-old is headlining Pablo
Larraín’s millennial drama Ema as a reggaetón-
loving dancer. Time to boogie...What was the big attraction for taking on Ema?
The truth is that everything about Ema seemed
attractive and challenging to me. First of all, the
possibility of working with a director and creator
like Pablo Larraín, whose work I’ve admired for
years. The experience of making movies was so
different and exciting from working on television.
The character was simply amazing. I loved the
challenge and enjoyment of embodying such a
free, complex, diverse woman, of whom I had no
precedent; a woman who keeps moving me, from
which I continue to learn all the time.The dance scenes are amazing. Have you always
been a confident dancer?
I’ve always liked to dance. Dance for me represents
a vital need. I am always dancing here or there,
with my friends, alone at home, taking some class;
but it was the first time that I did it in a
professional way.What inspired you to start acting?
I come from a large family of artists. Claudio, my
paternal grandfather for example, is a great painter
and cultural manager. Lucia and Paolo, my parents,
are both visual artists; my older brother is an
architect, my two sisters are designers, my aunt
Claudia di Girolamo is one of the best actresses
I know, and I could go on. I grew up with those
smells, textures, and inspirations.Aside from Pablo, who are your film idols?
I love Wes Anderson and his worlds, Quentin
Tarantino, Jordan Peele, Kim Ki-duk and Korean
cinema in general. JMETA | 17 APRIL / EMA OPENS THIS MONTH.TOTAL FILM | APRIL 2020