Interview with Jacopo Mariani:Between Deep Red and the Whispers of Horror Cinema.

 The debut and the arrival in Dario Argento’s cinema: You started acting at a very young age, debuting with other directors before auditioning for the "Master of Thrills." How did you come into contact with that world, and what do you remember about that specific audition that convinced Argento to choose you for such an important role?

  I debuted in cinema with Aldo Lado in "La cugina" just for fun. In truth, with Dario, there wasn’t a real audition, just a chat.  Having a Danish mother, he liked my Nordic look, and above all, he liked that I was very bright and autonomous for my age, compared to other children who were pushed by their mothers to find success.

The transition from thriller to the supernatural through direction: In your childhood career, you experienced two different sides of Dario Argento: the geometric and psychological thriller of Deep Red and the fairy-tale, witchy horror of Suspiria. How did your personal relationship with Argento change on set, and how did his way of directing you shift as he moved from the purely human and traumatic terror of the mind to the magical and irrational?

 My relationship with the director did not change between the two characters; for me, they were different in the scripts, and I tried to immerse myself in both.

 The fatherly and protective figure of the director: Working at a very young age on sets characterized by such dark themes requires great trust. What kind of relationship did you establish with Dario Argento off-camera? Did he have a protective, almost fatherly attitude to keep a child from being frightened by the gruesome scenes, or did he already treat you like a full-fledged adult actor?

 Dario understood very well that I wasn't worried; on the contrary... he knew that I was knowledgeable about esotericism and magic. My mother owned a vast library on the subject, to the point where he would ask for advice regarding Suspiria together with Daria Nicolodi.

The gaze of childhood and the genesis of trauma: In Argento’s cinema, the figure of the child is often the original nucleus of trauma or the unwitting witness of absolute evil. During the construction of your characters, how much space did Argento leave for your childhood spontaneity, and how much did he demand that you adhere rigidly to his very personal and detailed vision of fear?

 During breaks, we spent a lot of time together, and sometimes he would ask me for advice on certain shots. I came from a family of artists; I knew perspectives well (which Dario loved) also because I already owned a camera at the time.

   Furthermore, Dario knew well that at that age, we are more perceptive of images than an adult.

 The relationship and interaction with the rest of the cast: Besides the deep bond with the director, you found yourself sharing the scene with great performers, both Italian and international, such as David Hemmings, Clara Calamai, or the cast of Suspiria. What was the atmosphere on set with the other actors? Was there camaraderie with a child moving in such a macabre world, or did you perceive a certain professional distance?

 Except for Hemmings, whom I didn't meet in person, for the rest of the cast—as well as everyone who contributed behind the scenes, that is, the grips, photographers, makeup artists, and so on—I was practically the mascot.

  The farewell to the scenes and the choice not to continue as an actor: Despite the resounding success of the films you took part in and a highly appreciated precocious talent, you chose not to pursue an acting career in horror cinema or cinema in general, dedicating yourself to other areas and passions in your adult life. What led you to make this decision and leave the film sets?

Just as I chose to start, I chose to end that period. I had other interests, and both cinema and television took up too much of my time.

The evolution of the genre and personal tastes: Having been part of the golden age of Italian horror and having collaborated closely with its absolute master, what are your current tastes in horror cinema? Is there any contemporary director in whom you find that same visual audacity and maniacal attention to detail that you were able to observe closely in Dario Argento’s work?

  Every director possesses their own art; this subjectivity cannot lead to comparisons.

   I love Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, based on Stephen King's novel, and everything that is psychological.

 The weight of the legacy and future projects: Being etched in the collective memory of cinephiles for having given a face to the most famous horror intuitions of Dario Argento is a huge privilege. How does this indissoluble bond with the director influence your artistic choices today, and what are your future projects, both inside and outside the world of cinema?

 Artistic influences probably lead me to have a more clinical eye toward the seventh art.

   Future projects related to cinema? At the moment, I experience it behind the scenes, often meeting artists or simply chatting over the phone.