In your career as an actor, what initially attracted you to the horror genre? Was it a conscious choice or a gradual discovery over time? I'm curious to know if there was a specific moment in which you realized that horror was an important part of your artistic expression.

I have always been attracted to the Horror genre by the often gripping psychological dynamics. The stakes for the characters in a Horror film are always very high and therefore represent an interesting challenge for an actor. Working on it was undoubtedly a gradual discovery. The first real opportunity came with the dark fable “Non Mi Uccidere” by Andrea De Sica, in which I played Robin, a “sopramorto” or an undead struggling with a toxic and stormy relationship with the character of Mirta, played by an extraordinary Alice Pagani. With “Home Education” directed by Andrea Niada I confirmed my love for this genre, greatly appreciating the work from the inside of continuous analysis done with the director and with the exceptional actresses with whom I shared the screen: Julia Ormond and Lydia Page. 

The horror genre requires great emotional intensity and often the exploration of trauma or fear. How do you prepare yourself psychologically to face such emotionally charged roles? Do you have specific methods or rituals for entering and exiting disturbed characters or high-tension situations?

The preparation begins as for all the other characters by trying to fully understand their psychological profile, objectives and obstacles scene by scene, and then translate them into action together with the director and the other actors during rehearsals. The high-tension situations that a Horror film allows you to explore are undoubtedly more challenging, but the means at our disposal are always the same: deep relaxation, experience, imagination, the energy of the actors on stage and the strength and solidity of the script. Trying to remember for example what happens to your body when you find yourself in a situation of imminent danger can be one of the useful exercises, in order to recreate reactions that can be as organic and realistic as possible. As for getting out of character, unfortunately there is no switch that can be pressed so as I believe happens to many, you find yourself with emotional after-effects of the work done on the characters up to a few weeks after the end of filming, which then gradually fade. 

Is there a horror film, classic or contemporary, that you consider a point of reference for your work? What is the title that has inspired you the most, and how has it influenced your approach to acting?

There are many films that have inspired me and continue to do so: titles such as “The Silence of the Lambs”, “The Shining”, “Antichrist” or “The Others” are important points of reference. The common lesson that they have passed on to me is that in this genre in particular you cannot allow yourself to superficially simulate emotions because you would instantly fall into dramatic ridicule. The more emotionally tense the situation is, the more you realize how fundamental the rule of “less is more” is and how important it is to reach that emotional state from within, with a process that is as organic as possible. 

Many horror films deal with collective fears or social metaphors. In the projects you have participated in, have you noticed any recurring themes that speak to our present? Do you think that horror can be an effective mirror to tell the restlessness of modern society?

In the projects I have participated in, death, the fear of death and everything connected to it have turned out to be central themes. Horror often becomes a cathartic mirror of our deepest fears and helps us exorcise them by making us experience them as spectators and leading us to question ourselves about them. In “Home Education” for example, the level of manipulation, even self-induced, that the mind can reach as a consequence of the impossibility of accepting the disappearance of a loved one is shown, and the emotional survival strategies that are adopted consciously or unconsciously to exercise an illusion of control over a phenomenon much bigger than us. 

From a technical point of view, what are the biggest challenges you have encountered on the set of a horror film? Special effects, prosthetic makeup, work with sound or maybe night scenes: is there a technical aspect that has particularly struck you or put you to the test?

Violent death scenes can sometimes present additional technical difficulties, precisely linked to elements such as prosthetics, freezing, makeup and fake blood to add or dry: they can require a lot of time and energy of course, and also well-choreographed stunt elements, but they are also satisfying to shoot and to take home at the end of the day. 

How do you see the evolution of the horror genre in Italy and Europe compared to international production? Do you think there is room for a European “auteur horror” capable of competing with the big American titles, or do you think that the local industry still has to find its own identity?

I believe there is always room and need for auteur films, and why not also for auteur Horror and Psychological Thrillers, often extremely interesting. I hope that we are moving towards a consolidation of an identity (especially contemporary) and a greater production of films of this type at a national level, where the titles are still few and where a bit of courage, resourcefulness and trust especially towards young authors would be beneficial. 

7. Looking to the future, can you tell us something about your next projects? Will you continue to explore horror or are you planning to experiment with other genres? What artistic challenges fascinate you at this stage of your career?

A new English series that we shot this year will be released soon, entitled “A Taste for Murder” which has all the characteristics of the British Murder Mystery and also some Horror elements! I don't mind at all to continue exploring this genre, but I also look for new challenges: what I'm looking for especially in this period is something that makes me get out of my comfort zone, which I find necessary to continue to stimulate my creative path.

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/rocco_fasano?igsh=MWlzdWRyaDY3YTJ3aQ==