Simona Vannelli
Looking back on your journey in the world of cinema, what were the key moments that led you to choose acting, and in particular the horror genre?
As for my journey in cinema, I have to say I came to it purely by chance when I was contacted by director Lorenzo Lepori for a role in Alien Lover. Until that moment, my acting experience had been solely in theater, where I trained as an actress. The key moments that pushed me toward acting were mainly an innate curiosity for it, something I discovered from a very young age. I loved creating imaginary stories and subjecting my grandparents and relatives to them. The fact that I’ve only acted in horror films in cinema was purely coincidental, but it allowed me to discover a genre—a whole new world worth exploring.
In your work as a horror actress, what personal fears have you had to confront or channel in order to deliver authentic performances?
When I'm called to play a role, whatever it may be, I always leave my personal experiences out of the performance; otherwise, I’d end up portraying the same character every time. It’s important to focus on the specific characteristics of the written character and work on those, trying to draw from parts of myself that I may never have tapped into before. I always try to give my characters both a body and a soul, in the hope of stirring emotions in the audience—for better or worse.
Is there a horror film you particularly love?
To be honest—and I know this might sound strange—I’ve never been a huge fan of the horror genre. Not because I dislike it, but I never seriously delved into that side of cinema. As a child, horror films scared me, and I was the kind of kid who could only sleep with the light on. I remember being terrified of Boris Karloff’s face in Frankenstein. Then, when I saw the film again as an adult, I found it to be beautiful, moving, and authentic—so much so that I read Mary Shelley’s novel. That led me to fall in love with the entire gothic horror genre, watching in awe the films produced by Hammer, featuring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee: The Mummy, Dracula, The Mummy’s Shroud, Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb, Dreams of a Life, and many others. Among those lies everything that resonates with me in terms of a favorite horror film.
Have you ever experienced anything particularly unsettling or evocative during filming—perhaps related to the locations or strange events on set?
On the various sets I’ve worked on, I’ve always been lucky to have beautiful working experiences with colleagues in welcoming locations. And even when the settings weren’t ideal due to circumstances beyond our control, it was always the people who brought the set to life and made magic happen. For example, during the filming of Cose nere, while we were shooting scenes about mysterious events, the sound technician was hearing strange interference in his headphones—which made us smile and wonder... Or during the filming of Kopis, shot in the dead of winter in freezing environments, we had a team that would rush over with warm robes and hot water bottles the moment the director yelled “cut,” helping us actors stay warm. That’s what makes a film a true team effort.
In your opinion, what makes a horror scene truly effective? Psychological tension, symbolism, or visual effects?
What makes a horror scene effective is a combination of factors: good writing, measured acting, focused direction, appropriate cinematography, effective sound and music, and—if needed—the right special effects. It’s a mix where balance always wins above all.
In today’s horror film landscape, is there something you’d like to see explored more—perhaps themes that are underrepresented or new visual approaches?
From what I’ve seen in contemporary horror, I’m always hopeful that this is a genre that will never die. Even in the absence of current themes, someone who knows how to write a horror script can take a small obsession and build a compelling plot around it.
Have you ever thought about stepping behind the camera to direct your own horror film? If so, what kind of story would you like to tell? What are your future projects?
So far, I’ve only directed for the theater, and at the moment I’m not planning to move behind the camera. I still feel a bit unripe from a cinematic standpoint to take on the responsibilities of such a role. That said, never say never—time is always a great ally when spent studying and paying attention to the world around us, and that’s something I never forget. My future projects involve both cinema and theater, with new roles to bring to life. I’m awaiting the post-production developments of the latest film, Kopis by Lorenzo Lepori, and in theater, I’m becoming passionate about Camille Claudel. From my hands and my heart, something special is taking shape—something I hope to share with the public.
