Q/A With Fulvio Della Volta
The “Italian Tower” gets vulnerable with us about his journey as an actor.
Fulvio Della Volta is from Bergamo, Italy. He is an actor, producer, and director who has lived in New York for the last fifteen years. Fulvio earned his Masters Degree in Communication & Media Studies from La Sapienza University in Rome and graduated from the William Esper Studio Two Year Conservatory Program in New York shortly afterwards.
Fulvio has worked as an Italian interpreter interviewing celebrities for the Pirelli calendar every year since 2015. Recently he worked as an on-set Italian dialect coach for the network TV shows “The Blacklist” and “Billions.”
Fulvio is currently working on two Audible productions; one as an actor and one as a director. His most recent credits include a villain role in the video game Red Redemption 2 and a goon in a segment for The Daily show. Fulvio’s voice has also been recognized for a national TV commercial for Galbani Cheese that ran for a few years.
Q: What has been the biggest obstacle for you during your journey as an actor?
F: Right at the beginning of my journey in New York I went through a very dark time when I lost a dear friend of mine, Justin Lee Peterson, in a terrible accident. Justin was my closest friend in New York, my roommate, and the person who directed me into becoming an actor. Losing him gave me motivation to study and pursue an acting career in the city.
When it comes to acting, I have always been my biggest obstacle. My acting teacher used to say, “Leave yourself alone!” which I took to mean, release the expectations that you have for yourself. There were times when I would look back at everything I left behind to come to New York - my family, my country - and it all looked so far away. I would get scared, lonely, and wonder if I made the right choice. I know now that struggle is an essential part of the human condition, and that all my hardships have shaped me into the person and the actor that I am today.
Q: What are some of the biggest misconceptions you learned during your journey in acting?
F: The real job of an actor is to learn how to audition, and subsequently take rejection, as nothing more than a necessary step towards personal and professional growth. The job of an actor is seldomly glamorous and often takes on a toll on the body and spirit. Acting is a craft, and there is nothing superficial about it. Mastering the manipulation of your own emotions and body is serious work.
Q: How have you stayed positive during the Pandemic?
F: At the beginning of the pandemic I wasn’t very positive. My hometown being the epicenter of the outbreak in Italy was a fearful shock. It felt like my whole world was turning upside down, so I tried to just hold my ground and keep moving forward. Luckily humans have the incredible ability to adapt to the worst imaginable circumstances. After a few months, when it was safe, I had the chance to visit my family and some of the places I grew up in as a kid. It gave me the perspective and hope that I needed, and I found the foundation of my essence again - my core.
Q: How has life been for you since moving to America as a foreigner?
F: This is a country where dreaming is a birthright. That was not an option in Italy when I left 15 years ago. New York offered me many opportunities that made me a better, more open minded person; but the costs were higher than I ever expected. I will be forever grateful to New York for everything I have learned though and for introducing me to my wonderful wife Sarah who is a rockstar!
Q: How do you feel about where America is heading right now? And why?
F: I feel for the US right now, although what is happening was probably inevitable. When something is fundamentally broken, it is necessary to acknowledge what isn’t working in order to fix it for the future. It is necessary for America to acknowledge its past - the inequality, the violence, the pain; but it is also necessary to acknowledge some of the great things that America has achieved. I believe that no one is perfect. With great success always comes great failure.
Something I have always admired about Americans, despite their vast country and many differences, is their ability to stand united under the same flag. I have always viewed the United States as a diverse but united family, even in times of struggle.
The first time my wife told me that Americans really do stand up and recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day in school for twelve years I was a little bit stunned. I tried to imagine everyone in Italy doing something like that and found myself laughing. The pledge unites all Americans and I think those words are more relevant today than they were when they were written. My hope for the future is that we can live in an America where there truly is liberty and justice for all.
Q: What’s your view on the current state of how we receive news?
F: We have become desensitized by how often we receive news updates, and underestimate how much our news feeds are responsible for the growing sense of general public anxiety. Because of digital news and social media, our need to be constantly informed has resulted in a change in the way that news is both reported and received. Informative, unbiased news sources have turned into attention grabbing banners suddenly appearing on our smartphones. The prose becomes narration of a story rather than a simple statement of facts. I think that lately new technology has become more successful at gaining access to our privacy, so in light of this, my hope for the futures that there will be more regulation and accountability for the media industry.
Q: What is your view on social media?
F: Social media is society’s mirror. If you don’t like what you see in the mirror - don’t blame the mirror. But at the end of the day it’s just a free entertainment service that you signed up for, and you can always turn it off and take a walk in nature with your loved ones.
Q: What are some of your personal secrets to living a peaceful life?
F: Coffee in the morning, pizza sometime during the week, a nice view out the window, more laughter than sadness, and a stylish but comfortable pair of shoes.
Q: Define happiness to you?
F: Find your strength in your vulnerability but don’t take yourself too seriously.
Q: How can we all take part in making the world a better place for the younger generation?
F: A good start would be actively support education for everyone and respect for everyone, with a focus on culture, history, diversity, environment and geography. And overall, remembering that real love is to love without asking for love in return.
What’s your story?