Daniele Liotti, romantic hero

This article is published in number 14 of Vanity Fair on newsstands until April 6, 2021.

He loves the outdoors and suffers from claustrophobia a little. But now that we have to chat – on the phone, without even a Skype or WhatsApp to help decipher the expressions – he closes the study door and sits down in his swivel chair. One step away from heaven and three steps from his family, who, to leave him even more peaceful, goes for a walk in Rome, Daniele Liotti celebrates his 50th birthday on April 1st.

He imagined them popping up in some exotic location, instead he passed them to the Da Familiotti restaurant cooking lasagna for Cristina, his partner, and 3-year-old daughter Beatrice. Perhaps also with the eldest son Francesco, 23 years old who followed in his father’s footsteps and stood out in the Company of the Swan.
Also on 1 April it debuted on Raiuno One step from heaven 6 – The guardians, the “dolomitic” series of which Liotti is the protagonist, after taking the baton from Terence Hill in the Forestale four years ago. “We started shooting in June, and so after the lockdown I let myself be invaded by so much nature that it almost went to my head. I realized that I had not come out completely unscathed from that isolation, I was amazed to be able to talk to someone having him near. We were so happy that Cristina didn’t want to go back to Rome any more ». Cristina D’Alberto Rocaspana, the companion that Daniele defines as a “fairy” and with whom she has lived for six years, is also an actress. A Place in the Sun.
And she recently appeared in some photos in which it was hypothesized …
Are you expecting another baby?
“No! Every time they write it, she worries: “So am I fat?”. “No, my love.” At the moment there is no sweet expectation ».
And in the future?
“We’ve thought about it. The historical period is not the best and I have always worked in recent months, but we have no foreclosures, even if at 50 it takes a lot of energy. I have a little regret that I didn’t have more children when I was young ».
He had Francesco and soon separated from his mother.
“Yes, then when he was 10 he came to stay with me because his mother had remarried and moved from Rome. Francesco decided to stay and with him at home I was a dad in everything, from shopping to homework ».
How did his girlfriends take the boy father?
“It’s not easy if you’re not the direct parent, but I’ve been lucky enough. And in any case I always put Francesco first ».
It will not always have been an idyll.
“The beginning of adolescence was hard, I was quite alone and I had to face many difficulties”.
Now there are two of you. But Cristina is only the mother or does she go back to acting?
“He has never had an inordinate ambition to work. When she became a mother she accepted the role very well now
you want to get back on track but without elbowing. Meanwhile, it helps me with my memory, let’s rehearse the scenes together. He gives me his time and I try to do the same with different things ».
For example?
“I’m a real mom. And at home I do more or less everything ».
Including cooking for his birthday. Do you have a lot of gifts?
«I love surprises. Even if the most beautiful Cristina didn’t do it for my birthday but during a trip, when she told me we were expecting a child: I didn’t think she would arrive so soon, it was wonderful ».
From the age of 50, what do you expect?
«My first 50 were used to put down some roots, now I hope that the trees will grow and to reap the fruits. My profession is somewhat unpredictable, but having worked for many years gives me more confidence, the ability to choose the things I like and maybe try to do something of my own. “
Do you feel insecure?
“At the beginning I was full of fears. When I saw the preview of the Company of the Swan I was afraid of seeing that Daniel of that time in Francesco ».
Instead?
“He was good, in fact I told him: you are much better than dad, if you study and go on you will leave me light years behind.”
But are you good?
«Slowly I am learning. I didn’t dream of doing this job, it was the circumstances. But the theater courses freed me from so many shyness. I’m not an exhibitionist by nature, I like to be myself, not to be the center of attention ».
She is considered a sex symbol, and this makes her the center of attention.
“At the beginning the stage presence aroused the interest of agents and producers, it allowed me to forge ahead and start immediately with important roles. But then it penalizes, I always have to show that I’m not just beautiful ».
Did you need girls with girls?
“Yes, but I didn’t take advantage of it. I have always been a great romantic, if I liked one of them I was invaded by wonderful sensations, the looks stayed in my head, I thought about the words ».
Looks, words and …
«The smile: I don’t love the dark woman, I prefer those that make me laugh».
Women usually say it: I want a man who makes me laugh.
«They are right. Even if I admit that I have to try hard not to be too bearish ».
Returning to beauty: how do you put it at 50?
«I’m not someone who likes to look in the mirror, when I have to dress I go into crisis because I have to look at myself, I never know what to wear. But I have been a sportsman and I suffer a bit from growing up, limitations: today if I don’t sleep one night in the morning, I’m mad ».
But on horseback in One step from heaven keep going, plus the fact that acting at 3,000 meters won’t be
easy.
“It was challenging. But working in the midst of all that nature is wonderful. I think that for spectators who dream of being able to go on vacation, being able to see it is a gift ».
Also this season to Francesco Neri, his character, everything happens.
«A bit like the romantic heroes of the nineteenth century, so many misadventures, griefs. At least this time we give him a vision of hope, to start over. He is about to leave, but then decides to stay, even though he always has the horse ready to go and the saddlebags done. The roots that he has put hold him, the wings he has managed to build would like to make him fly ».
Does she have more wings or more roots?
“I always have my suitcase ready. Maybe it’s full more than anything else of dreams, but I’m not permanent, I’m an explorer, I like to think that my life can be in different places ».
And Cristina?
“If I leave, it’s with her and the baby. When a job offer arrives we ask ourselves: where do we turn? We also choose projects
based on that ».
In short, the balance of the 50 is not bad. Also from a sexual point of view?
“You should ask me at 70, now everything is fine.”
I did not ask you this, but if the harmony improves with age.
«When you establish a relationship of love and have a child, a life together, each time it is also a deepening of that aspect as a bond, a way of truly entering into each other. With Cristina I realize better what it is to love a woman even in a bed. Make her feel my woman, and she a woman ».
Are you getting married at this point?
“I’ve thought about it several times. I have always seen marriage as a point of arrival. I imagine a couple who stay together for a long time without getting married, and maybe after thirty years they say: “Are we going to do it?”. That for me is a couple that has won ».
As De André sang in the wedding march.
«My son introduced me to that piece… However, as for the wedding, I also have a great desire to see Cristina dressed in white, it would be wonderful for her and for my eyes. So I don’t know how long we will wait ».
Congratulations then. Since we don’t see each other, can you tell me what he’s dressed like?
“I’m in overalls, because this morning I went down as I was and took the croissants for Cristina and Beatrice. I have a part of the pants up, a shirt on and bare feet. I made myself comfortable, I said let me rest assured that I have to do the interview ».
And was he quiet in his chair?
“I made her do a lot of laps, I needed inspiration.”
That at the end of the conversation – he will admit – he will have made several laps, in search of “inspiration”, of the right words
to answer.

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