“From Love to Rome” was the chance for Woody Allen to elect Roberto Benigni “La Dolce Vita” as the most famous Italian. Benigni has Allen’s new comedy role of a great guy commonplace, Leopoldo Pisanello, who wakes up one morning to be the most famous man in Italy and has answered a lot of strange questions. Immediately, the paparazzi start to follow every step and every reason to misinterpret.
As Leopoldo start to get used to the situation and realizes that fame is cost. “You have no privacy and are continuously hunting, whatever you do”, says Roberto Benigni, who is a true superstar in Italy and knows very well the states through which Leopoldo pass. “My dream is to walk normally on the street to think of humans as they drink coffee, eat a pizza or talk to friends. I lost part of my life because I can not do that. But if one day I would be like, I’d worry…”, admitted the Italian actor.
“Leopoldo has no special talent, is absolutely usually a commoner and has no idea why it is celebrated. Is well aware that he’s nobody. At first it annoyed and bothered by all the attention that is given, then starts to like, without even realizing it”, says Allen. Benigni said: “Leopoldo was happy and satisfied before he became famous, his life was harmonious. But when this harmony is turned upside down, it becomes completely disoriented and trying to understand what happens to him.”
In fact, Leopoldo’s life was not so balanced even before becoming famous without explanation, and we see this when, in the office, our hero looks at very attractive coworkers that is aware that he never would have any chance with her: “Nobody cares what he has to say, whether talking about movies you saw or how the Chinese will take control of the world, and that woman is clearly above his social condition; everything until one day when everything is possible”, says Allen.
