He began studying Law and today, accustomed to receiving praise for his imposing presence, Cosimo Fusco (Matera, Italy, 1962) jokes that in another life it would have been useful to seduce his honor or the jury. But acting was his path and he went to Los Angeles to live his dream. Today he more than savors it when he sees the image of him on a huge poster promoting the long-awaited second season of 30 Coins (HBO Max), directed by Álex de la Iglesia.
Cosimo learned Spanish in record time to work with the Spanish director by pretending that he spoke it fluently. Chances are for the brave and after a masterful first season, the film Venicefrenia arrived and now, his return as the wicked Father Angelo. He talks to us about cinema, family and Jennifer Aniston in this interview.
Father Angelo returns in the second season of 30 Coins. Both Macarena Gómez and Carlos Bardem, who joins the series, agreed in interviews for this newspaper: Álex de la Iglesia unleashes unpredictable madness. How have you experienced it?
Same: when I read the script I thought that this season was very different from the first. I called Álex and told him. Macarena experiences an incredible change, it is true. Furthermore, in the previous one everything took place in a dark town in Spain and had a more Gothic and typically Spanish element. Now the plot opens to the world, the story is much more international, the protagonists travel and new characters enter, such as those played by Najwa Nimri and Paul Giamatti, the English language enters… In fact, HBO Max has retained it to launch it in the United States at the same time.
Proof that the platform trusts the product a lot.
Look, I saw a billboard on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, which is kind of my city, with my face advertising 30 coins. I could hardly believe it when I saw it. That street is the one that when an actor travels by car he dreams about his future.
Have you already seen the result?
I was lucky enough to be in Sitges and see the first two episodes in the cinema. It’s a great emotion, really, and it’s a shame that the public can’t see it on the big screen because he writes big. But this second season is written in a more structured way, more designed for series format [And this is the first one directed by De la Iglesia]. In the previous one, each chapter was a bit of a movie, a lot of things happened because Álex put everything he had in his mind into it. I think he realized it himself. He is an animal of cinema, of the big screen and he is discovering a format that he loves, he believes it is the future.
Is it true that you learned Spanish to be able to serve under Álex de la Iglesia?
That’s right, 30 coins was my first professional experience with Spain and the Spanish language. I didn’t speak a word in Spanish when they offered me this job; I asked my representative to lie and say that he spoke it perfectly. So, I love the first season: it will always be an unforgettable memory for me.
Is it better to be a believer or an atheist to participate in a series about demons?
I could not tell you. I am of faith, I was born and raised as a Roman Catholic, but I am very critical of my religion. How could it not be, with so much corruption throughout its history? But since you ask me, in the first season I had to officiate a black mass and I got a little… tense. Someone asked me if it would be a problem for me to interpret that sequence, a mass with the black host. I responded that I would do it but at the same time I thought that I hoped God wouldn’t judge me and send me an arrow. Anyway, I think it works better if one knows the tradition and liturgy of the Church. And I like the church as a place because I experience a physical olfactory sensation, the smell of incense, the silence or the sound… When I travel the world and find myself in Australia or New Zealand, entering a church is like entering home and be able to do some meditation. Furthermore, they are usually places that treasure precious works of art, sacredness, and the energy of generations for years. For my role, I think it has been better to be a believer but also that Jesus Christ would not coincide with the Catholic Church that was created after him.
He said that Los Angeles is his city although he usually lives in Rome but he has also made his home in Paris and visits Istanbul a lot. Explain to me how that is possible without going crazy.
Do you know where I feel most at home? At the airport (laughs). Los Angeles is my city because I have lived there half my life, it was where I became an actor. In the 80s and early 90s they were the best in that city; The US was going through a very favorable time economically and culturally. In Paris I became a father, I lived a very romantic story, I started to earn money… Istanbul is a very important place because my partner, Yasmina, is a wonderful half-Turkish actress and singer and in addition to having lived there for two years, we visited the city frequently to see his family. Istanbul has a special magic. Finally, I live in Rome in a stable way: I bought an apartment but I don’t feel completely at home. I became a foreigner, I started working in another language and… When I returned to Italy I had to fight to be accepted; We Italians are very provincial when it comes to work and I have felt ostracism. I live well but now I feel that my other home is Spain, which has adopted me after Los Angeles and Paris.
He has two daughters, one 33 years old and the other 16, the result of your current relationship.
The oldest, Jade, is a phenomenal artist who writes music for plays. She studied in New York and moved to Austin, Texas (USA), where she lives now, and where many artists are going because of gentrification. Actually, I am the father of two artists. Jade doesn’t look as old as she is, physically she is very young but with a spiritual and very evolved soul who has established a beautiful relationship with her sister. A symbiosis. And the little girl feels very good with her. I have been incredibly lucky because my ex, Rochelle, is like a sister today.
It is known that he was Rachel’s sophisticated boyfriend on Friends. My question is: given that Brad Pitt also appeared in the series and was later Jennifer Aniston’s partner in real life, should I understand that he had the same luck?
Ehm… Well, I think 30 years later I’ll be able to tell this. When I met her, Jennifer was single. She was single and very receptive, I don’t know if you understand what I mean. It could have happened, but I had a partner at the time, someone who was important to me and that blocked everything. I couldn’t enjoy that possibility (laughs).
