Maye it’s because she was born on July 14 – day of the Storming of the Bastille – or because her debut on the set of “Donna Lupo” (The Wolf Woman) made her even more passionate and her own mistress. Fact is that the beautiful Sicilian actress (from Giarratana) Loredana Cannata is a real revolutionary. She is a committed vegan and switches between her role as frontline activist for animal rights and “shaman”, where she loves being lonely and where the role of mother and wife is not contemplated. Just back from the red carpet of Cannes as only Italian star part of the cast “Youth”, Paolo Sorrentino’s last movie, Loredana also plays in theatre and TV series, and she says about herself “I use my job totalk about important issues for myself and for others”.

You are seen as the “antidiva”, due to your way of rebelling, using even your body to talk about sexual freedom and animal rights. Do you recognise yourself in this role?

Nude is still seen as shameful, but it’s also symbol of freedom. It represents beauty in art. Nude has always been used in the animal rights movement, because we get closer to animals; however, you have to be careful not to turn it into prudery. While true that you shall not commercialize your body, you don’t have to cage it either.Therefore, it’ll be more than welcome if it helps to draw the attention regarding impor- tant topics. Everything can represent good and bad things, give a negative or positive message, depending on how it’s used.

Let’s talk about your career. You worked with directors such as Tinto Brass and Fer- zan Ozpetek, playing roles of very different women. Which role intrigued you most and what kind of character would you like to interpret?

Best experience surely was in Sorrentino’s film, where I interpreted Maradona’s wife, a character I enjoyed a lot. I learned Spanish thanks to the long letters addressed to the Zapatistas, with whom I used to live, and this is the reason why Sorrentino chose me. However, the role I would like to play is comic, being protagonist in a comedy.

Theatre is your other great passion. Why a monologue about Marilyn Monroe?

I decided to become an actress the day I found a picture of Marilyn Monroe – I was seven. It was almost like a eureka moment towards that character, and this accompanied me during my whole life so far, it was of great inspiration and consolation. I wanted to give her voice, pay homage to her; hence, I wrote this text using what she wrote about herself. I wanted to show a less known part of her, the one of Norma Jean, which is so familiar to me. And maybe I just wanted to fulfil my childhood dream: being Marilyn.

What are your future projects as actress and as socially active woman?

I’m starting to work as a director. I’m writing a TV comedy set in the south, in which I gave myself a comical role. Since I’m a quite rebellious and revolutionary soul, I felt the need to tell things. The only way to do that was through writing and directing.

Loredana and coffee?

Moka pot forever.