M i c h e l e M e l e g a
What made you act ?
I was always fascinated by acting and began with roles in high school theatre . I was determined to go on to the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Rome but many people apply every year and only a few can actually get there . I tried to get in three times before I was finally successful with my fourth application . After finishing I started in the theatre followed by some small
How do you manage to cry in front of the camera ? When you study acting , they teach you how to use your voice properly and techniques how to cry , laugh and live with the emotions of people . Techniques are not enough though , there must be natural talent and you must study body language , how people respond to different emotions . Acting is like a game but it must look natural to pull the audience in . When you cry in a movie , you really cry . You need to think of the saddest moment of your life and use it for that particular scene . So you are going through two realities , that of acting and your own . You are using your own life which is creating the groundwork . Stanislavsky was a famous actor responsible for the Stanislavsky method which is emotional recall . I use this too . It ’ s like you have a drawer with memories , connected to emotions , and once you need to be happy or sad you pick one memory and use it . You think of your most painful or most happy moments and use them .
STARS l o v e G h a n a
M i c h e l e M e l e g a
If someone said that the quiet Italian sitting beside you in a Takoradi bar was a movie star , would you believe it ? Well , it ’ s true ! While many people in Takoradi would reconize Michele Melaga as a familar face around town almost noone knows that millions of people all over the world have seen him on the big screen . He ’ s played a range of characters in films and television dramas with his most recent role being that of a chemist in the 2009 film “ Duplicity ” starring Julia Roberts . roles in t e l e v i s i o n series then eventually a role in my first movie which was “ A Man in Love ” made in 1987 .
Which countries have you worked in and how do you cope with the different languages required ? A nice part of the job is you do loads of travelling . I ’ ve been to Canada , Spain , Zimbabwe , Tunisia , Morocco . You ’ re paid to do something which is fun ! In films you are in a team . You start a project together , you meet lots of interesting people and you make friends . I studied Arabic in Egypt , and lived there for three years . I even acted in Arabic in a theatre which taught me a lot . Sometimes in acting you might prefer to change a word to make a speech suit you more and to be more natural . However , if its not your language you can ’ t change anything . I speak six languages : Arabic , English , Italian , French , Danish , and German . Often actors from different countries are acting together . The movie will then be done in the most common language and dubbed for other countries .
Lots of people know you in Takoradi but they don ’ t know you ’ re an actor . Why not ? Not all actors are funny , crazy , extrovert people , some can be shy . When I speak in public I am still shy but acting is different , you take on the mask of the character which protects you .
What about movie scenes in which you are killed , how are they done ? There is a saying that if you die in the movie , it will bring you luck as an actor - I have died in a couple of movies ! You have a pill in your mouth which you bite if you are shot in the head . It releases fruity red liquid so it looks as if blood comes out of your mouth .
Do you think it ’ s true that we tend only to like movies in which we can see ourselves ? We all want to recognize the feelings in the movie that we feel ourselves . If you don ’ t have empathy with the character , then you won ’ t find it interesting . If you have a feeling that the movie is trying to fool you you won ’ t accept it . Last century movies were more theatrical and exaggerated . Now acting is as natural as possible .
Would you like to act in a Ghanaian movie ? I would LOVE to act in a Ghanaian movie , I would love to . I have lived in Ghana for a couple of years but haven ’ t met any movie makers or producers yet . I think I have limited options in Ghanaian movies , as I ’ m European . Maybe , if there was a cross cultural movie I could be in that .
What brought you to Ghana ? I married my Ghanaian wife when I was studying Arabic in Egypt . Our son was born and three years later , in 2008 , we moved to Ghana . Since then we haven ’ t left again . Occasionally I would travel , if an opportunity for a small role arose , but my family is here so I would not leave them for long time alone . We lived in Takoradi and I really came to like the city . Now that we live in Accra I miss it . In Takoradi it is easy to make friends .
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