When Paolo asked me to play the sad, melancholy, drunken poet, I thought, “I know what that is,” said Gary Oldman at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
Gary Oldman, a veteran actor, talked about getting older and his journey to sobriety while discussing the themes in Paolo Sorrentino’s film, Parthenope.
Parthenope is Sorrentino’s tribute to Naples. The movie follows a captivating young woman, played by new star Celeste Dalla Porta, through the years. It shows her youth, freedom, and longing against the charming backdrop of Naples.
At the film’s press conference, Oldman was asked about his character, an aging American writer named John Cheever. He mentioned that, like his character, he also has a stepson in Italy who wishes to grow up faster. Oldman said, “When you’re young, you often wish to be older, but there’s a saying that we spend too much time thinking about the past and future, and not enough on the present.”
Oldman shared his experiences as a young man in the industry, saying he is happier and more comfortable now than he was in his youth. He acknowledged his struggles with chaos, pain, and drinking, and proudly celebrated 20 years of sobriety to audience applause.
He explained that he understood his character instinctively. When Paolo asked him to play the sad, melancholy, drunken poet, he felt a connection. Oldman also addressed questions about his role in the Harry Potter franchise.
Sorrentino talked about the beauty of Naples, saying it’s a place he always returns to. Celeste Dalla Porta shared that making the film helped her move from her carefree youth to adulthood, focusing on her future.
Oldman supported her, noting that as a veteran actor, he brings experience, while Celeste, as a young actress, will change after this film, losing some of her innocence. He remarked that their dynamic as actors enriched the poetic scenes in the movie.
Read the full review of Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope on The Hollywood Reporter.