Excerpts from a ELLE Magazine Interview
by Joan Harting (July 1987.)

  Vincent Spano speaks about some of his roles :
"Sure, I've turned down roles that were similar to things I've played. It's too boring. In Good Morning Babylon (just out) I play a good boy. Someone who means well, has a good heart and respect for his ancestors. he and his brother (Joaquim Almeida) are almost two halves of ther same person. I's great to have that contrast to the Mafioso drug lord, a man who considers himself an island, who's all about wanting everything and excess, that I played in Blood Ties. And, my next role is a guy who is a complete loner, who has no contact or standard interaction with others."

  Asked whether he is disturbed not to be yet a big star, Spano says :
"You pay a price for those choices but having the audience know who you are isn't the goal, anyway. It's having them enjoy the movie experience."

  He, then, gives his opinions about videos:
"from an actor's point of view. that has to be your motivation : "Wow, we're going to do great things up there on that huge screen.' It just can't be 'Mr and Mrs Smith are going to put our performances into their VCR and push the old "pause" button whenever they have to pee.' "

  He feels that he has been very lucky with directors :
"By my second movie, Over The Edge I was given the freedom to make what I wanted of my character" Of the skateboarding "bad kid" he was to play in that film, Spano created a "burnt-out guy, totally fascinated with weapons" The native New yorker adds laughing "I turned the skate board into a beat-up bicycle, with swastikas all over and sharp sticks on the handlebars. Something came of a nothing character. I got to be inventive young."

  About the Taviani brothers on "Good Morning Babylon"
"They take turns doing each setup. Not scene, setup. When one is directing the other disappears, even though he's right there. They trust each other, they never fight. As an actor, you're supposed to talk to the one who's "on" at that time. I blew it once, trying to discuss something with Paolo, who just said, 'Ask Vittorio.' "

  He says about his "off" time :
"In between life, you go into a movie, not vice versa." When he is not actually filming, he stays in shape, sees some movies and less TV --hockey games and news-- takes scene classes and attends to business "stuff."

  About shopping for clothes :
"a lot of what I wear are gifts from my friends"..."Yes, it seems they dress me."

He is reluctant to speak about his private life, but when asked about mariage "with a near blush and a smile," he concedes, "Someday."

Copyright © 1987 by Elle Publishing
All rights reserved