In the gardens of the five-star hotel where the photo session takes place, and in whose halls the talk with NEWS will take place, Franco Massini he is shown predisposed to the indications and to the change of clothes. The resounding beauty of his timeless face is matched by undeniable charisma. The young actor and singer, however, displays enviable serenity accompanied by a sincere cordiality, which is far from being a fake pose.
His lush artistic path began at Disney, with a program called “Peter Punk.” He did three seasons when he was just 14 and 15 years old. Later he participated in novels such as “Signs”, “The Legacy”, “My Hope”, “Tell me how it happened” and “Amar, after loving”. In parallel, he took part in the films “El clan”, by Paul Trapper“Inseparable” from Mark Carnevaleand headed “Only Love” by Andy Caballero and Diego Corsini.
But his career took a leap when he was part of the third season of “riviera”, the British series created by Neil Jordan, starring Julia Stiles and Rupert Graves, which took place partly in Buenos Aires, although spoken in English. This was followed by the first season of “Rebelde”, a Mexican series based on the successful Argentine-Aztec soap operas, and the Spanish “Todas las tiempo que nos amoramos”, in both cases for Netflix.
News: His acting career is already international.
Franco Masini: Yes, I am extremely happy with everything that has come up in terms of work abroad. From “Riviera” many more doors were opened for me and I undertook projects in different countries. Always taking the rudder to where they summon me. Right away I came to join “Rebelde” in Mexico, and recently I recorded “Todas las tiempo que nos enamoramos” in Spain. Now, I am in Argentina. I mean, I’m pretty spread out in the world, but it’s not like I went to live somewhere else. Always I made a base here, in my country; the proposals moved me. That’s what it’s all about, going and coming back. I think that today with the international productions of the streaming platforms it is necessary to understand that, from now on, this plurality will be the norm.
News: Listening to it, one thinks that then you are a citizen of the world.
Massini: If true. Traveling opens my mind a lot.
News: In what sense?
Massini: I am referring to the enrichment of going and working in other cultures, from sharing time, adapting to new ways of working, to integrating a team with people of different nationalities. Because the customs are different, and the way of working too. Then, one must be in constant adaptation because that results in great growth. At least for me.
News: You worked on a Saxon production, a Mexican one and a Spanish one. In your experience, how were these work modalities?
Massini: Each one has its own style. For example, in Mexico they film a lot, there are not too many time limits. One has to be predisposed to have the energy for all that time and sustain it to keep up with the rhythm, which is the rhythm of the series as well. Something that is very normal there, but for us, not so much. In Argentina there is more or less a schedule, certain hours and days and both with their maximums. On the other hand, when I recorded in London, in the south of France and in Venice, previously on location we had a lot of rehearsals of all the scenes. Only when they were perfect, so to speak, was it filmed. In fact, there were times where in a day we only shot one.
News: Then you have to adjust.
Massini: Yes, but as I said before, when one has the job opportunity to join these experiences, one must learn from all of them. Adaptation and constant learning make you leave a comfortable place.
News: What would be your comfort?
Massini: It’s different if, as a local, you already know in advance what it’s like, with whom, what they’re going to tell you, everything. When working abroad, one must adapt not only to the rules of another country, but also to the fact of working and dealing with people with different mentalities, to the fact that there are even other types of food; and most importantly, that loved ones are twelve hours away.
News: How did you experience these circumstances?
Masini: Working abroad made me grow. First of all, I learned to be open to change in several ways. Because you don’t finish your work and go home or go to your friends who are having a barbecue. You return to the hotel and you are alone. Then, on a social level, how one wants to be a part, then requires that your personality be predisposed to bond and integrate with the environment and the people. In summary, it is not only a professional development but also an intimate one.
News: Do you mean one’s strengths?
Massini: Hundred percent! It happened to me in Mexico, in 2021, when the topic of vaccines was not yet so developed, which was a very complex time, it demanded an enormous effort, not only from me but from the entire team. In order to continue carrying out the recordings, there were very strict protocols, where people outside the production were not allowed, nor could you leave the locations or studios, because they swabbed us daily. All of that made me have to be strong.
News: How do i do it?
Massini: I thought: “I’m doing what I love, but I’m leaving behind a lot of beings, like all my affections, who are very far from me.” So, the strength was in not giving in to the temptation to protest so many swabs and so many hours of filming, or to feel bad because I spent a lot of time alone. I never forgot that I was doing what I liked and it is my vocation. So, I think,I achieved a temperance that helped me to face the following challenges with a new look.
News: What did you miss about Argentina?
Masini: Those roasts for Sunday lunch with the family, when grandparents, cousins and everyone come. Running into my old man downtown and going for coffee. I would say that those moments that are part of our roots and culture are missed.
News: And in Spain, how did it happen?
Massini: Very well! It was this year and I already had the baggage that I mentioned. So my attitude is different for good. It happened to me that a work colleague in Madrid told me, “Do you want to come to my house in Barcelona for the weekend?”, and I took a train. But outside of acting, I also linked myself to brands that contacted me for being there.
News: Is singing still present in your career?
Massini: Always. I keep writing and composing. In a pandemic I released six songs because I wasn’t in a hurry. The voice is a tool that I like to explore. But doing it professionally takes a lot of time and energy.
News: What do you evaluate when joining a project?
Massini: For me, each one of those who participated was special. As an actor I was able to put my own stamp on a character and that possibility of transforming it is wonderful. It doesn’t matter if it’s a supporting or leading role. What always attracts and interests me is who I am going to interpret, who participates, what he is talking about, how he wants to tell it. The rest is secondary.
days ago, along with the great folklorist Nahuel Pennisi, Fernando Dente and a large cast, premiered “Back in Patagonia”. A musical based on the novel “The Return of the Young Prince”, by the Argentine poet, narrator and businessman Alejandro G. Roemmers, which in turn pays homage to the already universal classic book “The Little Prince” by the French aviator and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944).
News: What interested you in this scenic proposal?
Massini: I would say everything. But above all, it is a great artistic commitment and for the whole family. Which is very tempting as an actor. Sometimes we do certain roles for a type of genre, but if it is for all audiences, no one is left out. Also, right now, I think it’s very important to enjoy through art. I have no doubt that each one of the creators, artists, managers and technicians that we are embarked on is guided by the same conviction.
Although he tends to be very secretive about his private life, he did not hesitate to introduce his girlfriend to all his fans. “My 2020,” he wrote alongside a cute photo of him hugging her that he shared on her official Instagram account. This is Juana Farrell, a young 27-year-old businesswoman.
News: The last question, is he in love?
Mason: Yes! I’ve been dating Juana for two years now.
