Born
22 April 1980, Caltagirone, Sicily

Background
As a 15-year-old Grimaudo made her professional acting debut in a Rome production of The Cherry Orchard. In the same year her first screen role came in the children’s’ animated film Sorellina e il principe del sogno. Since then she has worked in television, cinema and the theatre, with directors as diverse as Roman Polanski (in a theatrical version of Amadeus), Giuseppe Tornatore (Baaria), the Taviani brothers (Two Kidnappings) and Ferzan Ozpetek (A Perfect Day). For the television miniseries Caesar, she was cast as Julius Caesar’s daughter, starring alongside Sir Richard Harris and Christopher Walken.

What’s she up to now?
Her latest film role is in Ozpetek’s family-in-crisis comedy Loose Cannons, which is set in the southern Italian city of Lecce: her character Alba falls in love with a gay businessman (Riccardo Scamarcio).

On playing Alba in Loose Cannons
‘She’s almost like an animal in a cage. She’s a wounded woman, who’s trying to redeem herself and she falls in love with a man with can’t love her back. Loose Cannons is a comedy and I’m the only person playing a serious role. Everyone who sees the film feels sorry for Alba!’

On the city of Lecce
‘Lecce is very important as a setting to Loose Cannons. Although the story in the film is universal, it’s particularly relevant to the south of Italy, where family life is so central to society.’

On being directed by Polanski in Amadeus
‘It was only my second stage role and we took the show on tour. Polanski has a strong capacity for making you feel comfortable as an actor. And I remember how energetic he was: in the rehearsals he was always rushing between the stage and the audience.’

On American actresses
‘My favourite actresses at the moment are American ones like Natalie Portman. I really admire the way they get to play leading characters. In Italy we don’t have the same opportunities. We’re given supporting roles, as the wife or the lover.’

Interesting fact
A sufferer of insomnia, Grimaudo watches lots of films late at night.

Loose Cannons, GFT, Glasgow and selected cinemas, from Sun 2 Jan.