He’s done terrorists and rock stars. Now, ALESSANDRO NIVOLA is starring as a big-name footballer. Tom Dawson asks him what he’s up to.
ellow actor Nicolas (‘age has an apt
description for Alessandro Nivola: he calls
him a ‘chaiiieleon'. And looking back over the 33-year—old actor’s screen career to date. one is struck by the diversity of roles Nivola has undertaken. The Yale literature graduate has been an unhinged bomb maker in face/Off. an aristocratic cad in Mansfield Park. a psychotic stalker in I Want You. a debauched rock star in laurel Canyon. and now a big—name Premiership midfielder in Goa]!
'There‘s been a strange and jagged trajecton to my career and I've managed to do the weirdest mix of characters.‘ smiles the effortlessly affable Nivola during a recent trip to London. ‘People find it hard to place me in terms of class and social background. partly because I've been in a number of British films and I’m married to a British actress [limin Mortimer]. And even my American background is confusing: I’m from an Italian immigrant family on my father‘s side and an old American family on my mother‘s. I'm a person with no clear identity. and that enables me to float from one job to another.‘
Nivola’s capacity for reinvention was showcased in his breakthrough film fare/(21]; in which he was cast by John Woo as Nicolas (‘age's younger brother. At the time Nivola was fascinated by the documentary ('ruml). and decided to base his character Pollux Troy on Robert (‘rumb‘s older sibling Charles. ‘I started imitating the way (‘harles spoke. and I changed the way I dressed: says Nivola. ‘By the end of it I was this bizarre little man. who‘d emerged out of a few weeks' work. and John was very supportive and encouraged me to go further. It changed the course of my career. lirom that point on. it was easier to convince people that I could play characters who weren‘t like me. My next job was in Michael Winterbottom‘s I Want You. playing a Hastings fisherman who‘s been released from jail after eight years. Those two jobs really set the tone for the future.‘
Spend a few minutes in Nivola‘s company and it's apparent that football is one of his genuine passions. Having grown tip in New lingland (a part of the States where the game enjoys a considerable following). he recalls his excitement at watching the 1982 World ('up on TV. a tournament which was won by Italy. and he mentions proudly his ownership of a shirt that belonged to Paolo Rossi. the free-scoring Italian striker. The very first celebrity he met was Pelc". then appearing for the New York (‘osinos. who happened one day to be playing tennis on a public court next to a ten-year-old Nivola and his father. And at school and university. the future actor played for various football teams.
14 THE LIST I)? Sep (5 Oct 7005)
NET PROPHET
All of which explains why. when the producers of Goal.’ contacted Nivola about being in their film. he didn't hesitate to accept the invitation. ‘I didn‘t ask who was directing or who was in it or where they got their money.’ he laughs. ‘It could have been a Malia-financed glamour piece for some Mob boss‘s girlfriend. They called me up and said would I like to spend two months playing football with Alan Shearer. and I was on the next plane over there.‘
It may have been the first time Nivola had played a sportsman on screen. yet he was aware of the parallels between the work of actors and athletes. At drama school he’d been asked to read sports psychology books such as The Inner Game of'lennis. and had grasped the importance of what he calls ‘relaxation and making the mind still in performance’. whether you were on stage or on a sports pitch. As with Laurel Canyon. in which he got to record his own songs. Goa/f gave him an opportunity to ‘indulge my hobbies in ways that I couldn‘t imagine. liniin begged me to take this film. because afterwards I might never want to see or play in another football match. Which. of course. hasn‘t been the case.‘
With its eye firme trained on the global market. Goal! is a glossily shot ‘triumph-against- all—odds’ tale of a Mexican youngster Santiago (Kano Becker). who‘s seeking to pursue his footballing dreams at Newcastle United. Nivola is cast as Gavin Harris. a teammate who enjoys a playboy lifestyle and endures plenty of stick
‘IT COULD HAVE BEEN A MAFIA-FINANCED GLAMOUR PIECE
FOR SOME MOB BOSS'S GIRLFRIEND’
from the terraces for his wayward form. ‘It's a delicious role.‘ he enthuses. running a hand through the blonde highlights that were part of his character‘s look. ‘I wanted to make him daft and loveable. and Ian Wright was the perfect model: somebody who‘d say the most outrageous things. but you‘d adore him because of his enthusiasm.‘
lidinburgh audiences have already had the opportunity to see Nivola in the Deep South drama June/mg. and he‘s currently filming in New York for an adaptation of Martin Amis‘ .S'ra'r'ess. The feeling persists that. hitherto. Nivola‘s performances have often been better than the films in which he‘s appeared: you hope that he'll get to work in the future with such talents as Jim Jarmusch.
lior the time being he’s looking forward to the next instalment in the Goal.I trilogy. which will unfold at Real Madrid. ‘(iavin. the golden boy of Iinglish football. will be facing panic and hysteria.’ he chuckles. ‘just as Santiago is being seduced by the celebrity lifestyle. That‘s where the film is going to take the both of us.’
Goal! is on general release from Fri 30 Sep. Junebug is released in 2006.
Football movies are awash with wasted chances, glorious failures and a sea of embarrassing own goals. Esteemed cineaste Dr Derek Norman and cliche-riddled footie pundit Brian ‘Brian' Donaldson dissect films with balls.
SHOOTING STARS
When Saturday Comes Analysis Rebellrous Sheffield lad Jimmy Murr (Sean Bean) is spotted playing for his pub team but his rise to the top rs hampered by his own lack of self discipline.
Dr Derek Norman 'l tll‘.(l£tltl€3lllally a tale of redemption found through working class pastrrries that has roots in the work of l W Murnau. though very rnrnor in comparison.‘
Brian ‘Brian’ Donaldson 'lhe lad Muir has a young head on previOusly mulleted shoulders and. by Christ. what a fine left foot.‘
It" ‘ Escape to Victory Analysis As a bunch of allied POWs train for a big match against the German national side they plan the ideal escape in between perfecting the sweeper
.» system.
DDN ‘With its all star cast (Caine. Pele. Moore. Stallone). big-name director (John Huston) and propagandist spirit. this falls into a genre I like to call “Dioriysrus in Blake's Jerusalem",'
880 ‘John Wark's moustache plays an absolute blrnder.‘
The Arsenal Stadium Mystery
Analysis During a charity soccer match between Arsenal and arrrateur side the Trojans. a key player collapses. Inspector Slade Of Scotland Yard investigates.
DDN 'Thorold Dickrnson's toodle pip murder mystery was in fact an alleQOry for the class war that he saw was divrdrrig the anti Franco forces in the SI)£ll‘-.:S'l Grvrl War from which he had recently returned.‘
880 'Big hairy leather balls: fans wrth rattles: goalposts for goalposts. Woooof!‘
The Miracle of Bern Analysis The story of the World Cup wrrrrirvig West German team of 195/1 as told through the eyes of one young boy.
DDN ‘Sets out to illustrate the beginning of the German industrial golden era. like a nauseatineg sugar sweet version of Wenders' far superior Hie Goa/keeper's Fear of the Per )a/fy.'
BBD ‘Rarely has the offside trap been portrayed more spectaCUIarly or. dare we say rt (Hon). efficiently than in this nailbiting tale.‘
Fever Pitch
Analysis An Arsenal fan tries to balance his obsession of the team With his love for a good woman. DDN ‘lhis version of Nick l-lorriby's grossly overrated slice of self indulgence reeks of cornpromrse and irrelevance. A disgraceful adaptatron.‘
BBD ‘Lrverpool fans Will be sick as parrots once again while two middle class Gunners (played by the lads Firth and Strong) leap around at the traurnatrc finale of the '89 season.‘