VANCOUVER (CP) - To million of Italians, Antonio Cupo is the actor who played the undeniably gorgeous prince on the phenomenally popular Italian hit TV show "Elisa di Rivombrosa." But in his home country of Canada, the Vancouver-born actor is just another undeniably gorgeous face in the crowd. The 29-year-old actor has lived a fairy-tale life, both on and off the screen.
Despite knowing virtually no Italian, outside obvious phrases like "bella" and "ciao," he was sought out by producers in Italy a few years back to audition for a starring role in what was already a hit series. Cupo was launched into a charmed life of celebrity, complete with fan websites, girls camped outside his house and reserved seats at top fashion shows. But the first-generation Canadian, whose parents are from Italy, decided earlier this year to pack it in and shoot for stardom in North America.
"It was more about personal change," he said in an interview at a Vancouver cafe. "I never intended to move to Italy and be this big thing in Italy ..
. but I definitely use (the experience) to try to parlay some of that into North America." Cupo was a onetime ski instructor and theatre student at University of British Columbia who decided to try to make acting his career after years of working in unpaid theatre productions.
Like many other Vancouver-based actors, Cupo spent a few years hopping back and forth between B.C., which has a thriving TV and film industry, and Los Angeles.
With his long dark eyelashes, striking green eyes and smooth olive skin, Cupo was often cast in film and TV roles as a model or the hot boyfriend. Then came the phone call - the one that struggling actors everywhere pray will come and change their lives forever. It was from an Italian TV director who had seen a film Cupo had worked on years earlier that was just being released in Italy.
She urged him to come to Italy for an audition, but Cupo declined since he already had a low-budget movie lined up. Instead, he sent her a video audition, where he recited his lines in broken Italian, reading them out phonetically. He couriered the package to Italy without high hopes.
"Two days later, there was a ticket at the airport," he said. Cupo decided to drop his plans for the movie and meet with the producers in Italy. He landed the role and was told that shooting would start in a week and a half.
"I had a pair of jeans, three shirts and two pairs of socks," he said. He was set up in a hotel and urged not to leave as paparazzi were swarming the area, hoping to get a shot of the newest star of "Elisa di Rivombrosa." Cupo said each episode of the big-budget show set in 17th-century Italy drew an average of 16 million viewers - that's in a country with a population of 58 million.
The producers invested in a speech and language coach for Cupo, who studied non-stop for four months, to the point where his mouth muscles were sore. The director also liked that he came from an English-speaking country, as it helped Cupo relate to his role as Christian Grey from England. Cupo spent three seasons on the show and got used to the life of a TV star.
He's been on the cover of Italian Vanity Fair twice and is styled by top Italian designers like Armani and Dolce and Gabbana. "You start getting into this lifestyle that's very comfortable," he said. He calls his experience in Italy a "great gift" but acknowledges it wasn't his calling.
"It started to become less about what I set out to do in the first place, which is acting, and more about just doing another job. So I said that's enough for now." Cupo moved to L.
A. earlier this story, but quickly realized how hard it was to transition between the warm culture of Italy and the notoriously superficial lifestyle of Los Angeles. "Right before I was going to go back to Italy and accept this other job, I got three movies in a week," he said.
"I was like, OK this is a good sign." His time abroad as a megastar has nicely honed Cupo's PR skills. He speaks glowingly about the actors he's worked with and when he's critical of something, he's quick to point out his respect for it.
("Los Angeles is cold and big, and I remember what it was and I respect it for what it is.") When asked about any regrets in his remarkably charmed life, Cupo is quick to answer that he has none. "I don't know where it's not rosy because I'm really happy," he said.
"I wouldn't change anything at this point." Cupo's recent roles include "Elegy," in which he plays Penelope Cruz's imaginary lover, and "Carnera: The Walking Mountain," which stars Paul Sorvino. Both films are scheduled for release this fall.
With homes in Rome, L.A. and Vancouver, Cupo doesn't consider himself settled anywhere.
He said at the moment he's drawn to the energy of his hometown and intends to stay here for awhile. He admitted, however, that if he finds the love of his life, he'll be happy to slow it down a bit. "I'd like to one day be able to settle and have kids," he said.
"But I've got lots of time." VANCOUVER (CP) - To million of Italians, Antonio Cupo is the actor who played the undeniably gorgeous prince on the phenomenally popular Italian hit TV show "Elisa di Rivombrosa.
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