This year, Federico Ielapi has starred in two projects, new Christmas film Elf Me as Elia, which can be seen on Amazon Prime, and Home Sweet Rome as Bruno, alongside a cast including Kensington Tallman as Lucy, which airs in the UK on CBBC and BBC iPlayer. Further projects for Federico include playing Giovanni in There’s No Place Like Home, Pietro in Chiamami Ancora Amore, Uno in Tutti per Uno – Uno per tutti and the titular character in the 2019 film Pinocchio, directed by Matteo Garrone, with the film having worldwide success. Federico’s upcoming work will see him appear in feature film Cabrini, which releases in the USA in March, Brigands: The Quest for Gold, releasing on Netflix in the near future, and Those About To Die, which is in production. Answering our questions recently, Federico chats to us about playing Elia in Elf Me, working on Home Sweet Rome as Bruno and filming as Pinocchio in the 2019 release.

Can you tell us about the new film Elf Me and your character Elia?

Elf Me is a very nice and engaging Christmas movie. It’s a movie for all ages, it’s a movie that gathers important themes like Elia’s dyslexia and the fact that he is bullied. Elia is a very brave kid even if it might not seem from the appearance because he is shy, but inside he has a big potential, even more than he knows and even more than everybody else knows.

How did you find the experience working on a Christmas film and what was it like on set?

Working on a Christmas film was a new experience, and it was a very fun experience because one of my favourite holidays is Christmas. It was amazing on set because as soon as I stepped on set, I could breathe the Christmas atmosphere and the love that the whole entire set had for me.

What was Elia like to play and what drew you to the role?

Playing the role of Elia was very cool because I learnt from him a life lesson, which is to never doubt your potential and your interior strength. The thing that attracted me towards Elia is that he is a mature kid and the fact that he’s a dreamer.

How would you describe your character Bruno in Home Sweet Rome and what is the series like to be part of?

I really like Bruno because he is an adult in the body of a kid, and he is a cool guy, handyman, and he is very funny. I really loved to take part in Home Sweet Rome because it was a very fun and energetic set.

How is it filming with the rest of the cast, including Kensington Tallman as Lucy?

Filming with the rest of the cast was adorable because everybody transmitted good vibes. Working with Kensington was amazing because I felt right away in tune with her and I had a lot of fun!

What is it like getting into character and how was it reading the scripts for the first time?

Getting into character for the first time is always interesting, because it’s a new challenge and I am always very curious to see my new character, and every time I see what me and my character have in common. For example, me and Bruno have a lot in common. We are both really fun!!!

What is it like playing Giovanni in There’s No Place Like Home (A casa tutti bene – La serie), and what do you enjoy about filming the show?

Playing Giovanni in There’s No Place Like Home was an immersive experience because I completely immersed myself in Giovanni’s complicated life. About filming the show, I enjoyed acting with a really great cast and a really amazing director.

In 2021, you starred as Pietro in Chiamami Ancora Amore, how was this?

Playing Pietro in Chiamami Ancora Amore was hard, because my parents were fighting over each other just for me. Starring in this role was stimulating because I always had to be at the mercy of conflicting emotions.

Can you tell us about your time filming for Tutti per Uno – Uno per tutti as Uno?

In Tutti per Uno – Uno per tutti, I had a lot of fun filming with all the cast and crew, which I had met in the previous movie The King’s Musketeers. There were even a lot of breathtaking locations.

What are some of your favourite memories from playing the leading role of Pinocchio in the 2019 film Pinocchio?

Playing the leading role of Pinocchio was one of my hardest projects because every morning, to turn me into a wooden puppet, it took me four-and-a-half hours, and then one-and-a-half hours to take it off.

My favourite memories are about the whole entire movie because that experience was a beautiful memory that I will bring forever with me!!!

How was it being directed by Matteo Garrone, and what was it like seeing the worldwide success to the release of the film?

Being directed by Matteo Garrone was unforgettable because I learnt a lot from him, and from his truthful and realistic vision of cinema.

It was amazing because everybody put the most effort, energy and hard work into it, and apart from the worldwide success of the movie, I will always keep it in my heart.

What do you remember most from playing Cosimo in Series 11 of Don Matteo?

The thing that I remember most from playing Cosimo in Don Matteo 11 is the second family that I made on that set. And I remember that as a lovely experience!!!

How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?

I got into it very casually. I was four years old, and at that age I never thought to act, but as I grew up I was really admired by this job and how you can interpret different characters and a different era, but always being yourself.

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch?

I don’t really have a favourite movie, but a really nice movie for me is Catch Me If You Can. Actually, I really love all movies starring Leonardo Di Caprio, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time, I really like to enjoy nature, and I really love outdoor sports. One of my favourite sports is mountain bike.

What are you hoping next year brings for you, and do you have any upcoming projects that you can tell us about?

I hope the future brings me happiness.

Some upcoming projects are the film Cabrini, which will be released in theatres in the United States in March. Brigands: The Quest for Gold is a TV series that will come out on Netflix soon. Those About To Die is a TV series that is still in production.

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