Edoardo Ballerini – Double Dealing

Q) What are the current projects that you are working on?

A) I am working on a couple of my own projects right now. One, is a feature that is based on a short that I made three years ago. It’s about the life of silent film actor Rudolph Valentino. I am also getting ready to shoot another short. I do some directing work. Then, I’ve been working on “The Sopranos” a bit, as well. So, I’ll probably be back next season for that.

Q) Please tell us about your character, Corky Caporale, on the show “The Sopranos.”

A) His name is Corky, love the name. He’s a junky that gets Christopher (played by Michael Imperioli), who is in and out of rehab, mixed up in a deal that Christopher puts together. He ends up getting him hooked back on heroine. I am probably not going to be anyone’s favorite any time soon since I am helping to bring Christopher down.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) “The Sopranos” is my favorite show. I think it’s brilliantly written and superbly acted. When they asked me if I was interested in doing it, I just jumped up and down and said, “Absolutely!” It was originally going to be one episode and then it turned into three, which is very nice for me. It’s just one of those shows that is so well done that each show is just like a film. It’s an actor’s dream to be a part of something like that.

Q) What has been your most memorable moment from filming on “The Sopranos?”

A) My most memorable moment would probably be from the last episode we did. We did a scene in a car and we shot it at three in the morning. We were caught in the middle of a flash flood. I am not exaggerating, Michael Imperioli and I got in the car and we were in there for a couple of hours. When we got out, there was ten inches of water on the ground. It was absolutely stunning and the whole crew was soaked!

Q) What is your favorite character on the show and why?

A) I think that Carmela Soprano, the wife, is probably my favorite character. I think she is the most multidimensional and I think Edie Falco does such a brilliant job in what is such a masculine show bringing a female character and making it so powerful.

Q) How has your Italian heritage shaped you as a person?

A) I grew up back and forth between New York and Italy. I grew up with two cultures and so it always gave me an awareness of things that a lot of people take for granted. The way we live and how we do things in the United States is different than how it is done in Italy, and vice versa. So, every time I was in one country I was always aware of the other one. Sometimes, I feel like it always kind of made me the outsider because I was never quite from either place. I’ve learned to enjoy that and be someone that comes from two places and have a larger view of the world.

Q) Why did you originally want to be an actor?

A) I really started by giving it a shot. I thought it would be interesting and fun. I, literally, woke up one morning and said, “Let me just see what this is all about.” I was in Italy at the time and went to some classes that were being offered. I kind of enjoyed it! When I went back to New York, I pursued it further, but it was really just a whim. I just thought, “Well, let’s see. Let’s give it a shot and see what it is like.”

Q) You recently starred on the show “Medium.” What was it like working with such acting legends like Molly Ringwald and Patricia Arquette?

A) It was great! They are both wonderful actors and people. I didn’t know that Molly was in the episode, actually. I was, probably, the only one who didn’t. When I showed up on set, and I saw her there, I was like, “Oh my God! That’s Molly Ringwald and she’s in this episode!” We got along really well. She and I didn’t work together that much, but I worked a lot with Patricia. She’s a very generous actor. She is someone who really cares about the actors coming in to do guest spots and she cares about the show as a whole. I have to say, it was a really wonderful experience all the way around. I didn’t want it to end!

Q) You’ve done directing and acting. What other aspects of the entertainment industry would you like to try your hand at?

A) Well, I do some writing as well, which I really enjoy. I don’t know if there is something else I want to try, but I want to do more of the writing and maybe some directing. Directing is kind of low on my priority list, but I love writing. I’d love to do more of that and, happily, it’s one of those things that you can do if you want to. You just start writing and don’t have to wait for a whole production. I think I am going to do more of that this summer.

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) I live a life! It’s funny because people see actors in shows and that’s all you see. You don’t really consider sometimes that they have to worry about paying the bills or a leaky facet that needs to be fixed so they’re on the phone with the plumber. Whatever it is, it’s just kind of boring mundane stuff. Besides that, I also do some artwork which I really enjoy. It keeps me sane. I have a show right now in an office space in Beverly Hills. This is the first time I’ve ever showed my artwork. I am trying to do a lot of things, all of which keep me extremely busy.

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) I would like to say thank you very much. I really appreciate the encouragement I get from a lot of people. It’s a very hard industry, even when you are doing well. Hearing people with letters or emails of people telling you that they really enjoy what you do makes it all worth while.