"Um. I like that," Valeria Golino thought to herself upon completing her first movie at age 16 -- and she's been acting in films ever since. During a telephone interview, Golino willingly discussed her career and her starring role in the highly acclaimed Italian film, Respiro. Portraying Grazia, a troubled inhabitant of the Sicilian island called Lampedusa, the versatile actress delivers her most memorable performance to date.

"Sometimes you have doubts about a role," Golino admitted. "You wonder if this is something you can do. But, in this case, I read the script and thought there's no way I'm NOT going to do it -- even though I knew it would be dangerous. I was the only professional actor in the film, and everyone was Sicilian but me. The rest of the cast was from the Island. Although my character was the black sheep of the island, I had to meld with them and be part of the community."

To prepare for her role, Golino spent a lot of time on the island before shooting. "And I looked at the children," she said. "I wanted to make Grazia childlike -- not childish. I have a little part of Grazia in me, only not to that extreme. She's a bit kooky, but she has the capacity for wonder, enchantment and appreciation of beauty -- a childlike quality. While she has a good relationship with nature, she's not good at social interactions where you have to think about what you talk about."

Because the character she plays is the bi-polar mother of three youngsters, Golino shares many important scenes with child actors. She gives writer/director Emanuele Crialese credit for helping these youngsters. "He is very good with children," she explained. "He's very direct with them, very familiar -- not just sweet, but very honest. He knows how to tweak a child to be interested."

Speaking from Denver, Colorado, Golino described her efforts to promote Respiro. "I'm doing PR for this movie all over the world -- France, Germany, England," she declared in a delightfully husky Italian accent. "I want to help as much as possible, and the film has received a wonderful reception. I help the movie and the movie helps me."         

No doubt the wonderful reception Golino referred to includes various awards and recognition Respiro has already earned. It garnered the 2002 Critics Week Award at Cannes, and in my report of last year's Telluride Film Festival, I bestowed ReelTalk's Best Actress Award to Golino for her ethereal performance. Golino also won the 2003 Best Actress Award at the Mons International Festival of Love Films and the Silver Ribbon Award from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists.

Discovered in her teenage years, Golino has appeared in over 40 movies. Her previous roles include Tom Cruise's wife in Rain Man and Charlie Sheen's love interest in the two Hot Shot movies. She also can be seen in Immortal Beloved, Clean Slate, and Frida. What's next ? "I just finished a movie in Italy," Golino said. "It's a dramedy called Grab Me and Take Me Away. It's about gypsies who park their trailers next to a little village."   

Golino obviously enjoys her chosen profession. "Acting came to me instead of me going to acting," she stated enthusiastically. "I always loved movies -- I was a cinephile, but I never thought about being an actor until Lina Wertmuller put me in my first movie."

Thanks, Lina.