WHO: Lorenza Izzo
WHAT: Feed the Beast (AMC, Tuesdays, 10 p.m.)
Chances are that if you’re a horror aficionado, you’re familiar with some of Lorenza Izzo’s work. The Chilean-born beauty, who happens to be the wife of acclaimed director Eli Roth, has starred in such films as The Green Inferno; Knock, Knock; and Aftershock. This summer, the actress charms us on the small screen in AMC’s Feed the Beast, where she plays the part of quirky and naïve Pilar Herrera, a single woman on the hunt for love.
WHO WHAT WEAR: Tell us about your role as Pilar on Feed the Beast. What do you enjoy most about playing this character?
LORENZA IZZO: Pilar is a complete hopeless romantic, and in the age of Snapchat, Tinder, Twitter, and Facebook, I think it’s such a rare thing to find people that are in that old, timeless idea of Romeo and Juliet–type love. So that was very interesting for me to play. Feed the Beast deals with very dark, real human issues. Both of the lead characters are going through a lot trying to start up a restaurant. Pilar enters this world literally wearing a pink pom-pom with this bright energy. That was really cool to play—to be the light in the darkness. I haven’t ever had the chance to play someone so quirky and gullible, and kind of a klutz. I’m very much like that, so it was very fun. She’s a complicated weirdo, in a sense.
WWW: Tell us about what it’s like working with your husband, Eli Roth. What advice do you have for couples who collaborate in the working world?
LI: I personally admire any couple that can work together. It’s a tricky thing—some people love it, and some people are like, “Get me out of here!” It was interesting with my husband; we got lucky. We got to be really good friends before anything ever happened, and it happened as we were working, so we were able to understand each other’s working methods and get in sync. I got very comfortable working with him, and in that sense, it’s a true blessing, because he pushes me to limits I didn’t even know I had. I quickly got very comfortable with that idea and almost became scared to work with anybody else, because I wasn’t sure anyone else would be able to push me as far. I admire him so much, and I think he’s a brilliant director. I’m always excited to see what he’s coming up with or doing. We both inspire each other, and I think it makes for a great relationship. Although right now, I think we are going our separate ways for a little bit, just to explore our own stuff. Sometimes it does get to be a little too much, and you’re like, “Okay, we need a break!”
WWW: Growing up in Chile, what can you tell us about the fashion scene there? Are there any designers we should have on our radar?
LI: You should definitely have designers on your radar! Some are really making it out here! Here’s the interesting thing about Chile; even though it’s a small country, geographically speaking, our internet has always been really strong, even from the beginning of it. Because of the internet, we were very attached to what was happening and got influenced by the American culture. So we have an amazing industry, in terms of fashion, art, and photography, and it’s really starting to grow.
Karyn Coo is one of the amazing designers that I love, in addition to Paulo Mendez and Adolfo Fernandez. I think some people would be shocked to know some of these designers are on the racks of Barneys. I’m definitely a huge fan of my own culture, their artistry and craftsmanship. We’ve got something really cool going on.
WWW: What’s the best piece of fashion advice anyone has ever shared with you?
LI: Well, it would have to be my mom. She always said something in Spanish that translates to English as “Too much is not necessarily the best.” The simpler the better, and it’s so true. And this doesn’t mean necessarily minimalistic; it just means stay true to yourself and what your style is. In my mind, the less you try, the more unique and stylish you look. When I’m getting ready for red carpets, I look at myself and ask, “Is this true to me? Do I look awesome and feel awesome?” And, “Am I having fun?” We want to look good and feel good, and so much of it is not about the rest of the world. I think people don’t realize that most of the time, we want to dress for ourselves and feel good about whatever it is we’re wearing, regardless of whatever the trend or social pressure is.
