I think what I was most interested in after doing the readings and discussions on Anna Magnani was her real past life. We are told she was a “dynamic” and rebellious woman who always played characters in films who expanded beyond what sort of roles society expected women to play. In the Pitassio Magnani article, Italian war and history are heavily referenced, but I personally wanted to know more about her personal life, and her in general, beyond what the articles and film made her out to be.
After some research, I found it quite interesting most of her back story is unknown. Some believe Magnani was born in Rome, while others believe it was in Egypt. She endured several marriages, all of which were quite complicated. What I also learned was at 18 months, her son, Luca, had crippling polio and was never able to have full function of his legs again. I believe part of the reason Magnani was able to play such low-class, down to earth characters was because that was her life, and she experienced and felt for those people. She was not acting, instead she was truly internalizing her life and portraying it for everyone to see.
This photo is of Anna Magnani and her son, Luca. Interesting how without any context they would appear to be a typical mother and son duo.
Perhaps what was most fascinating about Magnani were her spiritual views, as she claimed to be clairvoyant and often referenced astrology. These ideas are relatively unusual, and you would not expect that from an actress like her.
Overall, it is so interesting how the media picks and chooses certain “ideal” pieces of a star to remember and reflect upon, while leaving much of the controversial things behind. In class, we have heavily discussed the creation of a star persona, and how their past often creates the public’s view of them. While Marilyn Monroe was heavily criticized for her past, why is Magnani’s not as discussed? Why did people not care to dive deeper into her childhood, acting training, or religious beliefs? I am not sure if it was because she was a foreign film actress, or for some other reason.