by Chiara Maffioletti
Together for 31 years: “He was the producer of Baudo, I thought he was beautiful. The ups and downs, the stillness, he never liked the frivolous side of my work»
“When they portray us as a Mulino Bianco family, it makes me laugh a little.” Lorella Cuccarini, 37 years of career, the smile as her signature even in the less simple moments, she has been married to the producer Silvio Testi for 31 years, but she’s dying to enter into a relationship that isn’t (just) a fairytale three-dimensional one.
A solid bond, four children, but they are not the Mulino Bianco family, he says.
“There is no perfect family. There have been difficult moments, but we have always tried to overcome the impact of each of us’ personal crises together.
Was it a lot?
«In the course of a lifetime there can be many, yes: from the loss of loved ones to working people. The secret is to always try to dab on both sides. Be supportive, but don’t bother yourself either.”
What do you mean?
“I see how my husband deals with difficulties: he has a completely different approach than I do. I’m someone who expresses what I feel, I face things head-on. Even together, because I think common weights get lighter. But Silvio is not like me: he needs his space, his silence. If you don’t understand this, you risk not appreciating the person you love. So I respect those moments of silence that are part of his character, just as he respects my Vulcan way of doing things. We are two sides of the same coin. But it works.”
Can the diversity of the other be a bit difficult before it is accepted?
«Just remember that we are single before we are a couple. I never forced Silvio to accompany me to events or even to take pictures together. I know he was born a behind the scenes man, he never loved the more frivolous side of this job. But I don’t go to premieres anymore: I go alone or with a child, but I don’t find his absence an affront any more than he doesn’t insult me when I go out. We’re very free.”
Also physically? Some people need separate rooms.
“No, we don’t think about it at all. It’s so nice to be together, especially on the rare occasions that we get together with the boys, let alone ever get away from it.”
But your beginning was a gamble, wasn’t it?
“We got married after six months engagement. I immediately liked him: he was Goofy’s music producer in Fantastico 6. I thought he was very beautiful and I liked his creative world. But I was just starting out, then I was in a relationship and so was he, so the last thing I wanted was to send messages: Everything had stayed in the realm of appreciation. Then when I switched to Mediaset I needed someone to work for me on a musical level, so I called him back. At that point we were both free…”
And six months later you were husband and wife. Very rocking.
“Everything was so beautiful that it seemed like the piece of the puzzle that completes a wonderful design and would have been extremely difficult to find among so many other pieces. Together we had created the perfect joint: he asked me to marry him for Christmas and I didn’t think for a moment.”
How were the reactions in the family?
“My mother was a bit perplexed at the time, but only because of the speed. But she always trusted me very much. He said, ‘If that’s what you’re feeling, that’s fine.'”
What if one of your kids tells you they’re going to marry someone they met six months ago?
“Well, we couldn’t really get a word out. I think guys know how to give marriage the right meaning. I feel like this move is being taken lightly today, as if anything can be done and undone. For me it’s not like that, then I’m a believer: Marriage before the Lord has immense value for me. I would just remind my kids that it’s not a game.”
Best surprises he gave her?
«There were so many … the ones that impressed me the most were worth the sacrifices: Silvio could even drive six hours to stay with me for two hours and come back. To me, these are crazy gifts.”
And she to him?
«Silvio loves to go boating, but he’s never had one. His father was a fisherman, this thing has stayed with him. A few years ago I organized a boat tour in Greece without his knowledge: he came to the airport without knowing anything and he really appreciated it».
What does he think of his positions? She also commented on the Covid vaccines, saying she hadn’t.
“I believe that we are free people and intelligent enough to understand what is right for us. Regardless of the topic, Silvio always advises me to “keep calm”: He knows how things work, how to express opinions and we occasionally discuss it. But I’m transparent, I can’t hide anything, that’s who I am. And then I think it’s bad not to take positions. Of course I act a lot from the gut and from the heart and sometimes a little from the head. Conversely, he is too thoughtful and clever: you risk building castles that in reality do not exist».
Speaking of belly actress, Heather Parisi’s words that Cristiano Malgioglio said on TV commented on Instagram with smileys covering her mouth…
“It made me smile to hear that we are always in contact, even though I was blocked by her on social networks. Still, I have nothing against Heather, even if the epilogue of our show, Beloved Enemy, was different than I had hoped… In short, even though I was sorry for how we broke up, and even if they were. There are no longer any relationships, what remains for me is the appreciation for a professional that I have always valued. Well, we haven’t heard from each other since then. I didn’t watch the show, so maybe it was sarcastic too.”
In his career there have been some difficult moments, some not so bright years. how do you remember her
“When you come to terms with a 37-year journey, there isn’t a character that hasn’t had ups and downs, that’s normal. It’s important never to lose the sense of your own worth, I’ve always tried to be very clear about that. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but in critical moments you don’t have to question yourself. Well, I’ve never lost a sense of my worth, and I don’t say it with bravado. But I know what I’m worth and what I can do. We’re almost always our biggest enemies.”
A far-sighted view that helps to overcome the inevitable turbulence of a long marriage?
«Silvio and I belong to the generation of repairmen: if something broke, you didn’t replace it immediately because you might have made sacrifices to get it. Now we treat everything, even feelings, like the things we own: when they break, they are thrown away. But relationships, unless they’re not healthy, need to be fixed or we’ll never find our peace. Well, I’m very good at fixing things.”
January 4, 2023 (change January 4, 2023 | 07:19)
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