Imagine if you will my blog as a garment. A garment that's been worn many times, down the park, in Tesco, on the 38 to Angel, etc. And then imagine me taking a metaphorical can of Fabreeze and spraying my garment from the collar down to the scruffy hem and voilà! There you have it. It's the same old blog, the same layout but it smells fresher. Yes the blog is BACK.
And this particular can of Fabreeze is an interview with Fabrizio...see what I've done? Well in actual fact it's an interview with TITANIC actor Danny Nucci.
You’re probably more familiar with 41 year old Danny than you realise , having appeared in ALIVE, CRIMSON TIDE, THE ROCK, ERASER and Oliver Stone’s WORLD TRADE CENTRE. Bizarrely he was also turned down for a lead role in STAND BY ME having made it to the final call backs. But it’s his turn as doomed Italian immigrant Fabrizio in TITANIC that he’ll best be remembered.
I called him up and talked Titanic, James Cameron, Avatar and sounding like Sade! Here's the full unedited phone interview direct from LA...
What have been your biggest projects since Titanic?
I’ve done three or four TV series. One where I was the star called Ten Eight. It only ran half a season but that was great. I starred in a movie recently where I got to play famed mobster Jon Gotti, called The Sinatra Club.
I’ve watched an interview with you on YouTube about the movie. How did it go?
Yeah it was terrific. I got to scream and threaten people for two hours, terrific.
That must have been quite cathartic?
Yeah it was great, I got to be mean and obsessed and get paid for it, terrific.
So how did you originally get the role of Fabrizio?
Well I actually just went in and read for James Cameron. I went to Lightstorm Entertainment, I went upstairs and I went in. There were two scenes. The two scenes were the scene where we win the tickets at the beginning, and then the second scene is the scene that never ended up in the movie which is this long scene where I try to get my Norwegian girlfriend to not depart with her family and come with me. It was cut from the movie. So I got this jubilant scene and then I had this really intense, emotional scene. And I finished my reading and Jimmy was behind the camera. He was actually filming! Usually the director sits down. There’s usually someone filming and the director sits next to the casting director and watches. But in fact he was filming the thing.
Was that intimidating?
No, it was kinda part of the deal. You know I’ve worked with some pretty big directors. So I was kinda used to it. So he pulled the camera away from his eye and he goes..."Oh, you’re an actor."
That must have been a good sign?
It was a great sign. I said thank you politely but inside I wanted to jump up and down.
What training or preparation did you make for the role?
Well a lot actually. Well the first thing I had to do was to learn to speak with an Italian accent and be an immigrant. And then I did a lot of research on what was going on in the world in 1912 and learned stuff about Titanic and the history, so I had that to look forward to and rehearsals and that sort of thing. But you it was about trying to put myself in that time. Which was where most of the work was in the preparation, in the accent and the era.
What was he like as a director? Was he cool?
He’s nuts! Absolutely nuts.
Is he as much of a tyrant as people said he was?
You know it’s funny, I’ve worked with tyrants, who shall remain nameless. The thing I will say about Jimmy is he’s not a tyrant without purpose. He’s very clear on what he wants and you know he’s already got it figured out in his mind so when it doesn’t go his way it’s so frustrating for him. But he’s not mean spirited.
I’ve done three or four TV series. One where I was the star called Ten Eight. It only ran half a season but that was great. I starred in a movie recently where I got to play famed mobster Jon Gotti, called The Sinatra Club.
I’ve watched an interview with you on YouTube about the movie. How did it go?
Yeah it was terrific. I got to scream and threaten people for two hours, terrific.
That must have been quite cathartic?
Yeah it was great, I got to be mean and obsessed and get paid for it, terrific.
So how did you originally get the role of Fabrizio?
Well I actually just went in and read for James Cameron. I went to Lightstorm Entertainment, I went upstairs and I went in. There were two scenes. The two scenes were the scene where we win the tickets at the beginning, and then the second scene is the scene that never ended up in the movie which is this long scene where I try to get my Norwegian girlfriend to not depart with her family and come with me. It was cut from the movie. So I got this jubilant scene and then I had this really intense, emotional scene. And I finished my reading and Jimmy was behind the camera. He was actually filming! Usually the director sits down. There’s usually someone filming and the director sits next to the casting director and watches. But in fact he was filming the thing.
Was that intimidating?
No, it was kinda part of the deal. You know I’ve worked with some pretty big directors. So I was kinda used to it. So he pulled the camera away from his eye and he goes..."Oh, you’re an actor."
That must have been a good sign?
It was a great sign. I said thank you politely but inside I wanted to jump up and down.
What training or preparation did you make for the role?
Well a lot actually. Well the first thing I had to do was to learn to speak with an Italian accent and be an immigrant. And then I did a lot of research on what was going on in the world in 1912 and learned stuff about Titanic and the history, so I had that to look forward to and rehearsals and that sort of thing. But you it was about trying to put myself in that time. Which was where most of the work was in the preparation, in the accent and the era.
What was he like as a director? Was he cool?
He’s nuts! Absolutely nuts.
Is he as much of a tyrant as people said he was?
You know it’s funny, I’ve worked with tyrants, who shall remain nameless. The thing I will say about Jimmy is he’s not a tyrant without purpose. He’s very clear on what he wants and you know he’s already got it figured out in his mind so when it doesn’t go his way it’s so frustrating for him. But he’s not mean spirited.
So what about Kate and Leo, what were they like? Do you have any funny stories?
Well Kate I fell in love with, just as friends. But she would humour me and do an American accent all the time. I’d say "Kate please do it" and she would start talking in an American accent. It was just the funniest most charming thing, she’d just into this California girl accent. She’s got such a proper accent English accent, so when she’d go into it, it was one of the funniest things..."Hi Danny how you doin? Well alright man I’m goin’ to make up." That was great. And Leo I’d known for a long time. Leo I met through Tobey Maguire. They were friends for a long time. And I knew Tobey for a while. So when I saw Leo for the first time, it was like "Hey, how you doin bro?" But actually I used to teach an improv class way back when and Tobey and Leo used to come to the class.
Wow, you used to teach them improv?
Yep
Is it true that the first scene they shot was the sketching scene?
Is it true that the first scene they shot was the sketching scene?
I don’t know cos’ I came into it quite late so I’m not sure what was on the call sheet for the beginning of the shoot.
I heard a story that she flashed him just before they were about to start shooting to break the ice.
I heard a story that she flashed him just before they were about to start shooting to break the ice.
I wouldn’t put it past her. I’ve been doing this a long time but I’ve never seen anybody work harder than Kate did on that film.
Did you have any scary moments on set, particularly working in the water?
Well let me put it to you this way. We did a scene where the front of the ship goes underneath, goes under the water. So it was on hydraulics. It goes beneath the water in the scene. Now Jimmy’s shooting it from seven different cameras. So he’s sitting at a monitor, with seven different monitors for each camera and there’s a wide shot. One of them is wide. So what happens is the front of the ship goes down and you’ve got two hundred extras, swimming across and looking like it’s chaos...and it was (laughs). You know and I have to cut this rope, it was so intense. No acting necessary. It was really swimming in the water and cutting rope, climbing, trying to avoid people...and then take two, dry everybody off and do it again.
Did you ever reflect on it and think ‘Oh my God, this is genuinely terrifying?’
There’s one scene where I basically had to allow the water to drag me through a..er...little window, and there was a period of time I was gonna be under the water. Simon the stunt coordinator was so careful, he gave me all the directions and just having him be so prudent about precaution made me feel should I worry? God you’re so insistent about so many things, should I worry? But you know through diligence it went great. But it wasn’t like I got to control it, I literally had to let the water drag me through this little hole and go underwater, and they had to come and give me a breathing tube whilst I was under water. You know it can be frightening but they know what they’re doing.
So did you have a favourite scene to film?
Well Leo and I had a lot of fun. One of the scenes, that wasn’t necessarily my favourite but definitely sticks in my memory is ...we did this scene where we’re on the bow...you know the king of the world?
Yes
And the way it was actually filmed is we were on a very tall small piece of the front with a green backdrop and it was really a drag to get us up and down, cos’ it was very time consuming. So in between shots we were up there and the wind was howling. This is February! It was not cold by any stretch of the imagination but it was cold for that time there, and the wind was howling and we hadn’t eaten and we needed the bathroom. We couldn’t just go over the side because the entire set would see us. I mean Leo and I would do the scene and be jubilant and happy about this amazing situation that we were in on this boat and it’s ‘I’m the king of the world’ and ‘there’s the Statue of Liberty’ and the minute they yell cut we would be miserable! We were hungry, we had to go to the bathroom...we looked at each other at one point and just said this is hideous...and then hey be jubilant again... hey, oh my god look at the dolphin! That would be the acting part of it. That’s when we really acted.
Did you ever think the film would be as successful as it became?
No I actually thought it would be as good as it was. But, for lack of a better word, doomed...
As I suppose everybody else did at the time?
Yeah we had people coming down saying when you gonna finish it? What’s going on? Blah blah blaaah. You know, I was like, oh boy!
What was it like when you saw it? Where you completely blown away?
Well when I saw it...I didn’t really see it the first time all I thought was how much I wasn’t in it! That’s all I saw. And Jim sort of warned me. Before I saw the film he sort of warned me. But when you actually see it, it’s devastating. And then the second time I saw it I thought it was great. An amazing piece of filmmaking.
It must have been great because when the special edition came out a few years ago on DVD, it gave people the chance to see those scenes?
Yeah, they got a chance to see some of those scenes which was cool.
What did you think of Avatar?
I loved it. You gotta remember, I’ve got a thirteen year old daughter who was actually born during the making of the boat, of Titanic. I actually had to leave set to go have my child. And I had them calling me going, "umm are you gonna be coming back cos’ we’ve gotta finish the dance scene?" I put it in the contract cos’ I knew I would have to leave, cos’ the due date was in the middle of filming. Getting back to your question, I went to see Avatar with her. And to see it in 3D in one of the big movie houses here in Los Angeles with her, I kinda got to see it through her eyes and it was just terrific that way.
So is there any chance of Jim calling you up to offer you a role in the sequel?
Of Avatar?! You know Jimmy’s great in the sense of if I’m right it’s great, I’m in. But if you look at Avatar, there’s really nothing I could of done in that film.
I don’t know...
Yeah, nothing that wouldn’t have been a force. If there’s something Jim thinks I’m right for he’ll call me.
Is it true you narrowly missed out on a role in Stand By Me?
Yeah I was in the final call backs for that film. They were doing a mix and match, and you know all of the guys who got the role and some of the people who didn’t get the role who were there like Sean Astin and myself. Yeah that’s actually true.
So what’s next for you? What plans have you got?
Well right now I’m actually starting to work on a record.
Really?
Yeah I’ve actually done music for a long long time and because there’s a bit of a lull between now and September. I mean I think I’ll probably go back to work in September, I’ve got a couple of things in the works but for the next two months I’m hoping to finish the record. I’ve just finished eleven songs and I’m starting pre-production on it and you know, go in and knock it out.
What kind of style of music is it?
Somebody said , I mean I can’t describe it, but somebody said that if Sade and Elvis Costello had a bastard child, it would be me.
Wow, that sounds interesting.
Yeah I don’t know how to put that but they said I sound vaguely English. Can’t think why? Bit of an anglophile.
Do you play as well?
Yeah I play guitar and stacks and bass. So yeah I’ll play a lot on the record.
Are you hoping to tour?
Well it depends on how well the record does. I mean if there’s a necessity for it I’ll do it but it would probably be something limited just because I can’t commit to stuff like that cos’ of work.
Did you have any scary moments on set, particularly working in the water?
Well let me put it to you this way. We did a scene where the front of the ship goes underneath, goes under the water. So it was on hydraulics. It goes beneath the water in the scene. Now Jimmy’s shooting it from seven different cameras. So he’s sitting at a monitor, with seven different monitors for each camera and there’s a wide shot. One of them is wide. So what happens is the front of the ship goes down and you’ve got two hundred extras, swimming across and looking like it’s chaos...and it was (laughs). You know and I have to cut this rope, it was so intense. No acting necessary. It was really swimming in the water and cutting rope, climbing, trying to avoid people...and then take two, dry everybody off and do it again.
Did you ever reflect on it and think ‘Oh my God, this is genuinely terrifying?’
There’s one scene where I basically had to allow the water to drag me through a..er...little window, and there was a period of time I was gonna be under the water. Simon the stunt coordinator was so careful, he gave me all the directions and just having him be so prudent about precaution made me feel should I worry? God you’re so insistent about so many things, should I worry? But you know through diligence it went great. But it wasn’t like I got to control it, I literally had to let the water drag me through this little hole and go underwater, and they had to come and give me a breathing tube whilst I was under water. You know it can be frightening but they know what they’re doing.
So did you have a favourite scene to film?
Well Leo and I had a lot of fun. One of the scenes, that wasn’t necessarily my favourite but definitely sticks in my memory is ...we did this scene where we’re on the bow...you know the king of the world?
Yes
And the way it was actually filmed is we were on a very tall small piece of the front with a green backdrop and it was really a drag to get us up and down, cos’ it was very time consuming. So in between shots we were up there and the wind was howling. This is February! It was not cold by any stretch of the imagination but it was cold for that time there, and the wind was howling and we hadn’t eaten and we needed the bathroom. We couldn’t just go over the side because the entire set would see us. I mean Leo and I would do the scene and be jubilant and happy about this amazing situation that we were in on this boat and it’s ‘I’m the king of the world’ and ‘there’s the Statue of Liberty’ and the minute they yell cut we would be miserable! We were hungry, we had to go to the bathroom...we looked at each other at one point and just said this is hideous...and then hey be jubilant again... hey, oh my god look at the dolphin! That would be the acting part of it. That’s when we really acted.
Did you ever think the film would be as successful as it became?
No I actually thought it would be as good as it was. But, for lack of a better word, doomed...
As I suppose everybody else did at the time?
Yeah we had people coming down saying when you gonna finish it? What’s going on? Blah blah blaaah. You know, I was like, oh boy!
What was it like when you saw it? Where you completely blown away?
Well when I saw it...I didn’t really see it the first time all I thought was how much I wasn’t in it! That’s all I saw. And Jim sort of warned me. Before I saw the film he sort of warned me. But when you actually see it, it’s devastating. And then the second time I saw it I thought it was great. An amazing piece of filmmaking.
It must have been great because when the special edition came out a few years ago on DVD, it gave people the chance to see those scenes?
Yeah, they got a chance to see some of those scenes which was cool.
What did you think of Avatar?
I loved it. You gotta remember, I’ve got a thirteen year old daughter who was actually born during the making of the boat, of Titanic. I actually had to leave set to go have my child. And I had them calling me going, "umm are you gonna be coming back cos’ we’ve gotta finish the dance scene?" I put it in the contract cos’ I knew I would have to leave, cos’ the due date was in the middle of filming. Getting back to your question, I went to see Avatar with her. And to see it in 3D in one of the big movie houses here in Los Angeles with her, I kinda got to see it through her eyes and it was just terrific that way.
So is there any chance of Jim calling you up to offer you a role in the sequel?
Of Avatar?! You know Jimmy’s great in the sense of if I’m right it’s great, I’m in. But if you look at Avatar, there’s really nothing I could of done in that film.
I don’t know...
Yeah, nothing that wouldn’t have been a force. If there’s something Jim thinks I’m right for he’ll call me.
Is it true you narrowly missed out on a role in Stand By Me?
Yeah I was in the final call backs for that film. They were doing a mix and match, and you know all of the guys who got the role and some of the people who didn’t get the role who were there like Sean Astin and myself. Yeah that’s actually true.
So what’s next for you? What plans have you got?
Well right now I’m actually starting to work on a record.
Really?
Yeah I’ve actually done music for a long long time and because there’s a bit of a lull between now and September. I mean I think I’ll probably go back to work in September, I’ve got a couple of things in the works but for the next two months I’m hoping to finish the record. I’ve just finished eleven songs and I’m starting pre-production on it and you know, go in and knock it out.
What kind of style of music is it?
Somebody said , I mean I can’t describe it, but somebody said that if Sade and Elvis Costello had a bastard child, it would be me.
Wow, that sounds interesting.
Yeah I don’t know how to put that but they said I sound vaguely English. Can’t think why? Bit of an anglophile.
Do you play as well?
Yeah I play guitar and stacks and bass. So yeah I’ll play a lot on the record.
Are you hoping to tour?
Well it depends on how well the record does. I mean if there’s a necessity for it I’ll do it but it would probably be something limited just because I can’t commit to stuff like that cos’ of work.
See the abridged 'WHERE ARE THEY NOW' version in an upcoming issue of Empire.
