AND GOD CREATED VINCENT
Interview by Nile Larson
Photograph by Michael Tighe
Vincent Spano has the kind of Italian
charm that comes with growing up in the ethnic neighborhoods of New York. He gesticulates
using both hands; his strong features appear carved; he finished an entire pizza while he talked;
and he is able to perform an imitation of Francis Ford Coppola to such perfection that it has
amazed Coppola himself.
There is an Italian uncle living on Sullivan Street, who carries Vincent's photo around. He
shows it to the neighbors and brags that his nephew played in Return Of the Black Stallion. That's Italian.
Spano's acting career already includes numerous screen ans stage roles -- all of them requiring
more than just his good looks. He has plays such diverse roles as : an Arab in Return of the Black Stallion;
the nerd in Rumble Fish(He dyed his hair blond for the role) and the neighborhood tough
in Alphabet City. His latest roles are as : a construction worker with a six years old son in Roger Vadim's
remake of his own And God Created Woman; and a stone mason in the Tavianni brothers Good Morning Babylon.
Unlike other twenty-four year old actor, Spano is not scrambling after roles, and frequently turns down scripts he deems unimpressive.
"That's my problem; I am too picky... there is a price to pay for it; you can spend a lot of time waiting around."
Listening to Spano describe Billy, the character he plays in And God Created Woman his gestures become more clenched
and the light in his eyes intensifies. It becomes apparent that he has been able to cultivate a love for Billy, the construction worker,and,
more important that he loves acting in a way that is ardent and fresh.
Though eager to discuss And God Created Woman, he is not at all interested in drawing comparison between this movie
and the original version. According to Spano the only thing the two have in common are the director and the title. He purposely has
not seen the first one, and won't until the new one is completed. He does not want his idea about Billy to be derivative.
(Brigitte Bardot starred in the original and she has yet to see one of her films either.)
A release date has not yet been set for And God Created Woman. Good Morning Babylon is due out this month.
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