Italian actor who moved to Salford to learn English lands role in upcoming film

Italian actor, Mattia Paradiso, 29, moved to Salford four years ago to focus on his English and hopefully breakthrough as an actor in the UK.

Mattia was a trained actor in Rome but after seven years wished to embark on a new adventure and immerse himself in the challenge.

After staying in Manchester for a short time, Mattia settled at Cedric Street in Salford with the appeal of MediaCityUK being around the corner.

Paradiso plays the character of Giovanni Cipriani, in the upcoming screenplay ‘Enemy of the Heart’ which follows the life of an Anglo-Italian family living in Liverpool during the Second World War.

Giovanni, an Italian father and restaurateur, moves to the UK but is seen as a threat by the government for his Italian heritage due to Mussolini joining forces with Hitler to attack the country the Cipriani family have come to call home.

“What I have in common with Gionvanni is we’re both Italian and both moved to the UK in search of new opportunities,” Mattia said.

Director of ‘Emeny of the Heart’ Claryn Scott, who also lives in Salford, said she wanted an actor who had the ability to bring Giovanni’s character to life.

Some elements came easy to Mattia but he found the role of being a father to be a new but rewarding challenge.

“Being part of a family felt special, it was a roller coaster of emotions, but that’s why I love acting,” said Mattia.

Once moving to Salford, Mattia started to try and learn the culture, including trying Marmite, he’s not a fan, but also his friends tried to teach him a Liverpudlian accent using the phrase ‘chicken and a can of coke’ and nailing down a Mancunian accent with ‘you alright love’, Mattia is fascinated with some of the English dialects.

Paradiso has been an extra on set for ‘The Crown’ and ‘Downton Abbey’, providing him the opportunity to learn the logistics of the English language and pick up on dialects and slang.

“It was time for a step up, I can see things are getting better and better, I’m in a good position at the moment,” admitted Mattia.

Last year Mattia also started his business, ‘his baby’,  Paradiso Authentic.

During the first lockdown when acting and work opportunities seemed scarce, Mattia was left with two choices, move back to Italy or attempt something new.

After making tiramisu desserts for neighbours and friends, people began offering to pay for the sweet treat which led Mattia to opening up his business and securing a production unit in Ancoats.

Mattia now attends food festivals under Paradiso Authentic and has multiple events coming up this year:

• 27th-29th August Festa Italiana, an exclusively Italian food and drink event in Cathedral Gardens, Manchester.
• 23rd- 26th September Film/food festival in Heaton Park, Manchester
• Paradiso Authentic will also have plans to attend more festivals throughout the country.

Mattia’s aim is to hopefully work on both his business and his acting career simultaneously.

“Since I speak two languages I could work between the UK and Italy, it would be really good for my career, fingers crossed that happens,

“I went to Italy after a year of not being able to see my family, I got to hug them and enjoy the beach- I really needed the vitamin D,” He joked.

“Being here by myself is not always easy but I have things to do.” He continued.

Enemy of the Heart is currently in post-production and is aiming to be released later this year to be entered into the film festival circuit.

You can follow them on Facebook for updates on all the cast and Mattia himself.

You can follow Paradiso Authentic on Instagram for updates on where Mattia will be taking his business next.