Piera Degli Esposti has died

The actress Piera Degli Esposti, endowed with a strong personality and an exasperated sensitivity, at the origin of a visceral interpretative style, died today at the age of 83, at the Santo Spirito hospital in Rome, where she was hospitalized since June 1st. for pulmonary complications. The news of the disappearance was given to Adnkronos by the family. Defined by Eduardo De Filippo “‘or new verb”, with his voice and his body, his unconventional and unscrupulous vein, Piera Degli Esposti has written an important chapter in the history of theater and cinema in our country, forming himself “with women “, as he liked to repeat, and never with academies. Born in Bologna on 12 March 1938, she worked with Antonio Calenda, Giancarlo Cobelli and Ida Bassignano in the theater; he unhinged the conventions of the theater and crossed the avant-garde with Carmelo Bene; it was directed by the Taviani brothers, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Lina Wertmüller and Giuseppe Tornatore in cinema, Riccardo Milani and Giacomo Campiotti on TV. He won the David di Donatello for “L’ora di religion” (2002) by Marco Bellocchio and “Il divo” (2009) by Paolo Sorrentino. In 1980 he collaborated with the writer Dacia Maraini on the book “Storia di Piera”, inspired by the facts of his childhood, from which in 1983 the homonymous film directed by Marco Ferreri was made, with whom he formed a long association. After being rejected by the Academy of Art and Drama, Piera Degli Esposti throws herself body and soul into acting, making her debut with Antonio Calenda, Gigi Proietti and Nando Gazzolo at the Teatro dei 101, where she plays a male role in “Ten minutes in Buffalo” (1968). She established herself as the first actress at the Teatro Stabile dell’Aquila, playing “The daughter of Iorio” (1971), “Antonio and Cleopatra” (1974) and “Molly cara” (1978, Ubu Award for best actress). In the meantime he had obtained a small part in Edmo Fenoglio’s television drama “Il Conte di Montecristo” (1966). Piera Degli Esposti made his film debut in Gianfranco Mingozzi’s “Trio” (1967), then worked in “These ghosts” (1967) by Renato Castellani and once again alternates TV with the seventh art, participating in the drama “Il Circolo Pickwick” (1968), by Ugo Gregoretti. Particularly loved by Pier Paolo Pasolini, she plays a small part for him in “Medea” (1969), as she will do for the Taviani brothers, who want her in the cast of “Under the sign of the scorpion” (1969). Nor does he disdain the Italian b-movies of the early seventies, such as “Bisturi – La mafia bianca” (1973) by Luigi Zampa. At the same time, at the theater, he continues to reap great successes in “Elettra” and “Rosmersholm” ( Ubu as best actress), both from 1980. In the same year, Dacia Maraini, her great friend, tells of her unconventional and tragic childhood in the novel “Storia di Piera” (first edition by Bompiani, then reprinted by Bur Rizzoli). Later, he works in “Solo”, “La più forte” and “Adelchi” with the collaboration of Carmelo Bene. Directed by Nanni Moretti in “Sogni d’oro” (1981), it stars in Cinzia Th. Torrini’s film “Giocare d’azzardo” (1982). Then comes the fateful meeting with Marco Ferreri who, totally in love with this great artist, employs her not so much as an actress, but as a screenwriter for two of his best films: the film adaptation of “Storia di Piera” (1983) and “Il futuro is a woman “(1984). in the same period she artistically binds herself to another great name of cinema, the director Lina Wertmüller, who will direct her in “Scherzo del fate lurking around the corner like a street brigand” (1983), with Ugo Tognazzi, “The tenth clandestino “(1989) and” Metalworker and hairdresser in a whirlwind of sex and politics “(1996). on the stage of the Living Theater, then brings to the Italian theaters “The glass zoo”, “Madre Coraggio”, “La musica dei ciechi”, “Prometeo” and “Stabat Mater”, where she plays a Madonna of the slums. overwhelming protagonist in the theater of “An unforgettable evening” by Achille Campanile where, directed by Antonio Calenda, he reveals his comic and unreal visage. He also returns to the cinema with Aurelio Grimaldi’s “Nerolio” (1996), but it is with Marco Bellocchio’s “The hour of religion – The smile of my mother” (2002), in the role of the lively and charismatic aunt Maria by Sergio Castellitto, which wins the David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actress. A real rediscovery of this actress who becomes a very recognized face even for the new generations who appreciate her in the TV film “L’inganno” (2003) by Rossella Izzo or the serial fiction “Right of defense” (2004). Former nun, now owner of a porn cinema, for Marcello Garofalo in “Three moral women” (2006), she is again the protagonist in the film of the great Giuseppe Tornatore “The unknown” (2006). In addition to the television success of the musical series “Tutti crazy for love “, where she plays alongside Emilio Solfrizzi, 2011 is another year of cinema for the actress: she is in theaters with” The children of her life “by Peter Marcias and” I kisses never given “by Roberta Torre. In recent years he has participated in several films, including “Cloro” (2015) by Lamberto Sanfelice, “Assolo” (2016) by Laura Morante, “Orecchie” (2016) by Alessandro Aronadio, “I santi giorni” (2017) by Rafael Farina Issas, “My Italy” (2017) by Bruno Colella and “Favola” (2017) by Sebastiano Mauri. In 2019 he received the Flaiano Theater Award for his career.