“Acting wasn’t on my radar until later in life. I grew up near Venice, Italy and majored in philosophy. When I was in college I saw an ad for a Vanity Fair job. They were starting a YouTube channel and I applied to be a host for fashion week interviews, but after showing them some of my articles, they asked me to write. So during college, I worked part-time—writing, recording little segments—and by my third year, they offered me a full-time position for the littlest money in the world. My boss was 44, I was 19, and when I realized how little she made, I thought, No, I won’t settle for this.
After graduating, I briefly pursued an MFA in creative writing in London, but within a month, I left for Los Angeles and acting school. I studied acting for a year, signed with a modeling agency, and did modeling and social media for a while. But honestly, auditioning and meeting producers often felt unsafe as a young woman, so I stepped away from acting for about five years.
Booking a small role in Netflix’s From Scratch during the pandemic restored my confidence, and it showed me there were good people in the industry. This summer, Fior Di Latte premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and that film feels like my baby. It all started with a DM I sent to Charlotte Ercoli, who wrote and directed it. I thought she was cool and suggested we do something together. She replied that she’d actually been wanting to cast me in something, and within two months, she had a short script; four months later, she had a full feature. I passed it to a producer friend who jumped on board, and suddenly it was real.
The story follows Mark, a screenwriter played by Tim Heidecker, who’s lost inspiration. He meets my character, Francesca, an aspiring writer in Italy who’s new to everything and excited about life. Francesca reignites his spark—he even becomes addicted to huffing perfume to relive their time together—but as her career takes off and his stalls, jealousy creeps in. I love Francesca’s independence—she does her own thing no matter what. In a way, she reminds me of a younger version of myself, chasing a dream in Los Angeles.
Charlotte also directs fragrance spots, and so I actually got to do a little commercial with D.S. & Durga because of that. I tried all their scents and fell in love with Jasmín Yucatan—it reminds me of when I was a kid. Even my car smells chic with their I Don’t Know What air freshener [discontinued]. I also wear Flora Gorgeous Orchid by Gucci. I went to their fragrance party with Miley Cyrus, who starred in the campaign, and after smelling the perfume all night I was obsessed. Now I have two bottles at home and wear it constantly.
When it comes to skincare, I really like moisturizing as many times a day as I can, and I never go to sleep without taking off my makeup. But I don’t have a 40-step routine. I’ve been a fan of Augustinus Bader for a long time, and The Rich Cream is especially good for scars—my skin loves it. Sometimes I switch to Caudalîe’s Premier Cru moisturizer when I want something lighter, or Mimi Luzon’s Legendary Glow as a good in-between. Mimi is an amazing facialist and a friend—she does these insane facials with 24-karat gold leaf. I try to get one every three months, but it’s been a while. I also love how hydrated and contoured my face looks after I see Lord Gavin. He does the slapping thing. [Laughs] And when I want something more low-key, I book treatments focused on lymphatic drainage—the massages at Skininc are my favorite. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with the Medicube Booster Pro. It has a lot of settings and you really need to commit, but when I do, my skin looks brighter and bouncier. Every night is a stretch, but I’m working on it.
Because I’m Italian, I tan easily. It’s great in some ways but not in others—I have to be careful after getting bad melasma on my forehead from birth control. I’m looking into lasers, but for now, my friend Gavin recommended Mecca Cosmetica’s To Save Face serum. It’s brightening, SPF 50, and unlike a lot of sunscreens, it goes on seamlessly without a weird tint.
Where my skincare is simple, I want to transform with makeup. Lady Gaga did such a good job with the Haus Labs Triclone foundation—it blends effortlessly, really looks like skin, and lasts. I wear shade 175 Light Neutral. For concealer, I use Armani’s Luminous Silk in 3.7. It’s smooth, doesn’t crease, and looks natural. Then I fake a little contour and bronze with Patrick Ta’s Major Sculpt Duo in She’s Statuesque. Armani’s Vertigo Lift mascara is my favorite right now. The formula is great, but what really makes it work is the applicator—it’s not too gummy or too thick, and that balance makes all the difference.
I love Starface’s Star Balm—it’s so fresh and sweet. Julie Schott, the founder, is a genius. My go-to lip liner is Tom Ford’s in Re-See, the perfect shade for my lips. Rare Beauty sent me their Lip Soufflé in Elevate years ago, and I can’t be without it now. It turns matte immediately but somehow leaves my lips soft instead of cracked. And when I want a glossy look, I wear Saie’s lip oil in Bubble, a nude-y mauve.
I naturally have dark brown hair, but I’ve tried a few different colors over the years. When I wanted to go blonde, I saw Cass Kaeding, who owns Crâne—she’s been my go-to for seven years. When I want a dark, dark black, I see Erika Vaught at Hair. That’s when I want to feel like Monica Bellucci. My hair was pretty damaged when it was lighter, but it’s healthy now since I only touch up color every four months. I almost never cut it—if I do, I’ll grab scissors and do it myself. Hairstylists always go too short, and I never want to say anything, but inside I’m crying.
Between washes, I use Maria Nila’s dry shampoo—I’m lucky I don’t sweat much. When I do wash, every four or five days, I love Kérastase’s Gloss Absolu shampoo and conditioner, especially paired with the Genesis hair mask. They leave my hair extra smooth. I like to air-dry—it’s a little wavy, so I braid it out of the shower to encourage the texture. But if I want it sleek, I’ll use the GHD Platinum 1-inch flat iron. And yes, Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray is really as incredible as everyone says.
I get mani-pedis at Butter Nails. I wore Essie’s Ballet Slippers exclusively for four years and I still love it, but now I’m in my matte era. Lori-Ellen Howe once did this amazing combo for me—matte with Ballet Slippers underneath—which felt like the best of both worlds. I also don’t want long nails anymore. Maybe it’s because I had to keep them natural while filming Fior Di Latte for two months. That showed me I could live without claws.”
—as told to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Shana Trajanoska in New York on June 5, 2025