Girl on Fire: Milena Smit
A year after Pedro Almodóvar launched her into the stratosphere by choosing her to star in Madres Paralelas, we find the Spanish actress decidedly at ease with her new-found image and fame.
Photography Ana Abril
Stylist Catherine Ospina Buitrago
An extraordinary director of women, Pedro Almodóvar manages to provoke an immediate atmosphere of anticipation around each new female entrant to his casts. After having launched Carmen Maura, Marisa Paredes, Victoria Abril, the director who contributed in a fundamental way to the mythologising of Madrid's nightlife has found in Penélope Cruz the muse with whom he continues to collaborate. Together thay built on the success of 1999 hit All About my Mother, launching the first of a series of excellent roles. It therefore follows that the role of Cruz's co-star in Madres Paralelas has sparked the buzz around Milena Smit , immediately christened the new muse of Almodóvar . A little over a year after the film's presentation in Venice, L'Officiel Italia shot the 26-year-old actress, whose film debut, directly as a protagonist, was in the thriller Cross the Line for which she was nominated for a Goya Awards for Best New Actress . At the same time fragile and uncompromising, Smit definitely knows how to move in front of the lens, as evidenced by an Instagram account from which emerges an absolute confidence in her own body and a decidedly edgy, contemporary Goth style, earning her the role of ambassador of Anthony Vaccarello at Yves Saint Laurent.
L'Officiel Italia: When and how did you decide to become an actress?
Milena Smit: Actually it wasn't a choice: the opportunity presented itself and I jumped in. I had many jobs before, hotel receptionist, waitress in a bar… I grew up in a humble environment. They contacted me via social media about David Victori's Cross the Line and it all started from there.
LOI: Before working with Pedro Almodóvar, what were his films that you liked the most?
MS: Difficult to choose. I would say La Mala Educación, Talk to Her and Volver… Absolutely, the character I loved the most is Raimunda, the role played by Penélope in Volver.
LOI: What was most difficult in interpreting your role in Madres Paralelas?
MS: Definitely having to immerse myself in a body and develop a psychological empathy for the concept of motherhood. Giving birth, thinking of losing a child… but despite the difficulty it was an extraordinary opportunity for growth, thanks also to the help of Penélope and Pedro.
LOI: Luc Knowles' Dragonflies just came out; you will be the protagonist of a Netflix series coming out next year - La Chica de Nieve, and a film, Tin y Tina directed by Rubin Stein alongside Jaime Lorente (famous for Paper House). Can you tell us about your roles?
MS: In La Chica de Nieve I play a journalist who becomes obsessed with the story of the first article she is assigned after graduation. Tin y Tina is the story of a mother who decides together with her husband to adopt two little boys. In Dragonflies I am a girl unnerved by the disturbing environment that surrounds her. I'm proud of all the roles in a different way.
LOI: Which directors would you dream of working with?
MS: I could go on all day listing names, but some of the ones I have always identified with are Gaspar Noé (director of Irréversible), Todd Phillips, David Lynch , Alejandro Amenábar (director of The Others with Nicole Kidman) and Rodrigo Sorogoyen, an Oscar candidate for the short film Mother.
LOI: How do you spend your free time?
MS: I live in Madrid, I like seeing friends, going to the cinema and writing poetry.
HAIR: Fernando Martinez
MAKE-UP: Rebeca Trillo
SET DESIGN: Dawn Stark
PHOTO ASSISTANTS: Nano and Juan Martinez
STYLIST ASSISTANT: Ruben
