Matteo moro, passionate novel charm

Elisa Nori
Jan 6, 2023
14 min read

Updated: Apr 14, 2023

When we talk about fashion it is easy to associate it with the female world, but we must also remember the importance and influence of the male world, because there are so many men who have made a difference through and thanks to fashion. Even more preponderant is the presence of male talent in the cinema, where what distinguishes is often a mix of qualities that give the actor an incomparable uniqueness. When I saw Matteo Moro the first thing that came to my mind was a sensual and at the same time feral Gary Oldman in the famous film Dracula by Bram Stoker, directed by the great Francis Ford Coppola.

Matteo seems to come from another era, also endowed with an elegance of the past; I mentioned a period of time between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries according to Stoker's novel, but his aesthetics would lend itself to various figures of the past of pure fantasy or real and equally sought-after canons.

Matteo was among other things, in a late 15th century setting, the witness of Caterina Sforza and Giovanni De' Medici in the Anglo-Italian television series "The Medici: Lorenzo the Magnificent".

A look like his, based on how groomed or otherwise left wilder, can prove to be a winning investment above all because it is natural, obtained without having to resort to wigs or hairpieces, as often happens in the cinema.

In certain historical periods, hairstyles, such as the different hairstyles of kings and high officials, reflected high rank; they did not respond to a simple aesthetic taste, but were a real symbol of social identity; in as many eras a long beard and mustache served to instill fear in the enemy and that one wanted to be recognized, for the great experience accumulated in battle.

Already in Greek mythology Zeus, the king of Olympus, was depicted with a long flowing beard.

Since time immemorial, therefore, the beard has expressed power, making the bearded man assume a position of leadership.

In the cinema we can go from a Leonidas beard in 300 to that of a Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, from a Pai Mei in Kill Bill to a Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, from a Chuck Noland in Cast Away to a Hugh Glass in Revenant, from that of an Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter to that of a Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: the awakening of the Force and all of them have had a different and decisive role, to outline the character; unforgettable cameo of ZZ Top in Back to the Future – Part III with their now iconic beards.

If we then want to further explore beards, mustaches and long hair, how can we forget one of the most famous and translated novels of French literature, namely The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas which later became the maximum inspiration for many films.

In the film Interview with the Vampire it is impossible not to recall the long hair of two great actors, namely Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, a film that earned Dante Ferretti the Silver Ribbon and the BAFTA Award for Best Art Direction; but neither can we forget Leonardo di Caprio as Louis XIV The Sun King.

The beard, like the hair, can be used to contextualize the character in the right era and respective customs/traditions, but also to underline the passage of time and in some cases wisdom.

Even off the set, many actors such as various models, in recent years have again chosen long or medium-long hair and beards, which certainly require different care but which give the wildest a Viking look and the dandy ones, mystery and sex appeal marked.

For Matteo Moro, entrepreneur, model and actor, the addition of some requirements made the difference for the achievement of objectives and their success.

His image has been used on prestigious catwalks in Italy and abroad and has appeared in magazines in the fashion clothing and beauty sector; he therefore possesses the poise that distinguishes those on the catwalk, but also physical traits of good taste and class exploited in advertising as in the cinema, by various professionals.

Matteo is a frequent visitor to the Milanese salons, to exclusive designer parties and private parties where his charm never fails to present itself, a lover of beauty, art, music and everything that enriches and brings satisfaction, to the spirit as well as to the body.

These inclinations of him helped him not only when he was the protagonist, but also when he had to create for others; his eclectic mind allows him to work in furniture, design and even owns a line of handcrafted footwear of his own production, where creativity and enthusiasm are the masters.

Symbol of identity or virility, Matteo's look accompanied by this long beard and thick hair is adopted by other highly rated models of different ages, such as Alessandro Manfredini, Gianluca Di Sotto, Ricki Hall, Chris John Millington, Levi Stocke and the Viking Josh Mario John just to name a few; some more tattooed some less some more hipster some less, this aesthetic choice has determined in all cases their notoriety.

So whether it's a hipster beard, stubble beard, corporate beard or the Ducktail Beard, 2023 will also see it as the protagonist.

Now the time has come to unravel the mystery and to cross the oceans of time to get to know this distinguished and enigmatic character, who in part reminds us of some traits of aestheticism and hedonism told by Oscar Wilde.

Matteo Moro is an Italian entrepreneur, model and actor.

Noticed for certain physical requirements and through the entertainment environment, he makes his way by working on prestigious Italian and foreign catwalks, collaborating with stylists such as Alexandre Plokhov, with clothing and shoe brands such as Paul & Finch, Whichway, Karl Mommoo, Alpinestar but above all as testimonial of hair cosmetics with Wella, Barba Italiana, Framesi, Restagno, Parisienne, Kms, O Way, Alfaparf, Revlon, Pegasus, Medavita conquering, through the latter, also the Men's cover.

He participates in music video clips for the artists Lobo Loto, Soul System, Nightsoon and in commercials but also institutional ones such as Calzedonia with Julia Roberts, Chef Express, Cocuma, Seat.

On TV he takes part in the Guess my Age show, in the Mix & Match program with Lodovica Comello and the director of Vanity Fair and style expert Simone Marchetti.

He stars in the second season of the television series I Medici-Lorenzo il Magnifico with Daniel Sharman and Bradley James, in Diavoli with Alessandro Borghi and Patrick Dempsey and in Diabolik 3 with Giacomo Gianniotti and Miriam Leone.

At the same time he works in the field of furniture dealing with indoor and outdoor curtains, furnishing accessories but also for his footwear brand, Moro di Legnago, as a creative.

Cryptic charm and an image of a distant era are the traits that make Matteo a rather intriguing figure, certainly with non-trivial or obvious features.

We are not talking about an excessively glossy or cloned beauty, but about unique and distinguishable characteristics, of primary importance for those who want to deepen their acting... which, if exploited properly, can also have a strong impact on the big screen.

Matteo is a person capable of questioning himself and ready to experiment, as well as perfect himself.

He will surely be able to tell himself more deeply, even through forms of expression that go beyond the body, to give voice and bring out that "cruel and sensual" spirit like a Shakespearean character.

Matteo, tell us about your footwear brand... Being made in Italy craftsmanship, it is extremely important to celebrate the accuracy and passion for detail, but also the uniqueness of each product. What do you offer the customer and what is your source of inspiration, to achieve what he wants?

My footwear brand "MORO DI LEGNAGO" of which I am also the creative, was born at the end of 2015 after an experience in the footwear sector.

Always looking for new products, I wanted to give my customers a product that could best express the personality of the wearer.

My buyers often come with their own clothes and accessories, in order to create a shoe that matches the look; they can customize each component of the shoe down to the smallest detail, choosing from a vast selection of plain, printed or glittered leathers.

For those more sensitive to the cold, I can pair the inside with sheepskin in various colors and the choice also includes the decision of the eyelet, the lace and the stitching as well as the sole available in natural para, TR or Vibram.

The evaluation of the leathers is done on the basis of fashion trends, or through specific requests that come to me from the most demanding customers.

I'm always looking for new models, that's why I recently added some new ones.

Fashion now influences and directs many sectors, just think of all the people who have embraced it as their main job and often abandoning others or leaving them marginal; this means that it is a sector that inspires and seduces... Is it easy to fall in love with fashion?

Of course, I personally look at it from a distance without getting absorbed because I think that each person must find the right look based on their physical conformity, in order to bring out their personalities and strengths.

Coming from the art of textiles and furnishing curtains, which I have still practiced for more than thirty years, I have managed to create a footwear brand that, thinking about it, goes hand in hand;

colors and prints, also in this case, are always updated according to trends.

For this reason, I can say that I have not abandoned my main job but on the contrary it has helped me to have that extra touch of taste also in my parallel activities, allowing me to always work in the fashion field as a model and with fashion agencies both in Italy and abroad.

Between your work as a model and that of an actor, which has so far stimulated you the most and what have been the satisfactions obtained from both?

I start by saying that between model and actor, I feel more like a model (or advertising actor) than a film actor, even if I have taken acting courses to improve my skills and competences.

I have been working as a model for twenty years now and there are many satisfactions that I have received from this job; as well as giving me the opportunity to support great professionals in the sector, it has also given me the opportunity to travel outside the national borders.

My film career, on the other hand, is recent, where the path to take is still long but nevertheless I managed to participate marginally in various TV series including I Medici, Diavoli, or the most recent I hate Christmas and the films that have just come out Diabolik 2 and 3.

You were born in Legnago in the province of Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet who are the protagonists of Shakespeare's tragedy, which deserves credit for being able to make a love story immortal. It has been an inspiration for films and theater performances...Speaking of theatre...Would you like to work in this environment too?

Behind me I have theatrical experience in a small company and I must say that it was pleasant; I hope to develop this aspect of the seventh art as well.

With my modeling job, walking in front of thousands of people made it natural for me, easing fears towards the public.

Obviously in the theatre, unlike the cinema where you have the possibility of repeating the scenes to perfection, any mistakes must remain with the last dress rehearsal because no reruns are allowed during the show.

The beauty is this ... putting yourself to the test to discover aspects of yourself that you did not know.

I personally believe that your figure would lend itself very well to historical roles or figures set in past eras; Are there roles more than others that you would like to play? Are you planning to delve even more specifically into acting?

The fact of wearing historical costumes has always fascinated me... My debut as an actor was precisely on the occasion of the Christmas of Rome which is celebrated on April 21st, the date of the foundation of the city, in which I assumed the role of Zeus.

In the case of the Anglo-Italian television series "The Medici: Lorenzo the Magnificent", I was instead the best man at Caterina Sforza's wedding. She will go for my look with full beard, long hair...

at that time I still had them shorter for the role and if they asked me to shorten them again, I would have done it. In my work it happens repeatedly to change my look and I must say that I really like it. I regret not having participated in the biographical film on D'Annunzio "The bad poet" shot at the Vittoriale, in which I could have played the part of a friend of the poet, the typical dandy of the early twentieth century, a role that personally fascinates me and in which perhaps more than others I identify with. In addition to the improvisation and diction course, I also plan to take acting courses between Verona and Milan.

Often people make the mistake of assuming fashion to be superficial and fickle, without taking into account all the work that goes on behind the scenes, ditto in cinema.

The idea alone, which is brought on paper or other technological support, can already be divided into three distinct phases which are: the sketch, the draft and then the technical drawing. All subsequent processes are also extremely complex and require preparation and meticulous attention, to arrive at the finished product which can be criticized or approved by the public. Do you think it's important to narrate fashion like cinema, rather than just looking superficially?

Certainly... this sector is not at all ephemeral as many think because behind it there is a meticulous study of the costumes or clothing items in simultaneity with everything that you want to reveal and perceive in the eyes of the beholder, arousing emotions and transmitting sensations. If we think of a fashion show, after having selected the various models and models there is the fitting, then make-up, beard and hair, as well as the rehearsals of the fashion show to be in sync with the other colleagues.

When I was in Paris to show, first they made the "fitting" which is the phase in which a dress, after being designed, produced and adjusted on a mannequin, is put on by a model; you become real mannequins in the flesh. This allows the stylist to evaluate if there are any defects, see the effect of the garment worn and make the necessary changes... It was a satisfaction to observe the creation on me, up to the end.

Since you frequent and have frequented the circles closest to stylists, which are the ones you admire the most for what they have created and are creating?

Every designer is to be admired, because with their creativity they contribute to making the world a pleasant place to live. Among these certainly worth mentioning Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Miuccia Prada, Karl Lagerfeld, Armani; each with his own style has marked the fashion until today.

The fact of attending stylists or well-known personalities even outside the scenes was as casual as a thing.

Once invited by stylist friends to some party, you meet interesting people, some more...some less; bonding then, it is natural to try to see each other again.

So I attended fashion previews, a few birthdays and frequented the Milanese salons.

Seriousness, commitment and professionalism...three words that should never be missing from a person's curriculum. Do these words have the same weight both in Italy and abroad, or have you noticed any differences? Did you have to fight in poorly meritocratic environments?

These three points are the basis in my modeling work and beyond; in Italy as abroad seriousness, commitment and professionalism are the common denominator for quality work that lasts over time. Meritocracy, as everyone knows, in Italy doesn't always go hand in hand with commitment, that's not why we let ourselves be overwhelmed by the inconsistencies that we sometimes encounter; you try to fight to keep up the level that the profession requires.

It's up to us to bring out our skills, trying to screen and give value to people who are serious and correct in their work, compared to others who don't keep what they promise. Seriousness also allows you to consolidate friendships as well as work relationships with the people you work with.

I find that the profession of model, beyond notoriety and beauty, is really demanding and stressful, especially for the rhythms to which one is subjected.

In cinema, actors can use acting as an outlet, channeling their emotions in a constructive and successful way, while often the fact that in the models it is not so essential that they show them, in my opinion creates a containing and wearing "cap" . We also talk about the negative aspects of this environment, with the eyes of those who have experienced it.

Surely the rhythms, the work appointments and the marked timetables of the current society lead to considerable levels of stress but with the right organization it is possible to complete everything; you have to throw yourself into the flow of events and let yourself be gently rocked, only in this way can I keep my two professions alive.

Sometimes it happens that we arrive at a fashion show and to prepare ourselves for the event, they make a sauna and a Turkish bath available to us; of course it doesn't always happen but we are confident, after all the important thing is to lead a healthy lifestyle, organized and ready to always make the best of life. When we are under the projectors as well as showing bodies or faces, we can also convey emotions, who knows???

What future projects would you like on your next journey? Do you have any dreams you would like to achieve in the workplace?

I have various projects in the field of textiles and furnishing curtains, always looking for innovative products to offer to my customers, but also in the field of footwear by proposing new models and new leathers.

In fashion I would like to expand my skills and competences, for foreign brands ... to make myself better known, which I am implementing by implementing my experiences; a job I've done recently is for a Saudi Arabian brand that deals with perfumes, the ABRH of which I witnessed the Piedmont fragrance.

https://abrhperfumes.com/

As I have also reiterated in previous articles, there are many men who have moved from fashion to acting, this because it does not exclude the attractive although not fundamental aspect.

In cinema, the first major fundamental point is skill, which often surpasses particular aesthetic qualities. Aesthetics are always an added value, but the world is full of handsome men and beautiful women... of people who know how to make something feel when we're in a cinema, much less. Those who approach cinema want to feel sensations, they want to identify themselves, they want to dream and all this happens through the very expression of the actors and actresses. The fascination of the older ones has always started from their way of being and from what they have managed to leave as an emotional legacy, rather than a superficial one.

The inner part requires much more elaborate work, that's why you study hard before being considered great screen performers; it's that part that makes us able to live with what's outside and consequently create something eternal.

We can leave a baggage to others, only if we make them part of our deepest self and Matteo has perceived, even if his flourishing career as a model, that he needs further steps to approach cinematographic and theatrical art in a total way.

Consequently, everything becomes more beautiful and pleasant if there is an equal depth and even what seems imperfect suddenly comes to life and gives us unforgettable emotions. Take a Totò or take a Magnani ... They weren't faces with perfect and statuesque canons according to how society currently wants to see things, because even the concept of beauty differs from era to era given that what we now consider beautiful was not centuries ago, as what we consider beautiful with regard to our ethnic group is not particularly so in others, but they remain unsurpassed even by those who are considered, according to a rather changing thought of society, superior in beauty.

We are beings who need to feel part of a group and to feel part of a group we need to interact, so the mere superficiality of what we show is not enough. With the same passion with which a single handicraft work must be carried forward, even art is something unique and every product created through it becomes timeless, if it has conquered the others and not just our vain search for visibility; art was born to communicate and to enter history, we must first of all be useful to society through what we do.

Matteo has reached a point in his career where he can afford to raise the bar and aspire to a further leap in quality, given by a different physical and mental maturity. Accustomed to coordinating multiple jobs, lover of balance and beauty in every aspect that is understood as an expression of what he creates, he will surely be able to understand the complex mechanisms behind the world of cinema which is made up of many people like a puzzle; they work hard so that you can admire their work, always hoping for a great involvement.

We could go back to the past, or we could go towards the future... cinema gives us the possibility of manipulating time as we like, of interpreting and reinterpreting it... there is no more magnificent and complex machine capable of producing images and simultaneously opening a window to the world.