The influencer with 2 million subscribers landed his first film role, alongside Alban Lenoir and Anne Marivin. Fast will be in theaters in February 2025.
Far from the artifices of Instagram and superficial poses, Paola Locatelli shows up for our interview without makeup, with her hair gathered on the top of her head, dressed in slightly too long jeans and neon yellow sneakers with a large khaki coat. She is ready to talk about her two professions, influence and cinema. More precisely from her first role on the big screen: Max, F1 driver.
Discovered on YouTube in 2016, Paola is what we call an influencer and content creator. Followed by two million people, her community knows her by the nickname Paolact. Her job? She creates videos, she posts photos of herself, her life and the brands she collaborates with. “I love the flu! I feel comfortable, I love fashion, I’m very grateful to participate in fashion week shows.”
A childhood in casting
Since she was little, even before the appearance of Instagram, it was cinema that made her dream. “When I was little my mother filmed me with a video camera. When you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I already said you were an actress.” The young twenty-year-old knows this “It’s an untouchable profession, especially because (his) parents are not part of it”. Daughter of a civil servant and a banker, they always supported her. “My parents are reassured by the fact that I have lateral influence because it allows me to pay the rent and live. Cinema is still too unstable.”
The trigger? “I did a casting for La Grande Récré and acted in five five-minute episodes to present the toys.” At eight years old, this web series completely seduced her. “I told my mother: this is what being an actress is”, he smiled. When she was thirteen, she was chosen to act Camping Paradise on TF1. But without success. Paola did not attend film or theater schools but works. Very. In particular by attending cinema courses in a 11th grade schoolAnd neighborhood of Paris. “I did 156 billion casting calls and only got three roles.” Particularly on Netflix in Dangerous relationships , an adaptation of the epistolary novel, but also inside So far, so good the series by Nawell Madani and on France TV in the series Tender Meat. In the face of failures, the young woman remains positive and accepting “these castings are like work sessions”.
Paradox of influence
Paola can’t sit still, she speaks with her hands and her hoarse voice “adrenaline” what he feels when he receives a script, he feels as soon as he talks about it. She is aware that her two million followers can help her get a role: “I’m not naive, influence makes some producers hire me because they think I’ll get more views.” However, this also closes the doors to him. “paradoxically, in the prestigious world of cinema, some will never hire an influencer”. For what ? “Cinema is beautiful France, art, culture. Influence, in people’s minds, is superficial, it’s easy money, it’s taking pictures on Instagram.” She has already been refused roles without having had the opportunity to go to casting due to this limitation.
“Enjoy your role”. This is his mantra. “I only participate in castings that allow me to have another life, like that of a pilot”. In his first film role he plays Max, the main character of the film. Fastwhose theatrical release is scheduled for February 2025. This young girl attracted by speed, in love with F1, struggles to find her place in a sport “very masculine”. “When I read the script I was fascinated. It’s quite rare that I read one in one evening, I usually procrastinate. I said to myself, if I don’t get the role I’ll have too many problems.” Bingo, pass the casting and meet young pilots “Immerse yourself in the role”, like Lisa Billard, F4 driver from the Alpine Academy. The actress practiced sports intensely for two months to stay in physical shape. When you talk about your new character, you say “AND”. Paola is Max. Max is Paola. Two young girls, career dreams, strong characters and delicate decisions to make. “Max wants so much to follow his dreams but can’t because of his family, says Paola. Me too, I feel like it’s happened to me before. The comedians Albano Lenoir et Anna Marivin answer him. This feature film by Morgan S. Dalibert, director of Meaning what -the most watched French film in the world on Netflix upon its release in 2023- is a challenge for the young actress: “I think I would notice when I see my face everywhere in the movie theater.”
Paola Locatelli has made a promise to herself: the next time she climbs the steps of Cannes it will be thanks to a role in a film, and not as an influencer invited by a brand, as she has already done. The superstitious girl will surely have been on set with her charm: “a green t-shirt I was wearing the last time I saw my grandmother. There’s still her scent on her.” And, a ring with significant initials, “those of my grandmother and my best friend, who are gone”.