“As a child I was poor, I could not afford the Batman costume” – Corriere.it

ROME “I never imagined, in mine weirdest dreamsto become superhero, telling myself, ”says Lillo. She does it in the series
«I’m Lillo“previewed at Cinema partyeight episodes directed by Eros Puglielliavailable from January 5th on Prime Video.

How was the project born?

«It was born from the success of Posaman, who was the spring that was supposed to make the contestants laugh at the game show “Lol-Who laughs is out“. With Greg we are successful, but I have never had a hyper pop hit like this, which children and seniors like. They asked me for a series from a character that had six poses, a small repertoire of special effects, a stuff to twenty seconds starring a guy who is there a little and a little bit makes us. Instead we have found a key to the story “.

Which?

«There is my wife played by Sara Lazzaro who is fed up with me and my oddities and leaves me. Friends are unlikely characters that revolve around me. In this bizarre adventure we have created an alternate reality where Testaccio echoes Brooklyn. To tell something true it is necessary to invent lies and create new worlds ».

Did comics inspire you?

«I’m passionate about comics, I come from that world there. The superhero metaphor is important, as a boy I thought of creating Normal Man, the story of a guy who becomes a hundred times stronger and smarter but instead is a hundred times more stupid, and becomes normal. Out of awe, my superheroes are absurd, I have too much respect for the real ones ».

He said he is himself.

«Yes, with my insecurities, my fears. It is I, transported to the Metaverse. In every situation I started with a question: how would I react in life? I have experienced situations that might seem exaggerated ».

Guy?

«A traffic policeman stopped me and recognized me: he told me you are great and he gave me a crazy fine, he also checked the triangle, and in the meantime he told me you are number one. At a certain point he becomes a bit of my own enemy. Here it is all self-deprecating, entertainment with a lot of improvisation. I like the surreal that takes its cue from the real. It is not a self-referenced story, on the contrary it is a choral one, my friends participate ».

Who I am?

«Pietro Sermonti is a cinema agent, he is obsessed with the business card, he also gives it to plants and says, if you don’t have a catchphrase you are not a comedian; Marco Marzocca remained in the fantasy world of dragons, elves and wizards. Then Cristiano Caccamo plays my brother. There are Valerio Lundini who came to the Lillo & Greg shows, which we resume in March, he always came to visit us, he was 13, he was our godson, full of ideas. Corrado Guzzanti will be guest star in one episode ».

What was she like as a child?

“I grew up in Tor Pignattara, a policeman dad, a housewife mom. There was no money to buy me a Batman costume and then I got a shabby little dress borrowed from friends, a prince who didn’t even have a sword. I could only buy one comic a week, and that afternoon was wonderful. I was shy, curious, lonely. My mother was worried, her friends came to visit her house with her children and she said to me, why don’t you play together? But I already had my schedule. I had two fictional characters that I created with grimaces looking at myself in the mirror, Pandor telling me where I was wrong, and Pitteride where I smiled like the Joker, was the downplaying part. From there I told stories ».

Has the pandemic changed the way people laugh?

“Laughing is now a physical need, like going to the bathroom or eating. Comedy shows are sold out. Many years ago with Greg we did a show for the elderly only: they never laughed, I was bursting out, Greg disguised himself as an old man and said to me, young man, don’t you make me laugh ».

Translation?

“You must never take yourself too seriously.”