Lorenza Izzo

In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Lorenza Izzo portrays the role of Francesca Capucci, a Sophia Loren look-a-like with the overall aura of an Italian bombshell diva. She also plays the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Rick Dalton, a washed up Hollywood actor. In reality, Lorenza Izzo couldn’t be further from that femme fatale arm candy archetype. While she’s undeniably glamorous and beautiful, she’s actually Chilean—not Italian—and is more low-key, humble and candid then you might expect. The talented actress began her career as a model and then moved to LA to pursue the dream, which has proven to be well worth the grind. Above all, what we love most about Izzo is how real she keeps it. Whether we’re discussing her skincare routine, the woes of being an introvert, or learning to reprogram maladaptive behaviors and thoughts—she is as relatable as they come—which makes her so damn Dandy. With her star on the rise and charge-ahead mentality, we have a keen feeling Lorenza Izzo is truly just getting started.

It's been quite a year so far. How are you doing mentally?

I’m not sure! I always have my highs and lows, but this pandemic has certainly been a rollercoaster of emotions like nothing I’ve ever experienced. However, I’m lucky that I have a roof over my head; that I have the privilege to stay at home; that I’m in good health and so is my family. Knowing that has truly helped get through this. I’m much more grateful for the simple things.

Have you been auditioning or filming lately? What's that been like?

August was a crazy month! It felt like back to normal-ish for a while there. I had so many auditions (all self tapes, very social distanced). I was on such a high that I very quickly forgot what it had been like this year. I even tested for an incredible show (it didn't work out for me unfortunately, but insane that I was able to test during a pandemic). We did it in a very large open space with distance and masks and it was truly glorious to get to act with real people. All this to say—ups and downs on steroids is how I feel.

You were also a model before becoming an actress. Did you use modeling as a conduit to becoming an actress, or did you realize you wanted to be an actress while modeling?

I got into modeling through osmosis. My entire family of mainly women have been models and it just made sense for me to make money at the time. But my thing has always been to entertain people; nothing gives me a rush like getting laughs out of someone.

**What was the audition process like for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood? Did you know DiCaprio, Pitt or Tarantino before working with them?**

I knew Quentin. We'd hung out many times and I adore him, but we had never spoken about this movie. He's very private about his scripts, as I’m sure you’ve heard. We had to read the ending of it in a trailer with guards outside! He's also very particular, rigorous and personal about his casting process. My lottery ticket was Vicky Thomas; she was the film’s incredible casting director and she had seen me for other projects and put my name forward! When I got the request to tape for that Italian role, I was utterly shocked! My approach was that it was a far stretch for me to book, so I’d just have fun with it and rejoice in the opportunity I was given. When I got the call I had booked it, I totally lost my shit.

Is your family still in Chile? Do you live in LA?

Everyone is in Chile and it kills me. I’m a very family oriented person—I am Latin after all. I terribly miss my mom, sister, friends, and my grandma's cooking! Chile is my roots and my anchor, but Los Angeles is where I’ve built a home and have my chosen family. I’m a big fan of Los Angeles and I actually hate it when people dismiss cities so casually like “LA this, NY that” when in reality they are each their own particular living organisms with different cultures.

What does confidence look like to you?

Being cool with oneself is confidence at its peak. Getting older has certainly taught me that. I’ve noticed how the people I’m most attracted to and admire are ones that have a certain calmness. They don’t need to prove anything. It’s not about being liked but about liking yourself. Loving myself first and being intuitive with my decisions has given me confidence.

What's your exercise routine?

I love exercising, mainly for the mental benefits. I go a million miles per hour on any given day and I need to sweat and tire myself to function properly. Depending on my mood, menstrual cycle and laziness I do a mix of boxing, Muay Thai, strength training and yoga. I also like to be active whenever I can by going on walks with my dog, hiking, swimming in any body of water, attempting to surf, I love kitesurfing and skiing. I’ll try anything, really.

Most creatives are pretty introspective. Has the pandemic affected your level of self-introspection at all? Or do you find keeping busy helps balance out all the extra time we have to be in our heads?

The pandemic certainly has made me go "in" more and that can be dangerous. Living in my head too much is never good news for me. I’ve had to force myself to stay active and busy to not sink into certain feelings or get lost in too much thinking.

What are your five essential beauty products?

I’m a skincare aficionado. For me, self care can look like having a bath some days or a couple of stiff drinks. I’m certainly more about listening to my body's needs without judgement these days. Also
Dr. Barbaras Sturm's entire line—but my go-to’s are the Enzyme Cleanser and Pollution Drops to protect my skin from all the ash and smoke from the fires in our poor state. 111SKIN Masks are amazing. I’m a huge fan of magnesium and have been taking it nightly to relax my muscles and brain. I love Kosas Tinted Face Oil. I don't wear much makeup, but I love a tinted moisturizer for auditions and nights out. Oh, and I cant live without my hot water bottle for period cramps.

How has your relationship with your body evolved over time? We all have our phases, especially as women. Where would you say you're at now?

I’m happy to say I’m in a pretty sweet spot these days. Growing up, I struggled so much with hating my body and having my self-worth be measured in physicality. It’s taken a lot of therapy and work to dismantle all the lies that were ingrained in me. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not over it. Most days I have to remind myself that I’m enough just as I am, that I’m also beautiful and that there’s only one me.

What's something you'd like to accomplish in the next year?

With the year we've had and the state of the world, I’d just like to accomplish some stability and personal growth. I mean, I wouldn't say no to an Oscar. I would love to be able to act in my own project.

What projects are currently in the works that you'd like to share?

I’m really excited about a script I collaborated on with two incredible ladies. I’m attached as the lead and I’ve always wanted to have the ability/power to be able to choose and collaborate on my own projects. This has been a dream come true! It’s in the early stages though, so I really don’t want to jinx it.

Is there any mantra or quote you live by or identify with?

Stick to the work. Personal work. Professional work. Life is about growth and that takes work. It’s hard not to get distracted or sidetracked, but if you focus on the work and do good work, I believe things pan out the way they have to.

What are some of your instant mood boosters when you're not feeling your best:

My dog, funny dog videos on IG, @bennydrama7 on IG, dancing to Lizzo, my girlfriends, and tequila.

What's one of your biggest insecurities you had to overcome?

Where do I start! My biggest one is imposter syndrome. I keep waiting for someone to figure out I’m actually not that good of an actress or that I’m a fraud. I’m awful to myself in that sense and honestly the only way to get out is to remember we're all tiny little specks in this huge planet, and we're doing the best we can with what we’re given. It’s nice for me to remember its not all about me and that there’s an entire race of humans trying to do this thing called life as well.

Share one of your go-to Chilean recipes:

Sea urchin ceviche or as we simply call them in Chile, Erizos. Down there, all you do is mix a bunch of fresh out of the water uni tongues with diced onion, cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and you're good to go! Another favorite mine is caldillo de congrio or, conger stew. This is an epic dish and very affordable. You can do it with any delicious fresh white fish (conger doesn't really happen in the USA) and create a stew with tomatoes, potatoes, and broth from the fish.

Your vices:

Lists! I love making lists and my nightmares are that I can’t get them all done so these giant papers come and eat me alive. Dark chocolate, any form of it. Wine, not any form of it. I’m actually quite annoying about this category. Amazon. I hate that this has happened, but I love ordering in one click. It’s destroying my bank account and me. Does cleaning count? I love cleaning and I can’t stop. I also love organizing and I have a trillion bags and containers for things. Can you tell I’m a virgo yet?