MADELEINE GARDELLA TALKS MEGALOPOLIS

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

This is a film Francis Ford Coppola was already discussing on the set of 'Apocalypse Now' in 1979. It’s gone through many phases, with many actors attached along the way, until this cast finally took shape. The ambition behind this project is truly remarkable. It must be incredible to be part of it, helping bring such a long-cherished dream project to life?

Absolutely, it is incredibly special! When I sit down and think about how Francis first conceived of ‘Megalopolis’ decades before I was even born it makes my head spin. And when I think about my time in the production for ‘Megalopolis’ I think of one word, family. I remember on my first day of rehearsal I was so nervous preparing to walk into the room with all these icons and titans of the film industry. Immediately, that fear was washed away as I was embraced and warmly welcomed by each and every one of them. Not an ego in the group.

How did you approach portraying Claudette Pulcher?

All of us actors on set were really given huge creative freedom to collaborate alongside Francis and create our characters from the ground up throughout the rehearsal process. To me, Claudette, though on the surface a party-girl trustafarian, is actually quite bright. She does not feel that her smarts are appreciated and is only rewarded for how she looks and who she knows. She’s crafty, funneling her intelligence into schemes, gossip, and manipulation. Claudette is incredibly privileged and wants for nothing, so she toys with people and discards them when they are no longer interesting. Perhaps there’s an underlying sadness to that, but, for Claudette Pulcher, there’s nothing a bottle of a good bottle of Dom Pérignon won’t fix.

It was around this time of year, Christmas, that you first got your start in the entertainment industry, only about eleven years old?

Yes, that is correct! I got my start in entertainment performing as Clara in the ‘Radio City Christmas Spectacular’. When I was very young, I went with my family to see the Spectacular-show at Radio City Music Hall, and, after seeing the show, I knew innately that I had to be a part of it. Once I was old enough, and proficient in dancing en pointe, I begged my mom to take me to the audition in New York City. Booking that role was a dream realized. So many major life moments happened for me during those two years I was a part of the show. For instance, I turned thirteen performing on stage at Radio City Music Hall! Needless to say, I got “bit by the bug”, and it's all been a wildly exciting ride ever since.

Ballet demands constant self-push, often at any cost. You stepped away at seventeen but does that background where facing challenges is so ingrained in the process still inform your work as an actress?

The ballet world challenged me in ways at such a young age that looking back now conjures mixed feelings within myself. Ultimately, I look back with pride on the work that I accomplished. Those difficult times while dancing grew within me a spirit of tenacity, empathy, and fearlessness, three qualities that, I believe, are essential to being an actress, or, really, human.

A life in the performing arts is unpredictable, but hope endures. As the film says, “If you cannot see a better future, build one.” What is your own equivalent of Francis dreaming about 'Megalopolis' for five decades?

That is a monumental question to answer. That quote, “If you cannot see a better future, build one”, is my favorite from the film and it is a lesson that I try to live by post-production. Let's fast forward five decades into the future. I want to look back and have zero regrets. The words, “I could have”, should not even be a thought in my mind. As opportunities arise, I take them. This is not to say that I am a go-with-the-flow kind of person. Rather, I follow all of my passions to the fullest extent, staying curious along the way and absorbing all the knowledge I can, with the goal of tying them all together.

Are there any ballets that you have done up on stage before that you would think interesting to adapt within the film format?

Your ears must’ve been ringing because I was just talking about this with my mom the other day! One ballet in particular, 'Giselle', would translate really well on screen as a horror-drama film in the vein of Robert Eggers’ 'Nosferatu'. The sinister narrative revolves around themes of obsession, betrayal, and revenge. Utilizing the film-medium to tell this haunting story would lift some of the boundaries of ballet, for instance, the absence of dialogue, allowing audiences to be touched by the sincerity within the tragedy that's 'Giselle'.

Are you currently working on anything, be it projects the audience can look forward to seeing, or something just to nurture your own creativity?

Nurturing your own creativity, as you so eloquently put, is essential for any artist. To do that, I am honoring a longtime goal of mine by exploring different passions alongside continuing my work in the film industry. For many years, I have dreamt of earning my Masters degree. To that end, I am currently attending business school at SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy, studying for my Master in Luxury Fashion, Experience, and Design Management. And, as far as projects in film and television are concerned, keep your eye out because I continue to audition and pursue projects as they become available.