In 1976, the film Rocky surprised the world by being nominated for 10 Oscars and Best Picture, transforming Sylvester Stallone into a legend. Of course, it was also the first step in a franchise that spanned decades and formats until it reached Broadway, with fans across several generations. It is the story of the fighter Rocky Balboa, of course, but everyone knows that his true strength was not in his punches, but in the unconditional love he felt for the shy Adrian Pennino, immortalized on screen by Talia Shire. In Brazil, on display in São Paulo since March, the musical features actress Lola Fanucchi in the role of Adrian

Known for her work in musical theater and Brazilian audiovisual, Lola has been collecting praise for her performance on stage. She, who has shown a creative spirit and passion for art since she was little, just like Adrian, has an infallible resilience to overcome several personal and professional challenges. Graduated from the Institute of Arts at Unicamp, she moves naturally between theater, cinema, and TV, and has a collection of characters that dialogue with contemporary and universal themes.

She has been in productions such as the Brazilian production of In the Heights, among others, and is best known for her participation in the soap opera Órfãos da Terra (TV Globo) and in the film Tudo Bem no Natal que Vem, on Netflix, alternating experimental projects, historical characters, drama and comedy with the same ease. Humanity is what she seeks in each role and in this universe as masculine as boxing, she was inspired not only by the performance of Talia Shire, but also by the Olympic figure skater Dorothy Hamill.

In an exclusive chat with CLAUDIA, she talked about the creative process and the challenges of the role.

CLAUDIA: What attracted you most to the character Adrian Pennino, and what was the process of creating this version for the theater like?

Lola: I think she is a character who combines delicacy with great inner strength. I like this duality. I find it interesting how this is enhanced throughout her story arc. Adrian starts out quite fragile and, through her relationship with Rocky, discovers sides of herself that she didn’t know about and that empower her to change what she doesn’t like about her reality. Initially, in rehearsals, we focused a lot on what we call “table work”, where we studied the text of the play in depth. Talia Shire immortalized the character in the movies brilliantly, and part of my job is to bring this essence to the fans of the work. But I also wanted to explore other inspirations to create something original and not just a copy. We are on a stage that is very close to the audience. This also requires that a new version of the character be created so that the story can maintain the impact that touched so many hearts around the world.

CLAUDIA: You mentioned that you were inspired by Olympic figure skater Dorothy Hamill and your mother’s memories to compose Adrian. How did these references help to give depth to the character?

Lola: I think that all the inspirations make the character more complete and therefore more human, real. Adrian, in the work, loves ice skating, so it made sense for me to research some great figure skaters of the time and bring elements of them to the stage. Dorothy, who was an Olympic champion the year the film was released, was also quite shy, so it was the perfect fit for some of the body work. In the case of my mother, I try to borrow a certain fragility that she had and bring it to some moments with Adrian. This obviously connects me on a more personal level. But I think this mix of references is important. I think that’s where something interesting is created.

CLAUDIA: Adrian starts out as a shy and reserved woman, but throughout the plot, she becomes stronger. Did you identify with this journey of self-discovery?

Lola: I don’t necessarily think that being shy and reserved means that a person is not strong, but in Adrian’s case, she learns to assert herself, which is very important. She finally sets limits on situations that hurt her. I think I can relate to that. When I was younger, I understood that life is really hard and we always have to “endure” situations with resilience. I easily exceeded my limits for the comfort of others. Little by little, I understood that this is not the case. Of course, life demands resilience from us at various times, but we must also know when it is time to say “no”, abandon a path, or expose our conditions to continue. But this process of self-discovery is not simple, is it? For me, it came gradually and with the help of therapy. Knowing yourself is a very precious path to building a life that makes sense to us, and I encourage everyone to look for ways to start this personal reflection.

CLAUDIA: Have you ever interpreted characters in national and international productions? Which role has been the most challenging so far, and why?

Lola: I find it very difficult to choose one, because the challenges are so different for each character. Some are more distant from our personal reality or our personality, so they require a deeper understanding of this aspect. Others, for example, in musicals, can be more technical challenges, such as scores that require more vocals. Or even in an open work like a soap opera, we have to build the character as the author also writes the work. So these are very specific challenges each time. But this is great, because it ends up developing different skills that make me a more complete actress. I love moving between media.

CLAUDIA: What do you love most about musical theater and how does it differ, for you, from working in audiovisual?

Lola: I think that when you mix acting with singing and dancing, it opens up possibilities that can be very magical. I don’t think it works for every work, but some really gain power when they fit into this genre. You stimulate the viewer with other stimuli. When a character, for example, feels something so intensely that it is impossible to just talk, and he starts to sing, it gains another stage power. The score also carries within itself an emotional charge that is different from speech, as does good choreography. I find it a captivating art form, just like audiovisual. I just think it depends on adapting the best format for the type of story you want to tell.

CLAUDIA: In Órfãos da Terra, you played Muna, a role that marked your debut on TV. How was this transition from the stage to the recording sets?

Lola: I believe that the core that sustains the actor’s work is the same, regardless of the medium in which he finds himself. For me, it is very connected to the truth. Finding the truth of that character, in that circumstance, of the genuine exchange with the scene partners. This is imperative and non-negotiable. Now, of course, there are technical particularities that each medium brings and that we add to our repertoire. I have certainly become a much more complete actress after my experiences in audiovisual. You develop other skills that are necessary for that context. It’s like when you’re learning a new language and you gain more and more vocabulary. It ends up becoming easier and more precise to communicate exactly how you want. As an actress, there’s nothing more enriching than gradually adding these skills.

CLAUDIA: Your story is marked by courage and new beginnings. What gave you the strength to pursue an artistic career after working in the corporate world?

Lola: It’s funny, but what gave me “strength” was the amount of discomfort I felt at not being happy and fulfilled there. It doesn’t sound very inspiring to say that discomfort can drive you forward, right? But it’s true. I had the feeling that I was living a life that wasn’t for me, you know? I wasn’t fulfilled. I think it’s important to listen to our discomforts. You can learn a lot from them. They indicate what needs to change. And knowing that something needs to change, I would say to listen to what excites you to find the direction for that change. If a desire has been in your heart for a long time, as was the case with art for me, I always think it’s worth investigating it further. That’s what I did. I decided to take a chance on something that brought enthusiasm and joy to my life. And then everything really seemed to fit together better.

CLAUDIA: Do you have any special rituals or preparations before going on stage?

Lola: No rituals, but I do a lot of preparation. Especially on days when there are double sessions, I start at home. I wake up and drink a lot of water, do a nebulizer with saline solution, and start some speech exercises. Then I choose a more physical class with a certain intensity of cardio to wake up my body. Then in the shower, I start to warm up my voice. I say “start” because in the theater we also have a group vocal warm-up shortly before the play begins. There’s a certain “routine” there that I like to maintain.

CLAUDIA: Looking back at your career so far, what advice would you give to young artists who dream of pursuing a career in musical theater?

Lola: Well, I won’t go into points like: “dedicate yourself to your studies”, because I think that this might be too basic in such a competitive market. I think I would say to keep in mind that an acting career, in general, is not simple. The paths are not linear, you have few guarantees (if any… lol), and you will often go through very demotivating situations. I’m not saying this to discourage, but to prepare yourself, you know? I know that the vast majority of people who seek this path have a great passion for musical theater in their hearts. Keep this passion alive by getting involved in study groups, taking classes with inspiring people, and putting together your own projects while you may have not entered the job market yet. Throw yourself into auditions and keep yourself in mind. I know that most of the time, we will all get a “no”. Try to understand as soon as possible that it’s not personal. You’re not terrible because you didn’t get into project X or Y. Casting is a process that depends on infinite factors, so don’t let it shake your confidence too much. You have something special and unique that only you will bring to that audition room, so try to focus on that. And a lot of shit for everyone! Lol!

CLAUDIA: What would be the next big challenge or dream role that you would like to play?

Lola: I have some personal projects (for theater and audiovisual) that I’ve been writing and that I would like to try to get off the ground at some point. I don’t really have this thing about specific dreams about a character. But I would like to continue focusing on strong and complex characters like the ones I’ve been lucky enough to play. In terms of genre, perhaps a side of me that not everyone knows is that I love comedy. I would love to create in that field, perhaps in an open work like a soap opera, because the audience’s response is always very immediate. It must be a very enjoyable job and, as I haven’t tried it yet, it’s definitely on my dream list!