Matteo Tibiletti
He is the scriptwriter and actor in La Donna Nella Stanza Dollar Baby film.
SKSM: May you introduce yourself to our readers? Who are you and what do you do?
Matteo Tibiletti: I am an actor, playwright, and theatre and film director. I came to cinema after discovering The Silence of the Lambs in the 1990s. From that moment on, I always dreamed of making films.
Later, I found my way into theatre, which gave me more expressive possibilities, also because it requires a very different level of financial investment. Over time, I returned to cinema and, thanks to Federico and professionals like him, I reconnected with that old and unforgettable passion.
SKSM: When did you know you wanted to become an actor?
Matteo Tibiletti: Probably during that same period, in the 1990s. After Jonathan Demme’s masterpiece, I think I had a real epiphany. I remember trying to shoot a short film inspired by that movie back then. I keep it very well hidden—it was unintentionally funny rather than good.
SKSM: How did you become involved in La Donna Nella Stanza Dollar Baby film?
Matteo Tibiletti: We had known about the Dollar Baby Project for some time. One day I was talking about it with Fabrizio Valezano, and he tried to tempt me: “Write something,” he said.
So I started looking through the short stories Stephen King had made available. The Woman in the Room immediately caught my attention, precisely because it was the last thing I would have expected from a master of horror.
SKSM: What do you think it is about the story that attracts people so much?
Matteo Tibiletti: The real horror lies in empathizing with someone who has to decide the fate of a loved one. Fortunately, I’ve never experienced a situation like that myself, but I’ve always been afraid of it.
I am absolutely in favor of euthanasia, and I believe it’s a shame that—especially in Italy—this topic is still treated as a taboo, often for purely spiritual reasons.
SKSM: You worked with Federico Gasca & Luigi Scarpa on this film, how was that?
Matteo Tibiletti: As I mentioned, I had known Federico for many years. We had already worked together and shared important experiences.
Luigi is one of Federico’s collaborators. I met him on this project, and he was a very pleasant surprise.
SKSM: Was there any funny things that happened while filming (Bloopers, etc)?
Matteo Tibiletti: Although funny things often happen on sets, this one was marked by a strong sense of seriousness and professionalism. I was completely immersed in my character’s pain, so no—nothing particularly comic or memorable happened in that sense.
SKSM: You also wrote the script and you made some changes from the original story. How do you think (or would you like) the audience to react?
Matteo Tibiletti: The final product moved somewhat away from my original ideas. I would have preferred to keep a more dramatic tone and a less horror-oriented approach.
The production and directors asked me to steer it more toward horror. I trusted their vision, and I think it worked that way as well.
SKSM: What were your greatest satisfactions and challenges in these roles?
Matteo Tibiletti: Playing the protagonist was a great opportunity to show my abilities. It wasn’t particularly difficult: throughout the process, I replaced the figure of the mother in the story with my own mother—and that, in itself, worked.
Writing—or rather rewriting—the script was more challenging. The requests coming from the production sometimes put me in difficulty.
SKSM: What was it like wearing so many hats and what do you like most?
Matteo Tibiletti: I definitely preferred playing the character of Max rather than writing his dialogue, which, as mentioned, moved quite far from my initial idea.
That said, I believe the final result works. It’s just not something I fully perceive as my complete artistic expression—unlike the acting, which I feel entirely represents me.
SKSM: What has this experience left you from a professional and human point of view?
Matteo Tibiletti: I met highly skilled professionals, built stronger bonds with people I barely knew before, and breathed in a lot of “set air”—something I deeply love.
SKSM: Do you still have any contact with the crew/cast from that time? If so with who?
Matteo Tibiletti: Fabrizio Valezano was my best man at my wedding, and Federico has been a close collaborator for years, so yes—the bond with them is still strong.
They all live around Milan, while I’m about 50–60 km away. During the year I focus on teaching at my acting school, the Centro Studi Arti Sceniche “Il Volto di Velluto” (some of the extras in the film were our students), so it’s not always easy to stay closely connected.
SKSM: Are you a fan of Stephen King’s work?
Matteo Tibiletti: Absolutely. I especially love Misery, Carrie, The Shining, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, and Thinner.
I consider him a true contemporary genius—one of a kind.
SKSM: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Matteo Tibiletti: People are often surprised by how easily I invent stories and how quickly I write them—although that doesn’t necessarily mean everything I write is good or successful.
SKSM: What are you working on nowadays?
Matteo Tibiletti: At the moment, I’m planning the scripts for the theatre shows we’ll stage in June 2026 with the acting courses I teach together with my wife, Emanuela.
Since we have many students—about 20 per age group—it’s hard to find existing texts that allow everyone to express themselves fully. So I write them myself, either from sudden inspiration or long reflection.
SKSM: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Is there anything you want to say to the fans that read this interview?
Matteo Tibiletti: I’d be very happy to expand my network of contacts. People can find me on my social media channels or on YouTube.
SKSM: Do you like to add anything else?
Matteo Tibiletti: Thank you for this space and for the time you’ve dedicated to our project.
