“Capone”, starring Tom Hardy, Linda Cardellini, Matt Dillon and Kyle MacLachlan, Tilda Del Toro is a biographical film that is certain to be remembered for many years to come. In terms of the direction, performances, costumes, and cinematography, it bends and breaks the rules of the movie-making process. With a definite feel of Kubrick and Lynch, this is a clever film that asks you to really invest in, and recognise, an Al Capone who is completely different to the character that is often portrayed.
Tilda Del Toro, a Chicago-born actress, has made great strides recently. She has appeared opposite Kevin Hart in the comedy “Night School”, and now with Tom Hardy in “Capone”. Tilda plays Capone’s mistress, and without giving any spoilers away, it’s safe to say that her role as Mona Lisa is quite significant; in fact, she’s a key figure in scenes where Capone has to find some money – which is an important feature later in the film. Also, we discover that Mona is related to Al Capone in a way that is revealed by Capone himself.
She went on to fondly share a story about when (during the first run-through of a major scene) she slapped Tom Hardy in the face and pushed him on to a couch. Apparently, after ‘cut’ was called, everyone burst into laughter because the slap was so strong. Tilda told us that Tom was very gracious and forgiving about the whole thing! Describing the film’s leading actor, Tilda praised Hardy’s professionalism: “Tom is very interested in the best work possible all the time – meaning he is looking at all aspects of his work and the others around him. He is diligent, a hard worker and has a very good sense of humour!” Mentioning how grateful she was for his presence. Her experience of working on the set was a joy, and she was proud to have worked with talented director Josh Trank, who she describes as “a ball of creativity, fun and serious about the work!”.
Before filming began, Tilda did many things to prepare for the role. As she didn’t know how to speak Italian, she spent two months working with Actress and Language Coach Silvia Baldassini learning the language and fine-tuning Mona Lisa’s Italian dialect. She explored Mona’s physicality with Movement coach Kristi Slager Salerno and rehearsed the actual scenes and all the possible approaches with acting coach Matthew Scott Snyder (James Franco’s Studio 4).
Del Toro also worked with the pitch of voice with voice teacher Bonnie LaVallo to make sure Mona Lisa’s tone was projected with a strong, deeper resonance. After all her individual preparation, she then had discussions with the director to help bring his vision of her character to the forefront; Tilda says this really helped her understand the way she should represent Mona Lisa in the film.
Del Toro suggested that the appeal of the film is huge because people will be shown a side of Al Capone that isn’t seen as a glorified gangster: “It’s interesting to see the film because of the outstanding work and deep layers that both Tom and Josh (and everyone else) demonstrate. You will not see anything like this. It is important to be open when you are watching the film and understand that this is a groundbreaking film that will not give you what you want all the time, but instead present something new, mysterious and heartfelt all at once.” Tilda believes that the legacy of Capone is that it will be studied as one of the most innovative films ever made.