Who is Alana Haim, the star of "Licorice Pizza"

Licorice Pizza, the title chosen by Paul Thomas Anderson for his latest film, is a strange clash of words and meanings: vinyl records, the chain of record and memorabilia shops in California where the director and his friends used to spend hours together, but, above all, a common expression to indicate unsaleable products, impossible enterprises, unattainable dreams. Like the awkward, overwhelming and "awkward" love story between Gary Valentine and Alana Kane. He is fifteen years old, an enterprising second-rate teen actor who alternates his showbiz career with a series of failed businesses such as selling pinball machines and water mattresses. She is a twenty-five-year-old with long brown hair, eyes and an angular, yet brilliant and unpredictable character, who is the mirror of a woman in the making, still searching for her place in the world. They meet by chance, during the school yearbook shoot, and "something blossoms between them that is a little more than friendship and a little less than love, or perhaps a little less than friendship and a little more than love". Or rather, to quote Vikram Murthi, "These two have made an indelible impression on each other, and even if they’re not meant to be together, they’re still bonded for life."

Un'ambientazione suggestiva

And as Gary and Alana, amidst teenage fury, shy approaches, kisses, tugs and sweaty palms, explore this deep emotional connection behind them is all the bruising beauty of the summer of 1973 in the San Fernando Valley, a place that is "the antithesis of Los Angeles, where everything is exceptional, fantastic, super." Here the desaturated colors of PTA's film are intertwined with echoes of the Vietnam War and the oil crisis, the iconic music of David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Nina Simone, The Doors and the anonymous suburbs become the perfect stage for a series of bizarre characters including Sean Penn as a William Holden/Steve McQueen movie star, Bradley Cooper as Barbra Streisand's hairdresser boyfriend and Tom Waits as director Rex Blau.

The cinematic debut of Alana Haim

In this star-studded cast, it is the actors playing the two main characters, Gary and Alana, who shine with an almost dazzling light: Cooper Hoffman, son of the unforgettable Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Alana Haim, famous until now for being the third member of that great pop war machine the band HAIM. The most enthusiastic reviews are for her, extolling her facial expressions, her on-screen charisma and describing her performance as "a constant and instant focus even to riskily inchoate emotions". Alana is the year's true revelation, with a unique role written especially for her by PTA, racking up nominations and awards, from the Golden Globes, to the Critics Choice Movie Awards and the Baftas where, in a custom green Louis Vuitton dress, she and Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood picked up the screenplay award for Paul Thomas Anderson.

Alla about Alana and the Haim sisters

Alana Mycha Haim was born on 15 December 1991. Legend has it that her mother sneezed, her water broke and, shortly afterwards, the little blue-eyed girl joined a family of Jewish origin and artistic temperament that already included her mother Donna, father Mordechai and two little girls named Este and Danielle. Her childhood flowed peacefully, between evenings at home watching Goofy Goose or listening to old 70s albums, until the inevitable crisis arrived with adolescence and "Baby Haim" began to feel like the ugly one at home. Fortunately, following the example of her legend Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl, the enterprising girl soon realised that her imperfect features and, above all, her cheerful and sunny disposition were the trump cards on which to bet. In those years the shadow of her older sisters seems to engulf her. Although her parents had always encouraged her to play together, while Este and Danielle were already full-time in music, the former at the conservatory and the latter on tour with Julian Casablancas, Alana did not yet know what to do with her life. She enrolled in community college, babysat, but eventually picked up a guitar (which she alternated with keyboard and vocals), joined her sisters and formed HAIM. 

The musical success

Their success was almost immediate. The release of one album, Days are Gone (followed by Something to Tell You and Women in Music Pt. III) was enough to propel them into the top ten in the UK and many other countries. From there, accolades, sold-out live shows, performances at major festivals such as Glastonbury and Coachella, opening acts for Lizzo and Taylor Swift, a record deal with Jay-Z and a 2020 Grammy nomination for Best Album began to roll in. It's not just their Los Angeles pop that has won them the favor of millions of fans, but also their innate sense of style. The three sisters, advised by stylist Rebecca Grice, are great at mixing vintage (The Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market is their best place to shop) and couture pieces, jeans and ankle boots, evening dresses and long trench coats. Each of their appearances becomes an opportunity to show off cool outfits such as the Rodarte evening gowns from the 2016 Met Gala, the tailored and boyish The Row from the 2021 Brit Awards or the Prada pieces from the 2021 Grammy Awards.

The encounter with PTA seems to be written in destiny. HAIM's mother had been the director's art teacher in primary school and, many years later, Anderson fell in love with the trio by hearing one of their songs on the radio. A fan of the group, he also became something of an art director, being behind the camera on nine of the trio's videos, including Summer Girls and their latest Lost Track. Jokingly, he always told the talented girls that one day he would write a film for them. And so he did.  The character of Alana Kane is inspired by Alana Kane and both Este and Danielle (but also their parents) appear in Licorice Pizza. The film, which has already become a cult hit despite being released in Italy on 17 March, opens up a new career for Alana in the world of film, although she swears that music remains her true love and she can't wait to get back on tour with the band. Whether on screen or on stage, Alana Haim proves to be the coolest and most talented artist of the moment. Don't you think?