Valeria Angione: "Theater is my driving force, it's what I have inside"

You know that funny, slightly sarcastic young woman with straight dark hair and a strong Neapolitan accent, who often appears in your Instagram reels or TikTok videos, addressing general and relatable themes with humor and energy, focusing on life as a young woman? Her name is Valeria Angione, she was born in 1995, and we had the pleasure of welcoming her to our set for a chat.

"I started way back in 2015. It feels like ages ago because a lot has changed in ten years. I opened my Facebook page and began making videos about the average university student. At the time, I was studying Economics and Business and felt a bit lost, just like many university students. I've always done theater, but I also wanted to attend university because I was anxious that theater might not become a career. Social media helped me finally be myself. Thanks to those videos, the community began to grow. When Instagram stories arrived, I was no longer just the girl in the videos; I had become Valeria. People started growing up with me. There are people who have been following me for nine years; they are part of my life, and I am part of theirs. It all felt very natural." And as they say, the rest is history.

"I never wanted this to become a job; I didn't think the community could grow this large. I wanted a window, a way to show the world that I could be an actress. I hoped someone would see me and give me a chance. The job of an influencer didn't exist back then, but in the end, it all came full circle, and social media led me where I wanted to be: the theater." And even though Valeria has written a book and made her debut in cinema over these years, she always returns to the stage: "It's all part of the same cake; it's all part of me, but the biggest slice is the theater; it's the driving force. Theater is my way of living; it's always been inside me."

Speaking on this topic, which clearly touches her deeply, she gives us a few spoilers about her next show, which will take her to theaters across Italy starting in November: "It's right to pursue multiple paths, especially for our generation. Who said we should have just one? Who forbids us from having multiple dreams? This is part of my final monologue because my main source of inspiration is myself. I'm approaching the famous 30s, so the show tells the story of a girl who finds herself becoming an adult and talks about the pressures of society, which forces you to make choices or else you're left behind. It pressures you to do everything by 30, or you're out. So I thought: let's try to tell that it's not true, that there are so many things you can do afterward, that we can take different paths, achieve our dreams. There's no right time," she adds. "It's a comedic show that makes fun of the fears of thirty-somethings, of us who still feel like kids. Then there's dancing to the songs of our adolescence. It's also a trip down memory lane."

The theater brings her among the people, to meet those who follow her on social media. "It always has a certain effect," she admits. "I did my first theater tour in 2022, and I got a tattoo to commemorate it. Seeing the people who had always followed me was amazing; it's a whole different experience. Seeing people applaud is something priceless, something I'll never forget. This is what I want from life, these emotions that you can't experience every day." And indeed, in the future, she sees herself continuing to do what she loves, getting on stage, meeting people, which she will do again in November with Binario 29¾.

Her Neapolitan roots certainly contribute to this desire to be among people. "Naples and the Neapolitan dialect are everything I am, my blood, the drive to be an actress. The dialect has a different rhythm; it's more pleasant to the ear. It's the secret to Geolier's success, in my opinion, but also what Troisi, Totò, and Eduardo taught us. During the show, I don't only speak in Neapolitan because I travel around Italy. But I realize that people like it; they are happier. Naples is a way of life, and I wouldn't be anyone without my land. When I'm away, it's like a piece of my heart is missing. I could have moved to Milan; it would have been easier for my job. But I decided to stay in Naples."

It's not all roses, and in her career, she admitted, she has felt discriminated against, especially as a young woman, but that hasn't stopped her. To a young person who wants to follow a path similar to hers, she says: "Believe in yourself and go for it. These are simple things but true. When it seems like doors are closing, it's hard to keep going. If you can't achieve your dreams, I understand because I felt the same way; I felt like a tiny ant in a giant field. It's hard and will continue to be, but your dream might come true tomorrow, and if you give up today, you won't see it. So try, maybe tomorrow is the day. If you believe in it, publish as much as you can, don't care about anyone or their judgments. Just do it."

Lastly, a word on beauty and makeup. "Right now, I can't go without sunscreen; everyone, put on sunscreen, seriously," she exclaims. "I have a pretty basic skincare routine: double cleansing, moisturizer, eye cream, and that's it. As for makeup, my must-have product is mascara. For the stage, I have a makeup artist," she finishes with a wink, and we are smitten.