“When the Castle Came Down (with Bella Thorne)” | Vanity Fair Italy

“I am like an onion. I have several layers, I have already eliminated many, but I have not yet reached the heart.
Clear” Benjamin Mascolo, for all the Benjis, went through “very high and very low lows” in a short time. A year ago he lived in Los Angeles, he was engaged to actress Bella Thorne (complete with a marriage proposal on socialvision) and was for teenagers like Luke Perry or Pacey Witter for millennials. Today he returned home to his parents in Modena, ha. a new love that she wants to protect from attention and try to shake off the pop teen idol image with an unexpected rock music adventure. with Finley, remake Where when. “I’m rebuilding myself,” the voice in which he says the words is manly but sweet. He has heavily painted lips and eyes. Beneath the black shirt is a tattoo shop, among which the block letters “pure anarchy” stand out.

What is anarchic in the life of a boy who leaves America at almost 30 years old and returns to the Italian province to live with his parents?
“Actually, not so much. I came back to put it all together.”

In what sense?
“It’s useless to ignore this: I was so hurt by the end of the story with my ex … It was a very difficult moment on a personal level.”

And he sought solace in his family.
“Not only. I started a course of psychotherapy. The other day my analyst said that the next appointment, a year after the first after my birthday (June 20, ed.), will be the last. “Are you ready to continue your journey?”.

When you lose someone, that absence for a while becomes your hallmark, doesn’t it?
“And instead, I just wanted to forget, to remove everything, the bad moments and even the good moments of our three years together. Then I realized that it doesn’t make any sense: what matters is that what happened stays with me like a scar or one of my tattoos, to remind me of my mistakes and not repeat them in this new relationship. But I removed the layers of resentment, anger, emotions.

What mistakes should be remembered?
“I accepted what I shouldn’t have accepted.”

Do you like Bella Thorne’s open bisexuality? you just talked about it Vanity Fair at the beginning of your relationship.
“Absolutely not, I have always respected his orientation. I can tell you that in our relationship we have not set clear boundaries on the fundamental issues of building a family: polyamory, polygamy … Even relationships with money alienated us. I prefer to earn less, but be content and at peace with myself. I think my life choices prove it: we broke up with Benji and Fede at the height of our success, because it was time to say stop and tell each other in a new way. Bella, on the other hand, had a different approach: she was making millions of dollars a year on OnlyFans and could not help herself. I have never condemned her, I am also of the opinion that a woman should be free to do with her body what she wants, but we must share values ​​and views, otherwise the castle will collapse.

Who made it collapse?
“Both. It wasn’t a guillotine interrupt, overnight. We put the pieces of the puzzle together until we saw the whole thing.”

At this moment, what happened?
“It happened that someone from above – I believe in God – looked down and put a band-aid. I am still touched by the thought of the opportunity that was given to me.”

You explain.
“Under the train, and even more so on antibiotics, because I was sick, my manager called me:“ I don’t know who your guardian angel is, but start thanking him: they want you in the fifth chapter After (saga based on the bestselling books by Anna Todd, ed.). My reaction: “Are you kidding me?” His response: “I swear, the producers called me. They’ve seen your movies (“Time’s up” and “Time’s up 2” ed.), like you and they have a role for you. If we say yes, they’ll send you part of the script and you’ll have until tomorrow to do a screen test.” Somehow recovered, could not miss the opportunity.

What role did they have in mind?
“Antagonist, villain, the first in my recent career. The audience won’t be rooting for me when it comes out in September. After 5. It allowed me to show a different energy, to experience a very physical game. And, along with psychological support, get me out.”

Chapter 4 was recently voted Gen Z’s favorite movie of 2022. I play the devil’s advocate: so it’s a little hard to get rid of the teen idol label.
“It still takes time.”

Now he is busy with Finlay, and even more so as a teenager. How did the collaboration come about?
“Last year I was at one of their concerts in Modena: I grew up on punk rock, and therefore on their music. I was on stage when guitarist Ka, aka Carmine, asked me to join him for a cover of Blink 182. Supergroup Benji + Finley was born that way.”