They say you never know what you are missing until it arrives; thus, Alberto Frezza did not realize that he could pursue acting until the moment he watched one film that forever changed his life. So far he has four credits in television shows, and his current role as Ryan Tanner in “Station 19” is under speculation if he will continue to be in the show or not. As we wait to see if he is leaving or is here to stay, let’s share what we have learned so far about Alberto.
1. He never thought acting as a career was possible
Exposure is critical in shaping the life of a young person since we have to envision something for us to achieve it. Although Alberto envisioned himself as an actor after watching “Stand By Me” he still did not think it was possible because he was not exposed to the theater in his childhood. He, therefore, wanted to become a professional soccer player. However, as he was finishing high school and sending out applications to various colleges, he happened to meet a representative of the New York Film Academy. The actor applied and was accepted, thus in 2007 he began the two-year program.
2. His audition process for “Station 19” is by far the longest
Alberto prides himself as having starred in television shows including “Criminal Minds” which remains to be his favorite. While in the past the audition process took a few weeks at most, his experience with “Station 19” was very different since it took a month. The actor told NYFA that he had four callbacks, a test audition, as well as chemistry read with Jaina Lee Ortiz who plays Andy Herrera.
3. His thoughts on social media
Alberto admits that he likes to keep a private life and does not need to post everything going on in his life in social media. He reasons that it can get very toxic; hence only posts what he thinks will enable him to maintain a positive balance with his fans. He advocates that people should use the platform to promote positivity and raise awareness on different issues affecting society.
4. He loves nature
Growing up in Ethiopia exposed Alberto to some of the most beautiful places on earth, among which is Lake Langano, where he made memories that he cherishes to this day. Unfortunately, his memory of the site has been tainted since resorts have been built around the lake and overfishing has destroyed the lake’s ecosystem as he disclosed to The Reporter Ethiopia. His passion for nature has seen him also venture into photography as he takes pictures of the animals he sees in his travels and posts them on Instagram.
5. His inspiration
One person that Alberto credits for making him want to become an actor is River Phoenix. Alberto became addicted to “Stand By Me” after watching River’s character in the movie; he watched the film every day, and his parents had to take it away from him since it was age-inappropriate at the time. Besides, Alberto began acting like the children he saw in the film. After seeing it for such a long time, he still knows the lines today by heart and River Phoenix remains one of his favorite actors.
6. He likes to play a villain
Alberto revealed to Wave Newspapers that he wants to have characters such as those Al Pacino has had in his career. Consequently, “The Godfather” is one of his favorite movies. The actor said that he feels inclined to play dark characters and the biggest villain he has seen so far is the Joker when Heath Ledger played it. His love for playing broken and complicated characters pushes him to want to play a serial killer on “Criminal Minds.”
7. He struggled with his identity
Alberto was born in Italy, but when he was one month old, his family moved to Ethiopia where he stayed until when he joined high school and moved back to Italy. His parents were born in Ethiopia, and Alberto currently lives in Los Angeles. The movement between Italy and Ethiopia caused him to wonder where he belonged; while in Italy, he was considered Ethiopian, and while in Ethiopia, he was seen as an Italian. However, he appreciates growing up in the African country and considers it one of the biggest blessings in his life so far.
8. Life lessons from his father
We are always trying our best to be number one, but Alberto’s father, Adalberto, had a different ideology that he wanted his son to learn. Adalberto raced cars since he was in his twenties and since he had three children, one of whom was a son, Alberto, he shared the passion for racing with him. In his wisdom, the older man taught his son that he never wanted to be the first in qualifying rounds. Instead, he preferred being second so that someone will have paved the way for him. Alderbarto said coming in second ensured that you would find a road open for you hence going through it will be much quicker.
9. He considers Amharic to be a poetic language
If French is the language of love, then Amharic is the language of poets, at least according to Alberto. Alberto’s parents pushed him to learn the language. For him, it was a blessing to able to speak the language since it not only enabled him to interact with his friends, but it facilitated his acceptance in the community. However, since he left the country, it becomes hard for him to remember Amharic as each day passes but the moment he is back in the country since most of his family still lives there, he picks it up immediately.
10. His formula for success in the entertainment industry
We all know that whatever works for one person will not necessarily work for another, but it still helps to hear what a person thinks is the right way to be successful. For Alberto, taking matters in your own hands is what will bring you closer to the prize. He advises that anyone who wants to have a breakthrough in mainstream moviemaking must treat the craft as a profession, not as a side hustle.
Follow Us
