Luca Guadagnino reveals why he loves casting Hollywood stars in unexpected roles

Luca Guadagnino discussed his relationships with Hollywood stars and his approach to casting actors in roles that challenge their familiar screen images at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 7.

During a masterclass, the Italian filmmaker was asked about working with major stars including Julia Roberts, Daniel Craig, Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes. Guadagnino has cast several of the actors in films that explore different sides of their established public personas.

“The truth, the banal truth, is that I am enamored with actors and definitely in love with my actors,” Guadagnino said, describing his approach to filmmaking as a collaborative process. He added that he has been fortunate to work with some of the “finest, most committed, bold performers.”

Guadagnino also spoke about working with Roberts on After the Hunt, which premiered at Venice in 2025. He recalled how the actress knitted throughout the production and gave him a scarf she made as a birthday present.

His long creative partnership with Swinton dates back to his 1999 debut film The Protagonists. The actress later starred in his films I Am Love and A Bigger Splash.

Guadagnino also reflected on Call Me by Your Name, the 2017 film that earned four Oscar nominations and helped establish Timothée Chalamet as a major star. He revealed that some of the film’s distinctive blue tones were the result of an accidental processing issue at the laboratory. Rather than reshooting, he decided to keep the unexpected effect.

The director is now preparing to present Joie de Vivre, his seven-hour documentary about filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, at Venice. The documentary will screen in two parts on Sept. 8 and 9.

Guadagnino will also receive the Venice Film Festival’s Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award ahead of the first screening.