GH Exclusive: How Giovanni Mazza Brought Gio’s Pain To Life
Giovanni Mazza made his General Hospital debut in the role of Gio Palmieri a little over a year ago — but, it can be argued, he truly became a star with his powerhouse performance when Gio discovered his true parentage at the Nurses’ Ball and broke down on stage, flying into a violin-smashing rage at his biological mother, Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton), and biological father, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna). Soap Opera Digest got the inside scoop from Mazza about filming the scenes that changed everything for Gio.
Soap Opera Digest: Well, Giovanni, the only word I can really use after watching your work in the last week or so of shows is “wow.” What I was really struck by is that we love these big, heightened, soapy moments as daytime fans, but they’re not easy to act out and to bring believability to. I was so impressed by what you pulled off because it didn’t feel over the top; it felt honest and true, and my heart just broke for your character — and I saw so many comments online from viewers who felt the same way.
Giovanni Mazza: Thank you. I really appreciate those kind words. We filmed all those scenes around two months ago, and it’s been a really fun time for it to come out because it was actually my birthday on the day of the violin smash, and I had all my friends over to watch the episode and my mom came the next day and we watched it and she was crying, and I was crying. It’s been really fun to watch it.
Digest: Here’s what I want to know: Did you know you had that in you?
Mazza: That’s a fantastic question. [Pauses to ponder] I think I’ve been working very hard with this moment in mind. I didn’t know that I had it in me, but I’ve never experienced something like this before. I used the mix of my imagination and my own personal life and [thinking about], “If I was in a very specific, similar situation, what would I go through?” And I sort of connected to that feeling of vulnerability, of the rug being pulled out from under me, and I built up all the momentum and then I just let it go, and whatever happened happened.
Digest: So, take me back to that day. There were so many GH heavy hitters in the audience, and all eyes were on you; it wasn’t just Amanda Setton (Brook Lynn) and Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) that you had to be so vulnerable in front of. Were you excited to do it? Were you scared to do it? What were you feeling when you got to set that day?
Mazza: Honestly, the, entire Nurses’ Ball was so special because everyone was putting so much effort into it. I thought the performances were astonishing and a lot of the scenes were really powerful. So, I think going into it, the environment was sort of set, like, “Okay, this week, we are all going to pour our entire hearts into this.” I mean, we were all there for 12 hours a day. We would go home, sleep our 8 hours, then go back and pretty much continue to pour our hearts out. And I don’t think I could have done [the performance I gave] without seeing Amanda’s portrayal of her character’s journey for the last 5 months. Just time and time again, she has put her heart on her sleeve and created such a rich emotional life that I thought, “Man, if I don’t do that, if I don’t explore the fullest extent of myself, I would not be proud.” I forced myself to explore the deepest parts of myself for this moment and I think it paid off.
Digest: What stands out to you about the actual experience of filming Gio’s outburst on stage?
Mazza: Like I said, I pretty much built up all the momentum to go into it and then when I did it, I just completely let it go. This was one of the rare times that we got more than one take. So I talked to Frank [Valentini, executive producer] and he gave me some great adjustments on set and I sort of just took it, I built the momentum up again, and let it go again.
Digest: Do you remember the notes Frank gave you and how the second take was different from the first?
Mazza: The first take, it was pretty much all just rage. I interpreted [Gio’s motivation] as, “I am going to make you feel my pain. I want everyone here to feel the pain that I’m feeling.” And I just let it out in a very rageful, angry state, and after I smashed my violin — this is something that you didn’t see [on air] — I let out this yell, like a [primal] scream. Frank and I talked about it, and he told me to come from more of a place of vulnerability, of the feeling that I wasn’t wanted: “They didn’t want me. They gave me away.” I think the way I was playing it, it would have just been a moment. But the way that Frank guided me, with coming from that place of vulnerability and the feeling of not being wanted, that generates the story to come.
Digest: When your work day was done, were you proud of what you’d delivered? And what was the reaction you got from cast and crew?
Mazza: I think I expressed so much that I felt very satisfied…. It was a release to the fullest extent. I felt very good about it. And gosh, I also felt really bad, because so many members of the cast were crying afterwards, and they all just wanted to give me a hug, and I said, “No, I’m in such a vulnerable place right now.” But Amanda came up to me. She gave me the biggest hug, and Braedyn [Bruner, Emma] came up to me and we talked for a very long time after that and I felt very comforted and congratulated.
Digest: You have obviously known for a long time who Gio’s parents are, even though your character was in the dark. Being Brook Lynn and Dante’s son means that Gio is a Quartermaine and a Corinthos — it means that Tracy is his great-grandmother, that Sonny is his grandfather, that Rocco is his half brother, etc. Does the significance of that within the world of the show hit you differently than it did when you were brand-new to GH?
Mazza: Yeah. I mean, the writers did a fantastic job building up the story. When I was first coming on the show, I had just moved to L.A. and I didn’t really have my feet under me, so everything was sort of a whirlwind. But now, I feel very grounded and I feel very comfortable going to work. And also, the people that I’m working with — like Mo [Maurice Benard, Sonny], I’ve seen all his old scenes. I’ve seen Dom’s [Zamprogna] old scenes. I’ve built such a rapport with these people and I’ve seen the great work that they’ve done and I simply am in awe every time I go to work just because everyone has given their heart to the show and the people that I’m working with are some of the greatest characters in daytime history. I’m so honored to have been a part of this storyline. When I was watching the show [dealing with the aftermath of Gio’s rant at the ball], my mom was crying the entire time, and after it ended, she was like, “Gio, it’s all about you!” And I was like, “Oh … You’re right.” It was very humbling. I don’t take it for granted. I’m very appreciative and very honored.
Digest: I think you should be very proud of the work you’re doing. It really feels like we’re watching you grow as an artist, and it’s a pleasure to see.
Mazza: Well, thank you — but I would love to credit the writers and Frank for creating such a beautifully told story. Honestly, after the Nurses’ Ball, I’ve been really thinking about soap operas as sports teams, you know? Like a basketball team. Like with the Bulls team in the ’90s, there were the heavy hitters, the veterans — Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen — but then there was also the really young rookies that just wanted to put everything they had into it. But behind everything was a brilliant coach like Phil Jackson, who was the mastermind of all the plays and the practices, and then there were the trainers and just everyone that was part of the team. I feel like everyone on the General Hospital team has been collectively pouring their entire heart and soul into this, and they’ve really delivered. I’m not just proud of myself. I’m proud of everyone coming together in this collective way to create this art that everyone can enjoy. I’m proud to be part of something like that.
