If this is the first you’ve heard of David Iacono, take note, because it certainly won’t be the last. The young Italian and Puerto Rican actor has already appeared in Netflix's Grand Army, HBO Max's The Flight Attendant, Amazon Prime’s The Summer I Turned Pretty and the genre-blending movie Cinnamon. “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way”, reads Iacono’s IG bio, and he should know, having been born and raised in New York’s coolest borough.

We threw the spotlight on the LaGuardia ‘fame’ school graduate to talk about the power of storytelling, fans, and famous movie quotes.

Left Full look **Valentino**
Right Top **Acne Studios**

Your character Cam, in The Summer I Turned Pretty, has a dorky-yet-charming appeal, and the series has that sense of teen nostalgia, about finding yourself and belonging to something. What do you think is the inherent power of storytelling?

Deep question to start! I think storytelling holds a lot of powers inherently. The most beautiful thing about telling stories to me is just how subjective they can be. I’ve personally been in tough situations in life (as we all have), in which I’ll randomly throw on a given movie or TV show, or even an album that speaks so accurately to the current rough patch I’m going through. Then, months later, I’ll throw the same thing on, and I get a completely different message from it. At the same time, sometimes it’s so great to listen to a story and NOT relate it to life at that given moment. Stories are so important because they can be whatever you need them to be.

Left Full look **Miu Miu**
Right Full look **Prada**

So, what was your process in trying to really get to the essence of Cam’s character in the story as we know him from the books?

When Belly meets Cam in the book, it’s such a vivid moment in my memory of the book’s story. He’s almost like a golden nugget of relief to her when she catches his eye, a breath of fresh air from all of the complicated things that come with falling in love with someone you grew up with. So, I just tried my best to channel that: being an easy-going, honest, caring person to Belly, despite any awkwardness that comes with being so vulnerably yourself.

Top **Acne Studios**, pants & shoes **Emporio Armani**

Are there any similarities between him and yourself?

Most definitely. I really lucked out. I mean, I’d like to think I pulled off being awkward and somewhat insecure as smoothly as Cam does. That aside, I do really have a passion for the ocean - maybe not from a scientific perspective like Cam, but I related to what he said in the first season, about appreciating just how humbling it was to understand the vastness and creativity that comes with studying the ocean. And I grew up swimming a lot, so I got it.

The show has a strong fanbase, as do the books, and there is a pressure with every season to live up to the last one and be authentic to the book trilogy. Did you feel that pressure at any point, in not wanting to disappoint the fans who likely have high Expectations?

I guess somewhat. But in terms of living up to expectations of fans of the book for the second season, I didn’t feel it as much as I did for season one, because Cam’s not really in the second book. I definitely wanted to do Cam’s fanbase and portrayal justice for the first season, because he’s such a beloved character, and I think I did that successfully. But for season two, I felt a little more creative liberty when it came to my performance. I got to explore what the writers had given me in the script in a more direct way, which was so much fun.

Left Full look **Prada**
Right Full look **Miu Miu**

What can we expect (that you’re allowed to tell us!) for Cam in this new season, maybe some exciting teasers for the fans?

Maaaaan. Thin ice here! What I can say is I think fans will appreciate seeing Cam through a different lens this season. Throughout season one, you only really get to learn about him through the eyes of Belly, which makes sense, as his whole arc is their relationship to one another. In season two, he kinda just gracefully stumbles back into the lives of his friends from last summer, all whilst living his own life. So, it’s a new, more independent leaning story for Cam, which I hope makes fans of his character happy.

You’re not a newcomer to the business—you’ve been in multiple films and series. I imagine the experiences you have on-set play a large role in your life. How has your understanding of yourself been influenced by the roles you’ve played?

Wow, great question. You’re coming with the heavy hitters! I could unpack that one for paragraphs, so I’ll keep it brief. I try my very best to keep my portrayal of characters in projects separate from my real-life identity, because it can get a little existential at times when that line gets blurred. But if we’re talking straight up experiences that I’ve had whilst on set with cast and crew, I wouldn’t trade all of that for anything. I think a big reason I feel as if I’m decent at communicating with people, is because I’ve grown up around people that do that for a living in such a beautiful way. Again, I could go on and on, so I’ll just leave it there.

Speaking of communicating… your generation has more platforms to express themselves and be authentic and share with one another, as you do on social media. Do you enjoy engaging with your audience and are there ever any moments where you feel vulnerable?

It’s a great thing to be able to interact with audiences of projects I get to be a part of. I’m mad grateful to be able to get such supportive comments and opinions from people who really seem to be affected, or moved, or simply entertained by the stuff I do on screen. It makes me feel like I’m doing something right, which is so heavily appreciated.

One thing you’ve got to love about acting is just the ability to lose yourself. What kind of stories are you interested in exploring and telling? Is there something you’re always on the lookout for in a script that excites you?

To me, the more honest a script is, the more enticing. Again, the subjectivity and how relatable it is, is such a big reason why a story is told. Or even if it’s not the most raw, vulnerable story being told, as long as a script tries to achieve its specific goal in an honest, original way, I’m in.

Artistically, creatively – are there any pieces of art, film, music or writers, actors that have inspired you, that made you realise things?

I’ve got to say that Bo Burnham has probably inspired me the most in my young adulthood (such a fancy way of saying that), especially with his special Make Happy. He blends comedy, music, and honest storytelling in a masterful way. He’s the first one that comes to mind. When it comes to music, J. Cole has resonated with me like no other artist has, but the list definitely goes on.

Jacket, top & pants **Miu Miu**, shoes **Emporio Armani**

So, tell me more about that list. Any directors and actors you’re itching to work with?

It’s my dream to work with Spike Lee, and Phil Lord and Chris Miller are also two directors I’d die to be in collaboration with.

Let’s talk about your other projects, like Cinnamon, where you’re worked with Hollywood legend Pam Grier and the amazing Damon Wayans. What was that experience like, and what did you love most about doing the film?

Working alongside Pam and Damon was so special because I never really acted in a scene with them. Damon and I never shared the screen, and Pam and I were only in one or two scenes together in which we barely communicated. That being said, the amount of respect that they both brought to set was a phenomenon to watch. Being around such acclaimed actors with such a sense of humility and love for everybody on set taught me so much. As to what I loved most about doing the film, it’s hard to pick one answer. It was one of the best experiences I had on a set, as it was my first lead, and I felt like I got to know everybody through and through. By the end of shooting (which was only about 19 days long), I felt like I had gone through the ringer with a new family of mine. Bryian Keith Montgomery (our writer and director) brought me one of the most collaborative experiences I’ve had on a set. A real dream.

Left Full look **Miu Miu**
Right Ful look **Prada**

You’re also in the upcoming movie Fresh Kills, which is a reimagining of the typical mob movie. Who do you play, and did you watch any of the iconic gangster epics to really understand the genre?

Yes! Fresh Kills! I play Bobby, who’s essentially the boyfriend of one of the leads of the film, Rose, who’s the daughter of a bigtime mob boss on Staten Island in the 80s and 90s. The movie is female led, as it tells the story of the silencing of women’s voices that was forced upon them as soon as they were born into the family. So even simply getting to be a part of such a fresh, original, empathetically written story, that was led by such heart wrenching performances, was so artistically fulfilling. I’m so proud to be a part of that roster. And I’m from Brooklyn…I got an understanding of the genre a loooong time ago. Haha!

Perfect lead into my next question! Being from Brooklyn and of Italian descent, please tell me you’ve jokingly used the line, ‘You talking to me?’ at least once in Starbucks when they called your name out for your coffee?

Haha! I gotta say I’m not a big coffee guy, but I may just have to start drinking it to make this a reality. Thanks for the idea!

You’re welcome. You know that another famous Italian, Al Pacino, of Godfather-fame, studied at the same high school as you, LaGuardia. So, on a scale of 1-10, how much would you like to star alongside him on screen?

10! Without question.

So…. if you had to choose one… Robert DeNiro or Al Pacino?

This is like forcing me to choose between two grandpas, are you kidding me? If you FORCED me to choose, I’d say De Niro. A Bronx Tale is one of the first movies I remember having a profound effect on me, and I didn’t watch The Godfather till I was in high school. Man. I can’t believe you made me choose. Messed up.