EVER SINCE SEX AND THE CITY PREMIERED ON HBO OVER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, ALONGSIDE THE SPECTACULAR FASHION, THE AUDIENCE GOT TO ENJOY A COPIOUS SERVING OF EYE CANDY THROUGHOUT ITS SIX SEASONS (AND TWO MOVIES). THE SAME RECIPE HAS BEEN KEPT IN THE SHOW’S LATEST ITERATION, AND JUST LIKE THAT…, NAMELY IN THE PRESENCE OF SEBASTIANO PIGAZZI, WHO PLAYS ANTHONY’S ITALIAN BOYFRIEND GIUSEPPE. FIRST INTRODUCED TO US BACK IN SEASON TWO AS A SENSITIVE POET HIRED BY CHARLOTTE’S BFF FOR HIS LOOKS (WE’LL STOP THERE), PIGAZZI’S CHARACTER BECAME A WELCOME MAINSTAY IN THE SERIES. WITH THE THIRD SEASON IN FULL SWING, WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE AMERICAN-ITALIAN ACTOR TO CHAT ABOUT THE SHOW’S RAUNCHY LEGACY, THE VIRAL BLUE ROMPER COSTUME, AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH NEW YORK CITY.

Coat, tee, boots **Dolce & Gabbana**, pants **Ralph Lauren**

Hi Sebastiano! Where are you right now?

I’m in Rome.

Nice! Is that where you live?

I live wherever they call me, I follow the work. So sometimes. [Laughs]

Left Shirt **Emporio Armani**, pants, boots **Dolce & Gabbana**
Right Top **Tod’s**, knit **Isabel Marant**

I have been a fan of Sex and the City for a long time, and so naturally, I have been keeping up with all the seasons of And Just Like That… Were you watching the original show growing up?

Well, when it first came out, I was really small. I was two years old when it premiered. And, even when I grew a little older, I was still probably too young to appreciate it and to watch it. It was a little raunchy. Now, I'm a fan. I went back and watched the movies and a lot of the episodes. I think it was so ahead of its time; it was funny, it was controversial, and it showed women in a different way. It was definitely a trailblazer for a lot of shows that we have now.

Left Full look **Marni**
Right Tank **ZANKOV**

How did this role come your way? Was your character meant to be Italian from the get-go?

Yes, he was. And so, when I was doing the audition part where you have to introduce yourself, I decided to keep the Italian accent to convince them that I was a real Italian.

[Laughs] I was going to say, hearing you now, the accent is not there!

[Laughs] Yeah. I don’t think they knew that until they had hired me, which is good.

Left Coat **Tod’s**
Right Full look **Sacai**

Good! A little deception…

A little deception always helps.

Your character, Giuseppe, and the character of Anthony [played by Mario Cantone] have such an interesting couple dynamic. I have been rewatching the second season recently, which revolved a lot around Anthony learning to open up, in many ways.

That’s one way to put it!

[Laughs] What do you find compelling about their relationship?

I think the fact that it started off as being this little, sort of office romance thing with an older guy, and then it evolved into something more serious and profound. The love that these two characters have is real. So I think that makes it interesting because it's not the usual younger and older person dynamic [that tends to be shown on screen].

Mario seems like such a funny guy. Is there a lot of improvisation involved while the two of you are together?
No, we don't improvise so much. Every now and then, he'll add something, but usually, we'll just make each other laugh before we start shooting, and it's become a sort of brotherly dynamic between us. We’ve stayed close. We've vacationed together. He’s met all my family, and I've met most of his family. And so it's a lot of fun to shoot with him.

Left Shirt **Emporio Armani**, pants **Dolce & Gabbana**
Right Jacket & top **Tod’s**

I just watched the latest episode, and Giuseppe’s mom is played by the Broadway legend, Patti LuPone. What was it like to act with her?

It was an honour to act alongside her. She was a true professional. I shot a scene with Mario, Patti, and Victor Garber, and that will also remain a big highlight in my life.

Left Tank **ZANKOV**, pants Emporio Armani
Right Shirt **Emporio Armani**, pants, boots **Dolce & Gabbana**

You got to sing Shallow in the karaoke scene with my favourite side character, Bitsy von Muffling. What's your personal stance on karaoke? Do you partake? If so, what's your go-to song?

For the sake of others, I usually decline any and all invitations to karaoke. But if I had to pick, maybe a 50 Cent song.

People always say that New York is such an important character in the show. What’s your relationship with it?

Well, I grew up there until I was nine, and then I came back to go to NYU [New York University]. So I know it well. But I have to say I used to love it more as a kid – now, I can’t afford it.

I don’t think anyone our age can!

I like the space and I like being outside, and New York is tough for those things. Obviously, it’s still iconic, and I love it for the culture, museums and food. But usually, I can really enjoy it for about two weeks, and after that, I want to escape. Also, it sort of inspires degeneracy, I feel. When I come to visit and see my friends, all we do is eat and drink. And I can only do so much of that.

Speaking of eating, I saw that there was a Hot Fellas pop-up bakery that opened around the third season’s release.

Yeah, they rented out an actual bakery, and we did two days of handing out pastries and coffee.

Coat, tee, **Dolce & Gabbana**, pants **Ralph Lauren**

Were you wearing the famous romper?

I was not wearing it. [Laughs]

How does it feel to wear such a revealing costume on set?

You know, it's tight, for sure. I mean, when you're shooting, it's fun because then you're just in character, and every piece of clothing you wear gives you a different feeling than in real life. But I think at the end, like [Giuseppe does] in the show, I was getting a bit snobbish about wearing it. [Laughs]

Left Shirt **Emporio Armani**, pants **Dolce & Gabbana**
Right Top **Tod’s**, knit **Isabel Marant**, pants **Marni**

What would you say is your most Italian characteristic? Something that might be considered a cliché, but it stands true?
I don't even think I'm that cliché, but I do like pasta. I do enjoy pasta more than most people, although I stay away from it as much as I can! But I don't smoke, I don't enjoy coffee that much, and I don't watch that much soccer. [Laughs]