For more than five years, Hoboken resident Robert Capelli Jr. has pursued a career in acting. He took part in tedious auditions in New York City for almost any role.About two years ago, Capelli teamed up with Sergey Konenkov to write an independent movie about a Russian mail-order bride who scams a few gangsters from Hoboken. Capelli and Konenkov produced it with Jeffrey Wolf.
Initially titled The Russian Job, the producers changed its name to Mail Order Bride.
Now, it has been released in New York and stars Capelli and veteran actor Danny Aiello. Also in the movie are Vincent Pastore (HBO’s The Sopranos, Gotti, Made), Artie Lange (Elf, Old School), and Ivana Milcevic (HBO’s Mind of a Married Man). Capelli is also the film’s director and shot half the film in his hometown of Hoboken, as well as in Moscow.
The film premiered on Nov. 17 at the Loews Theater at 2310 Broadway. It will be shown at the Village East Theatre at 181 Second Ave. on the corner of Second Ave. and 12th Street in New York City.
We recently caught up with Capelli.
EM – What is the movie about?
RP – Mail Order Bride is a madcap action comedy that follows the misadventures of my character "Anthony Santini," the nephew of Italian mob boss "Tony Santini," who is sent to Russia to find a gorgeous mail-order bride who scammed five would-be grooms out of their money. Turns out one of those guys is part of the Mafia and it’s up to "Anthony" to set things right. The hunt takes "Anthony" and his new partner "Ivan," son of the number one mob boss in Russia, from Hoboken to Moscow. They encounter a myriad of crazy characters along the way.
EM – Who stars with you?
RP – It was an honor to work with Aiello. But the most fun I had on the set was the days I worked with Lange. I think he was on the set for a total of eight days. He made everything very easy for me. All the scenes we did together felt so real. It felt like I was hanging out with one of my friends. All we did was laugh.
EM – Why did you become an actor?
RP – I didn’t go to college for it. I got into acting after I graduated. A friend of mine was acting and it seemed interesting. So I bought a book on how to be an actor and followed the guidelines. I started taking classes in New York City and got headshots done, found an agent, went on auditions, and here we are today.
EM – What is your favorite day of the week?
RP – I would have to say Saturday. Because you can go out Friday night and not worry about getting up early the next day. Also, Saturday afternoon down at the beach is always a good time.
EM – What are the last three movies you saw?
RP – Kill Bill, Lost in Translation, Matrix Revolutions.
EM – How would you describe Mail Order Bride?
RP – I feel Mail Order Bride is a fun movie. It is intended for people to just sit back and enjoy themselves for 90 minutes. Someone said to me it made them laugh. That was one of the best compliments I could ever receive.
EM – Are you looking for mainstream exposure?
RP – At this point, I’ll take whatever I can get. The best thing about mainstream exposure is the funding. I couldn’t imagine making Mail Order Bride with a $50 million budget. It would have been out of control. There are so many things you can do or have available to your cause when you deal with mainstream exposure. The studios want to put out the best product ever.
Sometimes that doesn’t happen. But when it happens it is pure magic. At least if you have a studio behind you, the movie will be shown on thousands of screens and have a marketing budget that can generate publicity for the movie across the country. One of the most frustrating aspects about independent filmmaking is the distribution, what to do with the film when it is done. There are so many great independent films out there starring real big names but rarely get seen. It is so disappointing. What good is making a movie if nobody sees it?
EM – What professional plans do you have for the future?
RP – I have a couple of projects ready to roll. I just want to act for a while. I think I’ll put the directing on the back burner for a little bit.
EM – Is Mail Order Bride the next big indie film?
RP – I don’t know. I just hope people like it.
EM – What is the best part about your job?
RP – I love the fact that I can create something on a blank piece of paper, shoot it and then watch the audience react the same way I intend them to react. It is so satisfying to sit in the back of a theater and watch people laugh at points when you wanted them to laugh. Also being able to do something different on every project that I do. I love being creative. That is why I love what I do.
Catch Mail Order Bride at the Village East Theatre at 181 Second Ave. in New York City starting on Nov. 21. For information visit www.mailorderbridethemovie.com. q