In The Four Seasons, a new Netflix dramedy miniseries about three married couples whose relationships are tested by one's divorce, Marco Calvani stars alongside Hollywood icons Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Colman Domingo. His performance in the Netflix dramedy miniseries has thrilled fans and already garnered an accolade: the Breakthrough Actor Award at SeriesFest. Calvani, at 44, is now well on his way to solidifying his status as a rising star in the entertainment industry.
While the Italian creative was trained as an actor in his youth, Calvani later established himself in showbiz as a playwright, director, and filmmaker. It was meeting Domingo — his Four Seasons costar (and husband on the show) — that played a pivotal role in Calvani's return to acting. "We met a couple of years ago while touring," he explains. Calvani was on the circuit promoting High Tide, his feature film shot in Provincetown, while Domingo was promoting Rustin, the Netflix biopic about the late Black gay activist. Through a mutual friend, film producer Bruce Cohen, the two became friends.
"I hadn’t acted in 16 years; I had devoted myself to writing and directing," Calvani shares. It was Domingo who saw the acting potential in Calvani, urging him to submit an audition tape. Marco agreed to audition, not knowing the enormity of the project that awaited him.
Marco's first day on set was with none other than Fey, who cocreated the series. "I was nervous, barely breathing," he remarks, smiling at the memory. They immediately connected over shared insecurities. "It’s always the first day, no matter how experienced you are," Calvani reflects, emphasizing the familiar blend of excitement and nervousness actors face.
With each passing day, what started as a job morphed into a tight-knit Four Seasons family: “We spent three months together, bonding over our experiences. The dynamic became playful and supportive, and everyone felt that sense of unity.”
As a visible LGBTQ+ figure, Marco reflected on the significance of portraying a gay character in today’s political climate. "I'm particularly proud to represent a successful relationship between a gay man and an African American man," he states. “In a society where safety feels compromised, being openly visible and authentic through my character feels like a political message in itself.”
Marco Calvani and Colman Domingo in The Four Seasons.Courtesy Netflix
Yet, Calvani's representation doesn't just stop with the LGBTQ+ community; it resonates on multiple levels. "We exist, and that alone is a powerful statement," he says.
With a mention of his first feature film, High Tide, Calvani lights up with excitement. "It’s my baby," he exclaims. After a successful run in theaters throughout the U.S. last fall, the film starring his husband Marco Pigossi (along with James Bland, Marisa Tomei, and Bill Irwin) is now available on platforms such as Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play. And Calvani, who wrote and directed the story of two men (one of them an undocumented Brazilian immigrant) who begin a romance in Provincetown, is in the process of finalizing a streaming deal.
While Calvani has successfully stepped back into acting, he states, "My true goal is to create my next feature film.... I don’t know if there will be more acting gigs in the future, but if I like them, I’d say yes. Why not?”
The cast of The Four SeasonsCourtesy Netflix
To conclude the interview, Calvani also reflects on a memorable scene in The Four Seasons, in which he films his first musical number. “I’m not a singer,” Calvani admits, recalling the nerve-wracking experience. “It was quite daunting because it was the very first scene we shot with a lot of extras around.”
But Calvani was a hit on set. "We shot that scene for about three and a half hours,” he explains. “I sang a lot, and everyone seemed to be entertained — not just my fellow cast members, but the extras too.... At some point, I had no voice left, but everyone was cheering me on!"
LGBTQ+ viewers are also cheering on Calvani, whose journey back into the spotlight is just beginning.
The Four Seasons is now streaming on Netflix.
