withGreta Ferro
I hope I can keep sending a message to someone, for as long as possible
Greta Ferro is a woman of striking beauty and remarkable talent. It might seem superficial to start an interview this way, but trust us. Greta’s beauty radiates from her eyes, flows through everything she says and does, how she moves her hands, tilts her head. It’s a beauty that starts from within, shines outward, and circles back. We realize this during our chat on a typically Milanese day - gray and rainy, yet somehow bright - seated on a designer chair in an equally stylish setting.
Our conversation revolves around El Turco, her latest project: an international production alongside Can Yaman, set in 1683. The series tells the story of a gravely wounded Janissary who, after a defeat, arrives in Moena and is saved by a witch, Gloria. She’s a complex, multifaceted character - a healer, a romantic interest, a fiercely independent woman - to whom Greta gives both her face and soul. “I don’t know which aspect of Gloria drew me in the most. It’s really the combination of traits that makes her special. Maybe, in the end, her independence. Back then, it was anything but common for a woman to live on her own. She works, she’s a healer by trade. That struck me: she lives alone, on a hill outside the village.”
Full look BOTTEGA VENETA.
Full look BOTTEGA VENETA.
Full look FERRAGAMO.
An ancient character in an equally ancient story, yet one that feels surprisingly relevant and resonant today. “One of the core themes of the series is the idea of diversity as a kind of richness. Baldan and Gloria come from completely different worlds and cultures. Their first encounter is tough, raw, even violent, full of mockery and mistrust. But in the end, it’s our human emotions that connect us to others, and those are universal.”
The production is huge, international. And the acting is in English. “I’m lucky to speak English really well,” she tells us when we ask how it felt to take on something so new.
“At the beginning, during the first few weeks, I had to completely shift my mindset. On set, people were speaking English, Turkish, Hungarian, Italian… it was linguistically intense. It was definitely a challenge, my first international shoot.” And that’s not all: “It was also the biggest production I’ve ever worked on,” she adds. “The sets were amazing. We filmed in the woods; Gloria’s house was built specifically for my character. I could’ve actually lived in it, it was that beautiful, so full of rich detail,” she says with a smile. “The set design was incredible. The fortresses were like full-on wooden towns, adapted from one project to another. You find yourself truly living in a medieval-style village, walking through the mud, really being there. We spent six months in Budapest, during the winter.” When we ask her what she took away from the experience, she lights up: “I formed great friendships with the other actors on set. I still talk to some of them almost every day. There was so much collaboration, sharing, help, feedback, even fun, group rehearsals. A film or a TV series is always a team effort: everyone contributes to making it happen. And the collaboration on this set was truly special.”
Full look LOUIS VUITTON.
Full look TOM FORD.
Greta brought her full personal and professional toolkit to the set, including the Strasberg Method and Meisner Technique. “Once you’ve internalized those methods, you carry them with you everywhere. you use them in every setting. From Meisner, which is all about listening and repetition, I realized how valuable that actor-to-actor connection is. It makes everything more authentic, because you’re actually hearing what’s being said. It’s not just lines you’ve memorized, but an emotional, physical response to another person. In one scene, a painful memory from my past really helped me bring the moment to life. Acting isn’t therapy, but memories, once they’ve been worked through, can be powerful tools. And in that moment, I needed something strong.”
That mention of therapy leads us into a deeper conversation about Greta’s inner journey, her emotional growth and self-awareness. “To do this work, you have to be as free as possible. We all start out with emotional blocks, but those blocks stop you from giving your character everything they need. To break free from them, to feel good, you need awareness. For me, therapy helped. It wasn’t particularly long or short, but it was essential for getting to know myself better, releasing pain, and living with more peace. I really believe everything is connected.” Outside of acting, Greta also has a career in fashion, as a model. “Fashion has a kind of lightness that acting doesn’t. It asks something totally different from you. But both let you play with your persona, have fun creating something.” She returns to a point she made earlier: “Acting, though, demands emotional effort, a deep understanding of yourself.”
Dress VALENTINO, gloves VALENTINO GARAVANI.
Full look PRADA.
T-shirt and panties PETIT BATEAU x MIU MIU, skirt MIU MIU.
As we wrap up, we ask her what she’d say to her younger self after completing such a major project, and what she hopes for the future. She laughs at the memory: “As a kid, I used to dream about accepting an award. I’d stand in front of the mirror, thanking the audience, my family. I thought it was a Nobel Prize... but really, I was dreaming of the Oscars.” What would she say to that little girl? “I’d tell her that her path, including the painful parts, made her who she is today.” And her hope for the future? No hesitation: “I hope there’s lots of work. I hope I get to keep doing this for a long time. To explore so many different characters, so many projects. The most beautiful thing is when, once it’s out there, a project carries a message. Like with Gloria: if the character resonated, it’s because she’s strong but also sensitive. And I’m happy if that message came through, to women, to young girls, to anyone who needed to hear it. I hope I can keep reaching people with something meaningful, for a long time to come.”