Acting and dancing has always been Margherita Barbieri's passion. Margi stars in the new hit season 'Spellbound' on Hulu where she plays the role of Simone Souter. We chat to Margi about the show, behind the scenes gossip and dream roles she would love to do.

 Hi Margi! Thanks for chatting with us! Congratulations on your new show ‘Spellbound’. What can you tell us about the show?

Thank you! My experience filming for Spellbound has been incredible and I feel privileged to be able to share some of it with you. The show is about a young girl, Cece who relocates from a small town in the US to Paris to study ballet, but her dancing dream takes a supernatural turn when she discovers she is a Wizen, (a witch). Luckily as Simone, (Cece’s best friend) I am welcomed into being a part of the magic. Cece is challenged with choosing dancing over her spell-casting, and along the way she seeks help from her friends. 

You play the role of Simone Souter. What can you tell us about her and do you think you and Simone have anything in common?

My character, Simone, is a free spirited, determined and fearlessly passionate student at The Paris Opera Ballet School. We have pockets full of things in common, both being half Italian, very arty, in love with dancing, and both having very ambitious mindsets, sensitive emotions and vivid energy. While she is younger than myself in the show, Simone has been a very inspiring human to embody. From her friendships, to her drive, and her accepting nature of her sexuality. She showed me that dreams can be the outcome of one’s life when they refuse to give up on love. For me, this was myself in a parallel past universe. A universe where this time, I had friends, I had strength and I was without an illness. Finding myself in the setting of Spellbound, was very reflective of my time at ballet school. Standing in studios as Simone, I was somehow gifted the opportunity, as Margi to not only grow as an actor and artist but to heal as the dancer I once was. It was a full circle moment that I am so grateful for. 

You’re an actor who loves to dance, what do you love about dancing?

Dance somehow feels like going home, at the same time as feeling free. It's as if I’m reading my favourite book in the whole world, as though I’ve never read it. I know I love it, yet I get to love it all over again, every time I do it. It's new and exciting while simultaneously being everything I feel I belong to. Dance gives me magical thinking. It really helps me to uplift and connect to myself. As an actor I feel it’s important to have other art forms that I can recharge through.

Do you have any behind-the-scenes gossip that you can tell us and any cool things that happened?

My cast mates on the show are such special human beings. It’s a beautiful, happy family. Gossip, not so much, stories, I have many… yet I think I’ll hold these close to my chest for now. Something cool that happened to me during filming was that my artwork was used on the walls of the girls dorm set. Simone and myself have very creative personalities, finding calm centres in art. I have been painting since my recovery, first using it as a therapeutic way to heal and now as a passion that keeps me grounded. I was overjoyed when I saw my artwork pinned up as Simone’s artwork, I never imagined being so lucky to have my paintings in a show connecting me in more ways than one with a character. 

What’s a dream role you would love to get?

A dream role that I would love to get, is difficult as there’s so many. I would love to be, a magical elf in another world, fighting trolls with bow and arrows. Also being in a period drama, where my whole life is about romance and falling in love. I can also see myself in a series about self discovery, friendship, and navigating life as a young adult. Not to say, that I can’t also see myself in a horror film one day, with all the gruesome things that go along with that.

 Lastly, have you got any messages you would like to tell your ReVamp readers?

I held myself back for a while, because I was scared of looking silly and of having fun. I also felt like I didn’t deserve to be ridiculously happy, which I have now thankfully got past. I’ve stopped holding myself back, I find joy in silliness, in being young and feeling free, I’ve let go of overly valuing what people may be thinking, and I’ve fallen helplessly, unconditionally, utterly, overwhelmingly in love with myself and this life… If there’s a message I would like to tell ReVamp readers, its don’t wait to fall in love with yourself. I wish I had been fearless sooner, I wish I hadn’t been so scared to be myself. So be silly, have fun, love giving love, to yourself and to others, hug people more, make mistakes, pull a clumsy face and move on. Be serious with your dreams, protective of your energy, yet playful with your imagination. Recharge by laughing, sleep with your arms around yourself and find purpose in making your eyes and someone else eyes sparkle everyday.

Spellbound is now streaming on Hulu.

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