SEBASTIANO SERAFINI セバスティアーノ セラフィニー : MODEL, ACTOR, SINGER IN TOKYO JAPAN. LUCA, NIHONJIN NO SHIRANAI NIHONGO 日本人の知らない日本語
Recently, you’ve been seeing a lot of this pretty face on La Carmina blog. Who exactly is Sebastiano Serafini ( セバスティアーノ セラフィニー )? When I posted the Candy Spooky Theater video, a few of you recognized him as a regular cast member in the Japanese TV drama Nihonjin no shiranai nihongo (日本人の知らない日本語).
Seba is a successful model, stylist, actor and singer working in Tokyo, Taiwan and Hong Kong (and right now, LA). I’m sure you’re aching to know: what is Sebastiano’s story? How did he arrive at these dream jobs? So I tied him up and subjected him to a thorough interrogation. Hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did!
LA CARMINA: Tell me about your background, and how you launched your career as a model.
SEBASTIANO: I come from a small village in northern Italy. At age 10, I auditioned and won a role in an Italian TV drama. When I was 15, I was discovered by a Roberto Cavalli scout, and decided to work in Milan as a model. Ever since, I’ve been working and supporting myself. I modeled in Hong Kong and Taiwan for a few years. In April 2009, I moved to Tokyo and have been here ever since (although I often travel for jobs).
LA CARMINA: Which languages do you speak?
SEBASTIANO: I speak Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and English, thanks to my mixed heritage.
LA CARMINA: What type of modeling work do you do in Tokyo?
SEBASTIANO: I am the main model for several brands, including BlaBlaHospital and Stand Up! The Fragile. I’ve modeled for h.NAOTO, Paul Smith, True Religion, Diesel, Gstar, Nike and Uniqlo. This month, I was interviewed for Fashion TV, walked in a hair show for Toni & Guy, and was in advertisements for Sony and Casio. I also styled and modeled 10 brands for a CNN article, as well as other designer items for a secret project. On January 2nd, I will be in a TBS variety show (Tokyo readers, please watch!)
LA CARMINA: How do you get model jobs in Tokyo?
SEBASTIANO: I’ve been working for years as a model before I came to Japan, so I built up a portfolio and references. I started with a Japanese modeling agency, but now I freelance. That way, I have the freedom to do acting work as well. Many of my jobs are through referrals and connections.
LA CARMINA: Was it hard to become a model in Japan?
SEBASTIANO: It was difficult when I first moved here. I don’t fit into the usual white, Asian or bi-racial looks that are in demand. But my employers had good experiences working with me, and networking led to more jobs. The industry is all about building relationships.
LA CARMINA: Tell me about your work in Japanese acting.
SEBASTIANO: This year, I was a regular in the TV comedy-drama, Nihonjin no shiranai nihongo (日本人の知らない日本語). The story centers on a Japanese language teacher (played by Riisa Naka), and I’m one of the foreign students in her class. The DVD for the first season was just released. My character became quite popular, and I received over 400 fan letters and presents! I just wrapped filming in a movie that will be out next year, but the details are secret for now.
LA CARMINA: Nihonjin no shiranai nihongo is adapted from a manga. How is your character different from the original version?
SEBASTIANO: In the manga, my character is named Louie and is a French otaku. The script wanted me to have straight short hair and wear nerdy t-shirts… but thankfully, the producers liked me and tailored the role to be closer to my personality. The character is now an Italian student named Luca. I wear punk clothing by BlaBlaHospital and other designers I model for, and have Visual Kei style hair. The manga artist, Nagiko Umino, told me she liked how I played the character, so that makes me happy.
LA CARMINA: In addition to the acting and modeling, you are working with prominent Japanese music producers on your first album. How did this come about?
SEBASTIANO: I met various musicians and producers through my work, and they offered to work with me on my music. I’m collaborating with a composer who works with Ayumi Hamasaki, SMAP and Yuna Ito.
LA CARMINA: What can we expect?
SEBASTIANO: Most of the songs I’ve done so far are ballads, but the new music I’m working on will have a J-rock sound. I am currently deciding which record label to sign with, and hope to have a CD out at the end of next year.
LA CARMINA: What’s your advice for people who want to succeed as models, actors or singers in Tokyo?
SEBASTIANO: Do more than people expect of you. You’ll gain a good reputation, and people will want to keep working with you. It’s good to network and think of ways to bring people together. For example, I introduced the BlaBlaHospital designer to the stylist of my TV drama, and I am going to collaborate with a major fashion brand as a designer and model. Right now, I’m collaborating with La Carmina and LA Weekly on a major photo feature… can’t wait to show you!
LA CARMINA: What is your five-year goal?
SEBASTIANO: I’d love to be on Kamen Rider. And it would be my dream to have a video game or manga base a character design on me. I hope I can continue growing with my music as well.
Want more photos and interactions with Sebastiano Serafini? Come join his Facebook fan page ( セバスティアーノ セラフィニー ) and Twitter. Don’t forget to add the La Carmina Facebook page and Twitter too!
Did the interview inspire or surprise you? Is there anything you’d like to ask Sebastiano? Please feel free to leave him questions in the comments.
PS: Click to see to all the stories and cute photos from Sebastiano Serafini’s trip to LA.
Japanese Word of the Day: Isshoukenmei = Work hard, with your best effort
Song of the Day: セラフィニー セバスチァーノ – Sebastiano sings Shayne Ward – Breathless
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LA CARMINA
56 Comments
wow, what a lovely surprise darling!! Sebastiano isn’t only a really good model but a really working person. Now I want to listen to his music too!!!
Have fun in L.A. and please, surprise us more with this kind of nice work!!!
Just in case.
Happy new year for both os us!!!
Happy New Year to you too! We just wrapped a Blablahospital photoshoot… excited about how it turned out. :)
Aren’t there any pictures of him where he isn’t so photoshopped? I can’t even get an idea of what he really looks like, he looks like a CGed game character!
Believe me, there’s absolutely no Photoshop going on here :P
Yeah sure… I´m a graphic designer and those photos ARE photoshopped. The proof is that the light in his eyes does not correspond, they are shinning even in the shadows like light bulbs.
He’s wearing contacts for sure. I mean, he’s a beautiful guy! I just don’t know why they had to go overboard airbrushing his face and eyes. He has lovely cheekbones, why smooth them out? His face has a lot more character in the CNNgo pictures.
watch the drama mentioned in the article, it is a right laugh and you see him looking much more natural :)
The drama is great. :)
Ah so that’s who he is … Joke lol Sebaa!
Happy new year :0 in I dunno how many hours …
Thanks for this La La !!!
You’re welcome – glad you enjoyed this post! More fun with Seba coming up :)
Very doll-like (This is a compliment from me)! It’s cool to see a foreigner doing well in the Japanese entertainment industry.
^___^
There’s something about his photos that just scream Final Fantasy to me.
Watch out Gackt, you have some competition. xD
I can’t wait to hear his music and hopefully I can see ya guys in LA. ^^
Funny, I also thought he looked like Gackt in one of the photos! Hope to see you at Bar Sinister????
Those photos are amazing; they’re almost doll-like (which is awesome).
<3
Well I’m impressed =O He has a very unique style and look, just something you don’t see very often, which is awesome.
He reminds me a lot of Gackt actually XD I think he’d be a viable candidate to inherit that throne!
Gackt-o definitely does ;)
SEBASTIANO: I speak Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and English, thanks to my mixed heritage.
As a genealogist, this intrigues me. If he’d care to share, what is his heritage.
Half Italian, half Asian :)
Awesome interview. <3
Are his eyes naturally that color?
They change according to the light or mood :P
This guy is going places O:
That was a great interview! Wish I could have made it to LA. =[
cool! :)
Niiiiice!!!!!!!
I’m excited about meeting La Carmina this Saturday i hope she let’s me take a pic with her and Seba ^^
Excited for the party! See you there.
These photos are supposed to be of Seba as Luca, his character on his TV drama. Since he is an otaku on the program, that’s why the photos have an anime manga cosplay feel :)
people often have a misconception of digital ‘editing’ and ‘manipulation’. These pics are well edited, that’s all. <3
He looks CGI. Although cool looking, not quite human.
See? That was my thought, too.
You should bring him to Houston too! Hehe!
Definitely photoshopped. And beautifully done! :)
Maoo
^ ^v Great interview!
Glad you liked it!
it’s photoshop!!
the boy seems almost unreal o,o, like a sims or second life character xD.
he’s a dream-boy :)
Well no crap its going to be photoshopped. He’s a professional working with professional photographers. Its gonna be top of the line, not just snapshots.
Yeah, if that is not PhotoShopped I am the Queen Mother….
Is he your boyfriend? ;P
La Carmina never said if Sebastiano is her boyfriend but uhhh there are photos of them sharing a hotel room with one bed hmmmm (>o<)
Great interview! As for this whole photoshop debate, it’s just part of the business. The photos are the way they are because they wanted them to be that way. And even if it was photoshopped, they were still working with great raw material (Sebas ;)). For someone to be in the business for so long, from such a young age, to be so driven and hardworking is great and nice to hear.
On a side note, my ex-boyfriend is half Northern Italian, half Chinese (born in Hawaii) though not as linguistically talented ;) Ha ha. What part of Northern Italy is Sebas from? I know that area pretty well, quite lovely.
Ah, which part is your ex boyfriend from? I’m not sure if Seba wants to share exactly where he’s from…
His hometown is Brescia, but he works in Milan. If you ever go to Northern Italy, they’ve got lovely places. Milan for shopping (too industrial for many people, but has its charms once you get to know the city), Mountains for skiing/snowboarding (first time skiing was in Italy with an instructor who knew 3 words of English), Lakes for kite/wind surfing (my ex used to kite surf in Lago di Garda a lot), and Yuuuumy food. The stuffed pumpkin ravioli (pumpkin casoncelli) are the best in the Brescia area!!! And the drinks!! The apperitivi experience is a MUST in Northen Italy, and Viselli’s ciampagnone are a killer, but awesome (like liquid crack, I’m sure since some of the ingredients didn’t even have labels. Also in Brescia.). The Traffic Free Music Festival in Turin in the summer is an experience and FREE (I went a few years back and saw Daft Punk and Artic Monkeys, made friends and met a band).
Ugh, I could go on. Sorry I went on a rant there. That’s why when I saw the vid of you guys in LA, Sebas made me really miss my friends in Italy. Damn, now I’m gonna have to go pay them a visit ;D Hope you get to have a nice lil’ romp through Italy yourself someday!! And share the adventure with us all!!
these have GOT to be photoshopped! or airbrushed! or something! he looks like someone from Final Fantasy. Beautiful guy though XD
I’ve just recently begun to read your blogs (yes, shame on me):
And wow! What a great interview. (: I’ve only done one interview so far (back when I though interviewing was the easiest and most awesomest job) which was ironically with a growing model from the UK. Sebastiano is one beautiful creature. I’ve started to watch the drama (which is AWESOME) and have officially become a fan of both yours and his works.
(:
Much Love! <3
<3 Thank you!! Hugs from us both.
Thanks for the interview. Best wishes to Serafino for his work and future career. Hope to see more collaborations between LaCarmina and Seba. Please keep going forward with the stylishness !
Thank you for your sweet words! We have SO many collaborations planned.. can’t wait to take the NOH8 Campaign to Tokyo, Japan!!
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Im Italian and Japanese and I dont look like a Barbie…. What the hell !?!?!
But then again Im a girl so I guess the mixture only works well in male blood :[
Booo not fair D:
aha :)
can you teach me,how to make hair style Harajuku..Thank’s
he’s first artist from Italian i like…..He’s really cute….