It’s a Saturday afternoon in February and Spike Lee and Giancarlo Esposito are sitting side-by-side in a golf cart on a studio lot in Los Angeles. The 2, associates for 40 years, have labored collectively many instances over time on such Lee joints as 1988’s Faculty Daze, 1989’s Do the Proper Factor, 1990’s Mo’ Higher Blues and 1992’s Malcolm X. They’re again collectively and collaborating as soon as once more, this time for Fiat on behalf of the Italian automaker’s model new, all-electric Fiat 500e.

Lee directs and stars within the “Italy in America” spot reverse his Emmy-nominated buddy in what marks their first nationwide promoting marketing campaign collectively. Because the story goes, Esposito helps Lee discover his internal Italian as they uncover how their city commute turns into extra “dolce” within the 2024 Fiat 500e. “The all-electric Fiat 500e captures the essence of the Italian life-style. This new marketing campaign brings collectively an iconic duo of numerous heritage, legendary Brooklyn director Spike Lee and actor Giancarlo Esposito, who shares the virtues of his Italian ancestry with Spike to indicate him that La Dolce Vita could be discovered even far past Italy’s borders,” defined Olivier Francois, world chief advertising and marketing officer at Stellantis.

The marketing campaign, launched final week and shot by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Matthew Libatique, will embody greater than a dozen artistic components that includes the duo throughout Fiat’s social channels, working by spring and summer time and lengthening into fall. It’s no shock to seek out out that the marketing campaign is essentially unscripted, permitting Lee and Esposito to effortlessly play off each other like longtime associates can. That’s precisely what they do over the course of a 20-minute Zoom interview with The Hollywood Reporter from the entrance seat of that golf cart. Lee and Esposito end one another’s sentences, crack one another up and lob compliments forwards and backwards whereas sharing the story behind the marketing campaign, dishing on their new initiatives — Excessive and Low with Denzel Washington for Lee and Francis Ford Coppola‘s Megalopolis for Esposito — and getting critical about the specter of synthetic intelligence going through the world.

Seeing the 2 of you collectively on a Saturday afternoon may be very cool …

Lee: We bought historical past. We bought historical past. Good historical past.

How does it really feel to be reunited?

Lee: I really feel nice, what about you?

Esposito: I really feel nice, like one million bucks.

Lee: We’ve seen one another over time, from time to time, however time goes quick. On June 30, it will likely be the thirty fifth anniversary of Do the Proper Factor. Bugging out!

Esposito: Bugging out!

Who got here up with the thought for this collaboration?

Esposito: Effectively, Spike is the person. Spike is the coach. I at all times invite good power, and once we run into one another, it appears like not a day has passed by since we’ve seen one another final. That’s the reality.

Lee: That’s the reality, Ruth.

Esposito: It actually, actually is. When this was talked about to me due to my Italian heritage, my connection to Italy and my love for vehicles, they talked about that Spike Lee was going to direct.

Lee: It is a pure match. While you’re shut, particularly on this business, there is perhaps Spike the love, however there are schedules and delays that stop working collectively once more. However we have now a bond. It’s been introduced that I’m going to do my new movie with [Denzel Washington], the fifth one after Mo’ Higher Blues, Malcolm X, He Obtained Sport, Inside Man. Inside Man was 16 years in the past, however for Denzel and I, it was like yesterday. That’s the identical factor right here with my brother. That artistic bond, that human bond, even if you’re not working collectively otherwise you haven’t seen one another in years, if you do, it’s a giant hug such as you noticed them final evening.

What’s the story of the business?

Esposito: It’s a narrative about Fiat, the 500e electrical automotive that’s redesigned to be actually slick and delightful.

Lee: I noticed it for the primary time in footage, however to see it in actual life, it’s a…[gives a thumbs up].

Esposito: It’s a trick, trick car. It’s actually lovely. It’s a small, good metropolis automotive, and it represents a cultural heritage of Italy, and the colourful nature of the Italian folks. Very, very passionate individuals who love meals, wine, sunshine, music and dance. It’s a cultural illustration of all that’s Italy.

Lee: In the event that they don’t know, inform them your connection to Italy…

Esposito: I’m half Italian. My individuals are from Naples, Italy. I used to be raised in Rome. My mother’s an opera singer. My father labored at Teatro alla Scala, the opera home in Milan.

Lee: Who’s Italian and who’s African?

Esposito: My father’s Italian and my mom is African-American Black.

Lee: The place’d they meet?

Esposito: They met at Teatro di San Carlo in Napoli, it’s a well-known and actually small opera home. I lately went again there, in July, to see the place they meet and I had tears in my eyes. I additionally went to Naples the place I actually bought a way of my heritage.

Lee: Had been you conceived in Naples the very first second that they met?

Esposito: No, quickly after. An excessive amount of data. Mommy and Papa, I really like you. So, I’ve a really robust connection to Italy and I adore it. This [commercial] was a no brainer for me to signify my Italian people who find themselves simply completely unbelievable human beings and really nice with every thing from vehicles to leather-based purses to music. To me, once more, they signify one of the best elements of me.

They know easy methods to reside over there. Spike, I do know you grew up in a neighborhood with a whole lot of Italians as nicely. Have you ever spent a whole lot of time in Italy?

Lee: Oh sure. I spent a whole lot of time in Italy, however the Lees, we have been the primary Black household to maneuver right into a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York known as Cobble Hill. It was largely Italian People, proper by the dock. The dock employees purchased properties in Cobble Hill, so we have been the primary. Lots of the stuff you see within the movie Do the Proper Factor, and later in Summer season of Sam, got here from my experiences rising up being the one Black household in an Italian American neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Again to the FIAT: Would you ever personal an electrical car or battery electrical car or do you personal one now?

Esposito: I don’t personal one now, however I might personal an electrical car. It’s good for the planet, it’s good for the environment. I lastly bought into electrical bicycles and I understand how a lot smoother, quieter and extra environment friendly they’re. I might personal an electrical car in a heartbeat.

Lee: Me too.

Esposito: Being in New York, once more, this Fiat is a metropolis automotive that may match into small areas. It’s sensible, it’s environment friendly, and it saves the environment. I’m all for it, and this Fiat 500 is a factor of magnificence.

Spike, we’ve seen you star on digital camera in some iconic commercials over time. Apart from spending time with Giancarlo, how does any person get you to say sure to showing on digital camera in a business today?

Lee: If I just like the product, if I consider within the product, the story. Additionally, if I’m obtainable, too. That’s a giant factor, availability. Lots of these firms have one thing coming down the pike and they should get this stuff shot. However that is an expertise the place every thing lined up. Then to be united with my brother proper right here, G-money, huge brother almighty. I’m bugging out. I imply, it’s nice. When you possibly can work with folks you like, it’s a win.

Esposito: I’m going so as to add one thing to that as a result of though you didn’t ask me, I’m going to inform you why I’m right here…

I used to be going to ask you an identical as a result of, to begin with, seeing you in a single place appears like a present with all you have got happening today. You’re very in demand…

Lee: In demand! In demand!

Esposito: Actually, I really feel blessed to be in demand and I really feel blessed to have the ability to do what I do day-after-day of my life, being on digital camera and creating with nice folks. I’m right here not solely to have the ability to catch up, however I need to work with nice folks. My hit checklist of administrators are Spike Lee…

Lee: I noticed you in Atlanta.

Esposito: Oh yeah, engaged on Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. Popping out quickly.

Lee: I noticed 90 minutes.

Esposito: You probably did! I did ADR the opposite day. He says hey. It’s about integrity. It’s nice if you get an opportunity to work with individuals who have integrity, individuals who aren’t simply doing it for the cash or simply as a result of they’re requested to assist a undertaking that they’ll’t get behind. They’re doing it to create and produce different creators with them. For me, I need to work with one of the best however I additionally need to have enjoyable whereas I’m doing it and have the ability to study one thing within the course of.

Lee: I’m going to leap on and piggyback what my brother mentioned. I’m a tenured professor of movie at NYU graduate movie faculty. I’ve been there 30 years. Ang Lee and Ernest Dickerson have been my classmates. NYU graduate movie faculty is three years and I inform my college students on the primary day of sophistication that if you may make a residing doing what you like, you’re blessed. Nearly all of the inhabitants on God’s earth go to their grave working a job they hate. We’re blessed. We don’t take this shit without any consideration. Excuse my profanity, however I don’t take it without any consideration as a result of it didn’t need to be me. I imply, one step left, one step, proper. You’re off the cliff.

Spike, you talked about reuniting with Denzel in your subsequent movie, Excessive and Low. How did that come collectively?

Lee: When the primary script was written, I used to be not part of the undertaking. However I’ve executed a rewrite although. Denzel was part of the undertaking earlier than me. Denzel was part of Malcolm X earlier than me too. Now we have an amazing historical past. I do know what works for him and what he doesn’t like. [Laughs] If Mr. Denzel Washington doesn’t like one thing, he’ll let you already know. Beneath no unsure phrases, he’ll say, ‘That ain’t working.’  

Giancarlo, how was Megalopolis?

Esposito: Actually an unbelievable expertise. One of many highlights of my profession. I labored with Francis again on The Cotton Membership. Working with him on Megalopolis all these years later simply confirmed his imaginative and prescient for the world. It’s a really, very particular movie. I discover him to be a genius. I did some ADR the opposite day.

Lee: I’ve seen greater than him. We have been capturing on the identical stage in Atlanta the place I used to be doing Capital One spots with [Samuel L. Jackson and Charles Barkley], they usually instructed me that they have been capturing close by so I ran over to see them. Francis took over a complete resort. I had a bunch of posters that I requested him to signal, and he did. Then he mentioned, ‘Spike, I’ll present you 10 minutes.’ It was nice, then after 10 minutes, he mentioned, ‘Let’s see 10 extra.’ He ended up displaying me 90 minutes — wonderful.

Esposito: A particular human being at a particular time in his life.

Final query: You talked about turning left or turning proper and teetering off a cliff, that description may apply to the place the business is correct now. There are a whole lot of challenges going through the business, together with AI What’s your tackle the menace that AI poses to the movie business?

Lee: If I may rephrase that query: The hazard that AI may do to cinemas is nothing in comparison with what it may do to the world. It’s greater than cinema. It’s greater than music. I bought to offer it to my brother, Steven Spielberg, who peeped this a few years in the past when his movie A.I. Synthetic Intelligence got here out. I didn’t even know what that was till that film got here out. We’re residing in very harmful instances. It’s greater than cinema.

Esposito: You’ll be able to’t change what’s actual. You’ll be able to’t change the soulfulness of a human being, the soul. You’ll be able to’t change humanity. Machines can strive however I’m sorry…

Lee: It isn’t the identical.

Esposito: We’re going to need to undergo some studying to grasp easy methods to use it correctly in the suitable approach. It’s a testomony to these, like Steven Spielberg, who foresaw this occurring.

Lee: He had a crystal ball on that. What’s up, Steven? You realize you probably did your factor.

Interview edited for size and readability.