Even as a child, Simone was captivated by Hollywood’s golden years and yearned to be on the screen herself.

Now, the Italo-Australian actress, producer and screenwriter, fresh from the recent success of her short film, Azzurro, has decided to try her hand at a feature-length film.

Azzurro, which was shot in Puglia, won the Santa Monica Film Festival and was lauded in several international reviews.

The short film was inspired by Simone’s own Italian heritage.

Born to a Calabrian father and a Sicilian mother, Simone spent her childhood immersed in the values, traditions and memories of the Bel Paese.

“I’ve always felt Italian,” Simone says.

“We spoke the language at home, and at school I was surrounded by peers who shared my cultural heritage.

“On weekends, we went to local clubs to dance, and every Sunday we went to church.

“Even though I understood very little of the Italian sermons, I was still able to respond throughout the service; I still remember prayers and antiphons today!

“My film actually begins with a scene in an Italian church.”

Simone was inspired by the long history of the Commedia dell’Arte and took to the stage from a young age.

“It was apparent that I was talented; everyone told me so,” she says.

“My parents have always been supportive, even if they didn’t think I would make a career from acting.”

As a young woman “armed with constant ideas”, who did nothing but “pretend to be another person, imitate the accents of her neighbours and improvise theatrical performances in front of her family”, it is little surprise that 16-year-old Simone was drawn to the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).

The institute, which boasts alumni such as Cate Blanchett, Mel Gibson, Judy Davis and Baz Luhrmann, is Australia’s premier school for acting.

Simone auditioned for admission to NIDA’s hallowed halls for four consecutive years.

“The first year, they told me I needed ‘life experience’,” she recounts.

“I’d only lived with my family up until that point, and had not grown up in an environment where theories or ideas were discussed.

“When I was 21 years old, I packed my bags and went to Italy for the first time.

“I immediately felt at home, which was really strange, considering that I’d only experienced the country through the stories and memories of my family.

“Those emotions inspired the first draft of the feature film I’m working on.”

Simone was accepted into NIDA shortly after, at which point she began to connect with Italian history and her own cultural identity.

“My first job was on the TV show, Love My Way,” she says.

“I was so happy, but then I discovered that they had cut all my scenes, due to the length of each episode.

“That’s when I realised how unstable my career could be.

“I had to find a way to create balance, so I took up meditation, and started to learn about production and writing.”

Simone’s overwhelming desire to live in Hollywood led her to apply for a ‘green card’ and attempt to obtain permanent residency in America.

In 2014, tired of waiting, she packed her bags and moved to Los Angeles.

Three days after her arrival, she received an email confirming her victory in the lottery.

“When I decided to act, the universe responded,” she adds.

Simone founded Off The Beaten Track Productions, her own television and film production company.

She began to write her first film about Italy and, thanks to the generosity of the Italian community in Melbourne, the actress managed to raise $80,000 to fund Azzurro.

Shot in Puglia, with the assistance of the well-known Italian-Canadian actor, Giacomo Gianniotti, Azzurro captured the spirit of the Bel Paese.

“I feel so lucky that the community I grew up in supported that little girl and her dream,” Simone enthuses.

“The short film was received beautifully, and with the feature film, we’ll try to capture the same tone, landscapes and character of Azzurro, even if the story is obviously more complex.

“I want to keep creating magic, but it takes time.

“I could have finished everything much more quickly, but there has always been a voice whispering to me: ‘Get the script out of the drawer and go back to work on your story’.”