STELLA PECOLLO

FROM A SMALL ITALIAN TOWN TO A GLOBAL STAGE

Some stories don’t start on stage; they start in small towns where dreams feel bigger than the space around them. For Stella Pecollo, that place was Savona, Italy. Raised as an only child, Stella’s world may have been small geographically, but creatively, it was anything but. Entertainment was already part of her lineage—her great-grandmother owned a traveling theater company, and that early exposure quietly shaped the way Stella would come to see performance, storytelling, and self-expression. It wasn’t just something she admired. It was something she inherited.

But Stella’s upbringing wasn’t only rooted in the arts. Growing up in Italy, she also developed a strong connection to food and culture, attending a school where culinary education was part of the curriculum. Cooking wasn’t just a skill, it was part of her foundation. It taught her discipline, creativity, and how to engage the senses in a way that would later translate into her work as a performer.

After graduating, Stella made a decision that would define her paths, she left home to explore the world. What followed wasn’t a single move, but a series of bold transitions that took her from Milan to Rome, then London, New York City, and Shanghai. Each city added a new layer to her artistry and identity. While theater remained her foundation, Stella didn’t limit herself to one discipline. She expanded into singing, modeling, fashion design, and media, building a career that reflects both range and intention rather than conformity.

What makes Stella’s journey stand out isn’t just the list of things she does, it’s how she moves through them. Her work spans stage and screen, with credits that include projects like Hollyoaks Later, Dedalus, and Mister Green. One of her most personal projects, however, came with You, Me & Tuscany, a film she shot in Italy, in her hometown. Being hired locally for a production that brought her back to where it all started added a different kind of meaning to the experience. It wasn’t just another role, it was a full-circle moment, blending her professional growth with her roots in a way that few opportunities allow.

At the same time, Stella’s personal journey has been just as layered as her professional one. Like many women navigating the entertainment and fashion industries, she has had to confront the pressures placed on the female body. Rather than conforming to those expectations, she chose to challenge them. Her exploration of burlesque became a turning point, not just as a performance art, but as a form of self-acceptance and empowerment. It allowed her to reconnect with her body on her own terms and reject the idea that confidence has to look a certain way.

Today, Stella uses her platform to advocate for body positivity and animal rights, speaking out against outdated standards and harmful stereotypes. Her approach isn’t performative; it’s personal. It’s rooted in lived experience and a clear understanding that representation matters, especially for women who have been told they need to change in order to belong.

Fluent in Italian and English, conversational in Spanish and French, and currently splitting her time between Italy and Los Angeles, Stella continues to build a career without borders. But beyond the travel and the credits, there’s a groundedness to how she lives her life. Whether she’s dancing, swimming, traveling, or spending time with her dog Berta, she remains connected to the things that bring her genuine joy.

Stella Pecollo isn’t chasing validation; she’s creating a life that reflects who she is, fully and unapologetically. In an industry that often rewards sameness, she stands as a reminder that there is power in showing up as yourself. No edits. No compromises. Just truth.

QSM: You grew up in Savona, Italy, and had a great-grandmother who owned a traveling theater company; pretty cool by the way. How did that shape the way you see performance and storytelling today?

Stella: Unfortunately, I never met her because she died quite young; however, to know her story, see pictures of her, and hear about how much she loved her job, made me connect with her. Because of her influence, I feel like I somehow have “a mission” that goes even deeper than my own.

QSM: You’ve lived in so many different places, like Milan, Rome, London, New York, and Shanghai. Which move really pushed you the most, and what did it teach you about yourself? 

Stella: Definitely moving to LA! My biggest dream has always been to move to Hollywood and to work on a Hollywood movie. By persevering and working hard, I am here, and I could not be prouder.

QSM: Living and working in so many places, do you feel like it has changed how you show up creatively or how you approach your work? 

Stella: Absolutely! Traveling opens up your mind, especially if you travel solo like I love to do. It’s scary at the beginning, but then when you get over it and you go for it, you feel the adrenaline of overcoming a fear and that the world is open to so many possibilities!

QSM: You do a little bit of everything: acting, singing, modeling, fashion design. Did you ever feel like you had to pick one lane, or were you always clear that you wanted to do it all? 

Stella: My first love has always been singing, then came acting, writing, and everything else. I have always loved dancing; at the beginning, I was a little shy about it because of my body, but then I decided not to care and just enjoy doing what I love! My favourite thing to do is work in musical theatre productions; in fact, one of my dreams is to work in a musical movie like “La La Land” because it allows me to work on all my favourite skills!

QSM: Was there ever a time when you questioned if you were “enough” in your career? And how did you move through that? 

Stella: It’s pretty much connected to the way I have felt about my body image. I am a 90’s girl, so I have lived through the worst of the times for a woman with a bigger body, during a time when I thought I could not sing or act because I was not “beautiful enough”. Then I learned to love myself and to use my image as a tool because it’s who I am. It changes constantly, but what does not change is my talent and the confidence I have in who I am as an artist and woman.

QSM: You’ve mentioned that burlesque was part of your body positivity journey. What did that experience unlock for you when it comes to confidence and owning your body? 

Stella: It changed everything. It’s an experience that I recommend to anyone experiencing some kind of insecurity about their body! Going to burlesque classes made me understand that we are all the same; we all have insecurities about ourselves, but as strong women, we just overcome them constantly. We have to be proud of our bodies, our femininity, and never, ever, be ashamed of it. The burlesque community is the most accepting community I have ever encountered.

QSM: Let’s talk about You, Me & Tuscany. You filmed it in your home country, that’s a full-circle moment. What did it feel like to come back home as an actress working on an American film set? 

Stella: It felt amazing! I am from Piemonte (northwest of Italy), and we actually filmed in Val d’Orcia, but coming back “home” and doing my job with one of the biggest studios in Hollywood felt pretty dreamy to me! I felt proud of myself and my accomplishments, and it felt like everything I worked for in all these years is finally starting to pay off.

QSM: Being a local Italian hire for that project, did it change the way you approached the role or how connected you felt to the story? 

Stella: Absolutely! Kat Coiro, our director, was really intentional on having everything on set be genuine, from the script to the props, etc. I was happy to help by being Italian and so accustomed to the United States culture as well, since I have been living there for a few years now. What warmed my heart was also what Kat told me when I auditioned for the role: she said that she really appreciated the fact that, even though I was Italian born and raised, I had a full understanding of the American comedy timings and language. So, that was so fulfilling to me!

QSM: Was there a moment while filming where it really hit you like, “Wow, I’m doing this here, where it all started”? What did that feel like emotionally? 

Stella: I remember it very clearly. We had just finished filming the ending scene, and the director, Kat Coiro, came up to me and told me that the studios were so happy with my work that they wanted to add me to some extra scenes. I still feel goosebumps thinking about it. A total dream come true! Also, I recently saw my face on a billboard for You, Me & Tuscany in Times Square a few weeks ago! I had tears of joy all over my cheeks seeing myself on that screen!

QSM: Growing up in Italy, you also learned how to cook as part of your education. Which, by the way, is such a unique layer to your story. How did that prepare you for your role in You, Me & Tuscany? 

Stella: It was so funny “coming back” to the kitchen to prepare for the role of Francesca. So many flashbacks came to mind. It was another “full circle” moment for me, and I realized I still remembered a few things! One of my school professors from the cooking class I took even invited me to talk to his current students about my acting journey.

QSM: Food is such a sensory experience; taste, smell, memory, and has a significant presence in You, Me & Tuscany. Do you feel like that connection helped you bring more authenticity to your performance?

Stella: For us Italians, food is a big part of who we are. We bond at the table, we argue at the table, we kiss at the table, we cry at the table! And the Italian passion that we innately have comes through the way we cook and eat. I was so happy to be able to use these cultural layers to prepare for my role in the film.

QSM: For people who don’t know the movie You, Me & Tuscany, can you tell us about it and your role in it?

Stella: You, Me & Tuscany is a movie about love, family, and belonging. It makes you feel good, light, and warm. Everyone should watch it as an act of self-love! Francesca is Matteo’s big sister; she is very bubbly, sometimes a bit naughty, and loooooves to gossip. But not in a bad way; she bonds through gossip; it’s her way to connect with people. In fact, she might be a little too “TMI” sometimes, but it’s her way of connecting with her new friend-sister Anna, and it works because they end up becoming very close! She is not only passionate in the kitchen but in life as well!

PHOTO CREDITS:

Photographer: Jonny Marlow (@jonnymarlow)

Hair/Makeup: Ashanta Artistry (@ashantaartistry)

Styling: Charlotte Harris (@charlotte_the_celeb_stylist)