From one of our most-loved actors comes a charming, honest and uplifting memoir full of heart and humour that reminds us all of the two things that matter most – love and family. (A good cannoli and some Vegemite toast also rate pretty highly!)
For years Pia Miranda has been stopped in the street by calls of, ‘Found you!’ – forever linked to that character we all loved: Josie from Looking for Alibrandi. But playing Josie is only one small part of everything that has shaped the woman Pia has become.
As a child, her Nonna would tell her stories of the small volcanic island off Sicily she called home. Cannoli, curses and lighting a candle at church were as much a part of Pia’s childhood as mouse plagues, her Aussie Nanna’s lemon slice and cheering on South Melbourne at the footy with her Grandfather.
After chasing a childhood dream to become a ballet dancer (with a back-up plan of becoming a nun) she was cruelly shamed out of her leotard and into a new dream: acting.
The rollercoaster ride of fame would see her travel the world and narrowly avoid a sky-high #MeToo moment. But after fame comes real life – work stress, career questions, money worries, relationships and heartbreak, love and marriage, illness and grief.
Having grown up pinballing between her very Italian side and her very Australian side while trying to carve out a space all her own, Pia didn’t realise how the push and pull of tradition had made her world all the richer.
Finally, setting foot on Vulcano to reconnect with her roots, Pia understands how all the parts of herself have made her the true survivor she is. Like her Nonna told her, every day on top of the earth is a good day.
Pia Miranda is one of Australia’s best-loved and critically acclaimed actors. Since bursting onto the big screen in the much-loved film Looking for Alibrandi, Pia has become part of Australian film and television history, and a familiar face for generations of Alibrandi readers.
Pia’s acting roles include Heat, Neighbours, the hit series The Secret Life of Us, Sea Patrol, Mustangs FC, and the acclaimed Foxtel female-driven prison drama Wentworth. Pia recently competed in Dancing with the Stars and was crowned the winner of one of the most-watched TV series in Australian history, Australian Survivor. Finding My Bella Vita, a memoir, is her first book.
Finding My Bella Vita is published by Hachette Australia and is available for all leading book retailers including QBD Books.
Image: Finding My Bella Vita – courtesy of Hachette Australia