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Podcast

As a child, I was enthralled with history and biographies. I struggled in Math and Science, but one rainy Friday, my 4th grade teacher pointed out I was good in History and my life changed at that moment. I decided that day I would major in History. So that’s what I did 9 years later, I entered university in Washington, DC to study History- a continuation of learning and analyzing people’s lives and decisions. I interned in the US Congress, at The White House, and for NGOs; and volunteered on political campaigns, and worked in the city after graduation. But moving to London to study for my Masters changed my worldview. I’ve lived in 9 countries and have found myself in a completely different arena: fashion. Over the past 6 years, I have developed an eye for couture craftsmanship, learning how to put intricate and detailed collections into words. As a result, I have developed relationships with some of the world's most leading brands, covering Paris, Milan, New York, and Riyadh Fashion Week shows. I also have a faith and lifestyle magazine, Seele that I founded. I decided to launch ‘The Soulful Side Of Life,’ an amalgamation of my experiences, where I interview people in areas that have touched my life in: fashion, faith, entertainment, music, business, and entrepreneurship. The podcast is an extension of my interests in discussing people’s stories.

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please follow.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allysonlolitaportee/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSoulfulSideOfLife

Seele Magazine: https://seelemag.com/

Episode 15: Alessandra De Tommasi Gets Real On What It’s Really Like Being An Entertainment Journalist

Alessandra De Tommasi is one of the entertainment industry’s top journalists, writing for Vanity Fair Italia, Vogue Italia, Cosmopolitan Italia, and others. You’ll find her at the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Toronto, Zurich, Berlin, Monaco, and others in press junkets sitting front row and asking the most intelligent of questions to actors and directors. Alessandra is a sharp thinker, but most importantly she’s a beyond kind person. Her heart is deep and she’s always in a happy mood, making the most stressful of days at a film festival a delight to see her.

Born into a family of farmers in Lecce, Italy, she was destined to work all things tobacco. But, her teachers and an uncle could see she was meant for the learned world, and she went to Rome on a university scholarship. Ale, as I call her, has sat down and interviewed some of the film and TV industry’s most renowned actors from Scarlett Johansson, Tom Cruise, Cynthia Nixon, and Julia Roberts- and these are just a few names.

In the interview we talk about her journey from Lecce to where she is now, the hardships of being an entertainment journalist in these times, the exciting moments of the job, our private moment we had with Leonardo di Caprio and Casey Affleck, and no matter how stressful the industry can get, why she wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.