Terence Hill: "I like many things about this character and he also resembles me a lot". It's enough to look into Terence Hill's eyes to see that the rumors of some time ago, that he doesn't want to continue with "Don Matteo", are unfounded: "I love Don Matteo" he says, telling "Avvenire" about his decision to once again wear the frock of the likeable clergyman-investigator. And his eyes shine while he reveals to have proposed "to Luxvide and RAI, following the example of the TV show "Columbo", to realize TV movies of "Don Matteo" that, compared to the long series, would allow not to exaust the character and to dig deeper into emotions".

For the moment, the filming of Don Matteo 5 (produced by Lux Vide for RAI Fiction) is set to begin in June, will take place in Gubbio like usual and last for approximately eight months. The 24 new episodes should be ready to be aired weekly on 12 evenings in spring of 2006, on Italian TV channel RaiUno. At this time, the series is re-run on catholic Italian TV channel Sat 2000 from Monday to Friday at 2.30 PM.

Terence Hill, who is Don Matteo?
He is a priest who does not judge, not even while dealing with people who have made mistakes. His roots are those of Father Brown, the priest-investigator invented by Chesterton, who knows the human mind better than the police.

How do you explain the extraordinary long-term success of Don Matteo?
The merit is not only mine, the whole team works very well together. There are many characters who enrich the series and appeal to the public: Frassica, Insinna (who play Maresciallo Checchini and Captain Anceschi ndr), the Mayor and the people who live in the parish.

Apart from the cast, the main reason of Don Matteo's success is really Don Matteo.
I think that Don Matteo is credible because he is a person who not only doesn't judge, but laughs, jokes and has a good sense of humour. He is funny and clever and likes to interfere, so he reminds a little of the characters I played together with Bud Spencer 30 years ago. He also says reasonable things that I agree with. But he does it in a way which reaches everybody, even the farthest.

A wonderful responsibility for Don Matteo. And, naturally, for Terence Hill who plays the character. Do you believe in God?
Yes. I am a practising catholic. I don't talk about that often, because the faith is a precious and extremely personal matter. The less it's spoken of, the better it is. Concerning the responsibility, I must say that it appeals to me. In the past, especially when I lived in America, I have made professional choices that many have thought were not smart. I have turned down big fees but I was happy because some mothers stopped me in the street and told me: "Continue like this, at least we can take our children to the movies without fearing ugly surprises!" Thanks to that omission, I can play Don Matteo today and be credible.

What are your plans for the future, apart from Don Matteo 5?
"The man who walked with eagles" (Ital. title: L'uomo che sognava con le aquile), a film in two parts, inspired by a true story of a farmer, whom the European Union prohibits to produce the cheese that his family has made for generations. With tenacity he succeeds to obtain the brand DOP and can continue his production. I liked this character immediately: he is stubborn, he defends tradition and represents the human sprit.