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My Brilliant Friend (Italian: L'amica geniale) is an Italian- and Neapolitan-language coming-of-age drama television series created by Saverio Costanzo for HBO, RAI, and TIMvision. Named after the first of four novels in the Neapolitan Novels series by Elena Ferrante, the series is an adaptation of the entire literary work into four seasons.[2] My Brilliant Friend is a co-production between Italian production companies Wildside, Fandango, The Apartment Pictures, Mowe and international film groups Umedia and Fremantle.

The first two episodes of the series were presented at the 75th Venice International Film Festival, in 2018.[3] The first season premiered on HBO on November 18, 2018, and on Rai 1 and TIMvision on November 27, 2018.[4][5] A second season, based on Ferrante's second Neapolitan Novel and titled My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name, was confirmed in December 2018,[6] and premiered on Rai 1 on February 10, 2020, and on HBO on March 16, 2020.[7][8] The first two episodes of the second season were screened in selected Italian cinemas from January 27 to 29, 2020.[7]

In April 2020, the series was renewed for a third season, based on the third novel in the series, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay.[9] The eight-episode third season premiered on Rai 1 on February 6, 2022, and on HBO on February 28, 2022.[10][11] In March 2022, the series was renewed for a fourth and final season, based on the final novel in Ferrante's series: The Story of the Lost Child.[12] The ten-episode fourth and final season is set to premiere on HBO on September 9, 2024,[13] and on Rai 1 on November 11, 2024.

Cast and characters[edit]

Main[edit]

Elisa Del Genio (season 1, guest season 2), Margherita Mazzucco (seasons 1–3) and Alba Rohrwacher (season 4, cameo season 3) as Elena "Lenù" Greco,[14] a girl from a poor neighbourhood in the outskirts of 1950s Naples. Rohrwacher also narrates the events of the series from the point of view of adult Elena Greco. The character is also portrayed by Elisabetta De Palo (guest season 1) as a senior, and by Ingrid Del Genio (guest season 1) as a very young child.

Ludovica Nasti (season 1, guest season 2) and Gaia Girace (seasons 1–3) as Raffaella "Lila" Cerullo,[14] Elena's best friend and, later, Stefano Carracci's wife

Anna Rita Vitolo as Immacolata Greco, Elena's mother

Luca Gallone as Vittorio Greco, a porter and Elena's father

Imma Villa as Manuela Solara (seasons 1–3), Silvio Solara's wife, Michele and Marcello's mother

Antonio Milo as Silvio Solara (season 1; recurring season 2), owner of the Bar Solara

Alessio Gallo as Michele Solara (seasons 2–3; recurring season 1), Silvio and Manuela's son. The character is also portrayed by Adriano Tammaro (recurring season 1) as a child.

Valentina Acca as Nunzia Cerullo (seasons 1–2), Lila's mother

Antonio Buonanno as Fernando Cerullo, a shoemaker and Lila's father

Dora Romano as Miss Oliviero (seasons 1–2), Elena and Lila's elementary school teacher

Nunzia Schiano as Nella Incardo (seasons 1–2), Miss Oliviero's cousin

Giovanni Amura as Stefano Carracci (seasons 2–3; recurring season 1), Don Achille Carracci's son and, later, Lila's husband. The character is also portrayed by Kristijan Di Giacomo (recurring season 1) as a child.

Gennaro De Stefano as Rino Cerullo (season 2; recurring season 1), Lila's older brother and, later, Pinuccia's husband. The character is also portrayed by Tommaso Rusciano (recurring season 1) as a child.

Francesco Serpico as Nino Sarratore (seasons 2–3; recurring season 1), Donato and Lidia's son. The character is also portrayed by Alessandro Nardi (guest season 1) as a child.

Federica Sollazzo as Pinuccia Carracci (season 2; recurring season 1), Don Achille's daughter and, later, Rino's wife. The character is also portrayed by Giuliana Tramontano (recurring season 1) as a child.

Clotilde Sabatino as Professor Galiani (seasons 2–3), Elena's high school teacher. The character is also portrayed by Anna Redi (recurring season 1) as a younger woman.

Ulrike Migliaresi as Ada Cappuccio (season 2; recurring season 1), Melina Cappuccio's daughter. The character is also portrayed by Lucia Manfuso (recurring season 1) as a child.

Christian Giroso as Antonio Cappuccio (season 2; recurring season 1), Melina Cappuccio's son. The character is also portrayed by Domenico Cuomo (recurring season 1) as a child

Eduardo Scarpetta as Pasquale Peluso (seasons 2–3; recurring season 1), Alfredo and Giuseppina's son. The character is also portrayed by Francesco Catena (recurring season 1) as a child.

Giovanni Buselli as Enzo Scanno (seasons 2–3; recurring season 1), Nicola and Assunta's son. The character is also portrayed by Vincenzo Vaccaro (recurring season 1) as a child.

Giovanni Cannata as Armando Galiani (seasons 2–3), Professor Galiani's son

Francesco Russo as Bruno Soccavo (seasons 2–3), Nino's friend

Bruno Orlando as Franco Mari (seasons 2–3), Elena's first boyfriend in Pisa

Daria Deflorian as Adele Airota (seasons 2–3), Pietro Airota's mother

Matteo Cecchi as Pietro Airota (seasons 2–3), Elena's second boyfriend in Pisa

Giulia Mazzarino as Maria Rosa Airota (season 3; recurring season 2), Pietro's sister

Gabriele Vacis as Guido Airota (season 3; recurring season 2), Pietro's father

Maria Vittoria Dallasta as Silvia (season 3), a student and a young mother

Riccardo Palmieri as Gino (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), Elena's classmate and first boyfriend. He becomes a fascist.

Giorgia Gargano as Nadia Galiani (season 3; recurring season 2), Professor Galiani's daughter

Fabrizio Cottone as Alfonso Carracci (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), Don Achille's son. The character is also portrayed by Valerio Laviano Saggese (guest season 1) as a child.

Rosaria Langellotto as Gigliola Spagnuolo (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), their daughter. The character is also portrayed by Alice D'Antonio (guest season 1) as a child.

Pina Di Gennaro as Melina Cappuccio (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), a crazy widow

Francesca Pezzella as Carmela Peluso (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), Alfredo and Giuseppina's daughter. The character is also portrayed by Francesca Bellamoli (season 1) as a child.

Sofia Luchetti as Adele Airota (season 3), Elena and Pietro's daughter

Salvatore Tortora as Gennaro "Gennarino" Carracci (season 3), Lila's son

Elvis Esposito as Marcello Solara (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), Manuela and Silvio's son. The character is also portrayed by Pietro Vuolo (season 1) as a child.

Francesca Montuori as Elisa Greco (season 3), Elena's younger sister. The character is also portrayed by Sara Mauriello (recurring season 1), Cristina Fraticola (recurring seasons 1–2) and Gaia Buongiovanni (recurring season 3; guest season 2) as a child.

Chiara Celotto as Eleonora (season 3), Nino's wife

Sophia Protino as Elsa Airota (season 3), Elena and Pietro's daughter. The character is also portrayed by Aria and Luce Milighetti (guests season 3) as a very young child.

Featured[edit]

The following actors are credited in the opening titles of a single episode of the series:

Antonio Pennarella as Don Achille Carracci (season 1), the local mobster

Edu Rejón as Juan (season 3), a student in Milan

Giulia Pica as a doctor (season 3), who provides contraceptives in Naples

Claudio Lardo as Giuntini (season 3), chief editor at l'Unità

Mirko Setaro as Lila's cardiologist (season 3)

Vittorio Ciorcalo as Lila's neurologist (season 3)

Giovanni Toscano as Mario's friend (season 3), a student in Florence

Eugenio Di Fraia as Mario Gioia (season 3), an engineer in Florence

Rebecca Fanucchi as Clelia (season 3), Adele's baby sitter in Florence

Iacopo Ricciotti as Maria Rosa's boyfriend (season 3)

Recurring[edit]

The Grecos

Emanuele Nocerino (season 1), Matteo Castaldo (seasons 1–2) and Daniele Cacciatore (season 3; guest season 2) as Peppe Greco, Elena's younger brother

Thomas Noioso (season 1), Raffaele Nocerino (seasons 1–2) and Davide De Lucia (season 3; guest season 2) as Gianni Greco, Elena's younger brother

The Carraccis

Sarah Falanga as Maria Carracci (seasons 1–2; guest season 3), Don Achille's wife

Daniel Campagna (guest season 2) and Giuseppe Cortese (season 3; guest season 2) as Gennaro Carracci, Lila's son

Maria Raffaella Cortese as Maria Carracci (guest season 3), Lila's daughter

The Pelusos

Gennaro Canonico as Alfredo Peluso (season 1), a highly skilled carpenter

Lia Zinno as Giuseppina Peluso (seasons 1–2), Alfredo's wife

The Sarratores

Emanuele Valenti as Donato Sarratore (seasons 1–2), a train controller

Fabrizia Sacchi as Lidia Sarratore (seasons 1–2), Donato's wife

Cristina Magnotti (season 1) and Miriam D'Angelo (seasons 1–2) as Marisa Sarratore, Donato and Lidia's daughter

Michele Di Costanzo (guest season 1) and Catello Buonomo (season 2; guest season 1) as Pino Sarratore, Donato and Lidia's son

Federica Guarino (guest season 1) and Federica Barbuto (season 2; guest season 1) as Clelia Sarratore, Donato and Lidia's daughter

Gioele Maddi (guest season 1) and Mattia Iapigio (season 2; guest season 1) as Ciro Sarratore, Donato and Lidia's son

Jordan Andres Ayala Robles as Albertino Sarratore (guest season 3), Nino's son

Matthias Strepponi as Mirko Sarratore (guest season 3), Nino's son

The Scannos