Lorraine Bracco, the OSCAR® and Emmy®-nominated actress from Goodfellas and The Sopranos, will take a break from Hollywood for her next gig, on the island of Sicily— where she will renovate a home under, shall we say, very unusual circumstances.
This HGTV limited series is not one of those movie-star-blithely-swings-a-hammer-and-gets-credit-for-the-whole-thing type shows. She rolls up her sleeves and really gets to it, with the help of her contractor Piero, translator Cynthia, several American friends and a welcoming town.
There are some fascinating facts afoot. Without further ado, here are:
5 Things You Should Know About HGTV’s New ‘My Big Italian Adventure’ with Lorraine Bracco
1. Bracco bought the house for one-euro! You read that right. One-euro! The Sambuca one-euro program was created by the mayor to help sell the town’s vacant homes quickly and inexpensively. The goal is to encourage families to return to the rural oasis, but the catch is that the homes must be completed within three years of purchase.
“I believe life is an adventure,” said Bracco. “When I saw the article that you could buy a house in Sambuca for one euro, I jumped on it. So, I came on the plane. I bought the house. I’m very excited to be here, meet and work with the locals, and live amongst them. I’m here to pay homage to my family that comes from Sicily.”
2. The house she purchased is old and relatively small. 200-years-old, to be exact, measuring 1,075-square-feet. It’s located in the tiny hilltop town of Sambuca di Sicilia.
3. The house is in terrible condition — absolutely decrepit! It has no electricity, running water, kitchen or bathrooms, and needs to be gutted due to its deteriorating floors, crumbling walls and dilapidated roof. The goal is to convert it into a gorgeous Italian retreat where Lorraine can spend time with her family, featuring a stunning entryway with a custom tiled rug, a dreamy Sicilian-inspired bedroom and an indoor courtyard with a custom water feature.
4. Bracco is widely known as one of the nicest actors in Hollywood. While she often plays tough cookies on TV and in the movies, as anyone in the industry will tell you. Hollywood insider Leah Sydney has this to say about her: “”Lorraine Bracco is as down to earth as they come. Even though she was successful model before becoming a renowned actress, her New York Brooklyn roots make her a straight shooter with a wicked sense of humor. She’s had highs and lows, but Lorraine is ever the optimist. On every set, Lorraine is as comfortable with the crew as she is with the executives and treats them all the same, with her distinct laugh, respect and kindness. She is just lovely to all she meets, she’s truly unique and wonderful!”
5. The show premieres premieres Friday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Set your DVRs! Fans are also invited to connect with My Big Italian Adventure on HGTV’s digital platforms — each episode will be available on HGTV GO the same day and time as the TV premieres. Fans can visit HGTV.com for special show extras, behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive videos with Lorraine. Viewers also can follow @HGTV and #MyBigItalianAdventure on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For additional show content and updates and can follow Lorraine on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
HGTV’s ‘My Big Italian Adventure’ with actress Lorraine Bracco has some crazy twists. She’s renovating a disaster, but for one euro, what can you expect?