Antonio Cappuccio is one of the important characters in HBO's My Brilliant Friend. He has appeared in the Italian series since its beginning, playing a major role in the lives of Lenù and Lila. The character became all the more important in the fourth and final season.
For the first three seasons, Christian Giroso played the role of Antonio. The actor is also known for his performances in Gomorrah and the romantic comedy film SottoCoperta.
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However, as the character aged in the fourth season, Christian was replaced by actor Massimiliano Rossi. Massimiliano has earlier appeared in several shows and films, including Inspector Ricciardi, Generation 56K, The First King, and Underworld.
Through the course of My Brilliant Friend, Antonio’s relationship dynamics with Lenù have greatly impacted the storyline. After being in a relationship with her for a brief period, Antonio stood by her side all his life.
Antonio’s One-Sided Love for Lenù in My Brilliant Friend
Antonio grows up in a poor family and has to take care of his mother, Melina, who is emotionally fragile. Being from the same neighborhood as Lenù, he becomes a part of her friend circle.
His mother’s unstable behavior makes Antonio very protective of her. To make ends meet, he works as a mechanic, which gives him some stability.
However, he is aware of his low social status which makes him feel insecure and defensive, especially around people like Lenù, whose dreams of getting an education and leaving the neighborhood make him feel even more out of place.
Antonio has always been attracted to Lenù and flirts with her during outings with their friends. He is drawn to her intelligence and determination, despite being two years older than her. When Lenù turns 15 in My Brilliant Friend season 1, Antonio asks her to be his girlfriend.
The two get into a relationship and Antonio tries to be a good partner, spending a lot of time with her and getting close to her emotionally and physically. However, the relationship is mostly one-sided as Lenù has other intentions.
She is secretly in love with Nino Sarratore and uses her relationship with Antonio to distract herself from her real feelings for Nino. She also hopes that by having a boyfriend like Antonio, she can compete with her best friend, Lila, who is engaged to an older man.
Antonio, kind and loyal, slowly realizes that Lenù is not in love with him. This hurts him deeply, but he still tries to support her. His insecurities grow as he understands that Lenù will never truly love him the way he loves her. Lenù, meanwhile, gets married to Nino.
As years go by, Antonio stays involved in Lenù’s life. He becomes part of the Solaris family’s inner circle, watching over the neighborhood and keeping track of what is happening. In My Brilliant Friend season 4, he discovers that Nino has been unfaithful to Lenù many times and tells her the truth about his affairs.
As Lenù deals with heartbreak, she once again turns to Antonio. The two become intimate again, even though Antonio knows Lenù is not in love with him. At first, he hesitates, but eventually, he gives in, realizing that he is being used to help Lenù heal from her painful relationship with Nino.
Meanwhile, Lenù is also clear that she doesn't love Antonio. Despite this, his feelings for her do not fade away. Antonio’s journey highlights unrequited love. All his life, he loved someone who could not reciprocate his feelings.
However, he still chooses to be there for her and goes the extra mile to help her whenever she needs it.
My Brilliant Friend Season 4 airs new episodes on HBO on Mondays.
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