My Brilliant Friend, the acclaimed Italian and Neapolitan language series that premiered its first season in 2018, is returning for its final season on HBO this fall. Based on Elena Ferrante’s bestselling quartet of Neapolitan novels, the last season adapts the fourth novel, My Brilliant Friend: The Story of the Lost Child, and is highly anticipated by fans.
Like the previous seasons, this one will focus on the lives of the central characters—Elena and Lila—now adults facing their own challenges and professional hurdles. Season 4 will be set against the backdrop of 1980s Italy amidst social and political unrest, affecting their careers and motherhood. Although the women are now separated, they remain emotionally connected through shared personal histories.
The show promises a captivating mix of natural disasters, betrayals, and melodrama, enticing viewers who have eagerly awaited its return since the last season aired two years ago.
How many episodes are there in My Brilliant Friend Season 4?
The final season will consist of 10 episodes, airing from September 9 to November 11 on a weekly basis. Unlike the previous three seasons, which had 8 episodes each, season 4 will feature 10 episodes, premiering on HBO and streaming on Max on Mondays. The Italian premiere is scheduled for November 11, 2024, on RAI 1.
As with the earlier seasons, most episodes of the final season will be directed by Laura Bispuri, renowned for films like Sworn Virgin and The Peacock’s Paradise. A detailed episode schedule is provided below.
All the cast in My Brilliant Friend Season 4
The final season of My Brilliant Friend introduces new actors in key roles. The main cast includes:
- Alba Rohrwacher as Elena: After narrating the series since 2018, Rohrwacher will portray Elena as an adult. Previously, Margherita Mazzucco played Elena, with Ingrid Del Genio and Elisabetta De Palo also taking on the role in earlier seasons. Rohrwacher also directed two episodes in Season 2.
- Fabrizio Gifuni as Nino Sarratore: Gifuni plays the adult version of Nino Sarratore, a friend of both Lila and Elena. Alessandra Nerdi and Francesco Serpico previously portrayed Nino.
- Irene Maiorino as Lila: Maiorino takes on the role of adult Lila, Elena’s best friend and a successful businesswoman. Ludovica Nasti and Gaia Girace played younger versions of Lila.
- Luca Gallone as Vittorio Greco: Elena’s father, present throughout the series.
- Anna Rita Vicolo as Immacolata Greco: Elena’s mother, also featured in all seasons.
In addition to the main characters, the series will feature a diverse array of recurring and guest characters, with a list of returning faces and new additions expected for the final season.
The list comprises of, along with the probable new additions to the cast:
- Daniele Cacciatore
- Antonio Buonanno
- Giuseppe Cortese
- Davide De Lucia
- Jordan Andres Ayala Robles
- Maria Raffaella Cortese
- Riccardo Russo
- Matthias Strepponi
- Paolo Tarallo
- Valentina Arena
- Stefano Dionisi
- Daria Defloria
- Pier Giorgio Bellocchio
- Lino Musella
- Edoardo Pesce
- Sonia Bergamasco
- Eduardo Scarpetta
What is the plot of My Brilliant Friend?
The official synopsis of the final season of My Brilliant Friend, as per Warner Bros. Discovery, describes the show as following Elena Greco and her most important friend, Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo. Meeting as children in 1950s Naples, their story spans over 60 years, delving into the mystery of Lila, who is not only Elena’s brilliant best friend but, in some ways, her worst enemy.
The fourth installment of the saga, titled Story of the Lost Child, focuses on the adult lives of Elena and Lila, set against the backdrop of late 1980s Italy, a period marked by political violence and social unrest. As they navigate the challenges of motherhood and career pressures, the two women are also faced with betrayals, threats, disappearances, and natural disasters, all while residing in the same neighborhood once again.
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