Italian romantic series are a hit across all streaming platforms, but Netflix has been particularly successful in capitalizing on this trend. Their latest release, “Deceitful Love,” starring Monica Guerritore and Giacomo Gianniotti, is the ultimate binge-worthy show in this genre.
The six-episode series follows Gabriella, a sixty-year-old woman who, despite owning a luxury hotel and having a family to be proud of, feels her life is monotonous. That changes when she meets Elia, a younger man the same age as her grown children, with whom she instantly falls in love.
According to FlixPatrol, the title became the most-watched on Netflix worldwide just hours after its release on October 9. As viewers from around the globe get invested in Gabriella’s love story, many are left wondering if it’s based on real events. Learn all on its inspiration!
Netflix’s ‘Deceitful Love’: Fact or fiction?
Firstly, it’s important to note that “Deceitful Love” is a remake of “Gold Digger,” a six-part drama miniseries that aired on BBC in 2019 and achieved notable success. While Pappi Corsicato, the director of the Italian adaptation, hasn’t been interviewed about whether the story draws from real events, the creator of the original has weighed in.
In a conversation with the BBC, Marnie Dickens explained that while “Gold Digger” isn’t based on a specific true story, it aims to spark conversations around the controversy of older women dating younger men—a topic that tends to raise more eyebrows than the reverse situation:
“We are so used to seeing older men with younger women in film and television, and indeed in politics and real life, it’s barely commented on, however yawning the age gap. Yet flip the genders and suddenly it’s a discussion point. As if it’s impossible to understand why a younger man might be attracted to an older woman without having some other motive. “Gold Digger” explores this taboo. I hope the audience will have their expectations subverted, and question their own rush to judgement, as I’ve had to question mine”.
So, while Gabriella and Elia aren’t real people, their romance reflects a common societal double standard where a relationship between an older woman and a younger man is viewed negatively, while the reverse rarely is. Just as Gabriella’s children struggle with the situation, the audience is prompted to confront their own preconceptions as this unconventional love story unfolds.
