Pride Month is here, and there’s several LGBTQ movies you can watch to celebrate. However, among the new titles that you can add to your watch list, there’s the new Netflix Italian series “The Life That You Wanted,” which follows a transgender woman, and all the challenges that come with the brave decision of being unapologetic about who you are.
“The Life That You Wanted,” which was released on May 29, has already become one of the most watched series on Netflix worldwide. According to the specialized website FlixPatrol, the show is currently the seventh most-streamed globally.
It stars Vittoria Schisano, who probably is best known outside of Italy for her voice acting in series and movies such as “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Big Mouth.” Meanwhile, the series was created by renowned writer and director Ivan Cotroneo, who is best known for titles such as “Loose Cannons” (2010), “One Kiss” (2016) and “Kryptonite!” (2011). Here’s all you need to know about the show.
‘The Life You Wanted,’ the story of a transgender woman
The series follows Gloria (Schisano), a woman who lives happily in Lecce, but her life is turned upside down with the arrival of Marina, her old friend from Naples. Gloria is reluctant to reconnect, as Marina (Turco) reminds her of her pre-transition days, a time she would like to forget.
Also, Marina comes with Andrea (Bello) and Arianna (Pia Di Nola), her two daughters… And she is pregnant with her third child from Pietro, played by Alessio Lapice, who looks like trouble. If that wasn’t enough, Sergio (Zeno), Arianna’s father, also enters the picture, creating even more trouble for Gloria. The rest of the cast includes: Michele De Virgilio Bellarch, Francesco Pellegrino, Bianca Nappi, Fabrizia Sacchi and Antonio Monsellato.
Speaking about the series, Cotroneo told Gay.It that he wanted to tell the story of a “non-cisgender woman, a strong and independent woman” as “often these characters are left on the margins, are collateral, or, in any case, marginalized.”
Meanwhile, Schisano also told the outlet that she found herself in the character, saying that while they shared similarities, they were also different. “I gave her (the character) some of my kindness and sensibility, and she helped me be more decisive, less romantic,” she said.
You can stream all six episodes of “The Life You Wanted” on Netflix.
