This series will hit the North American market via the streaming platform MUBI soon.
I've already watched it by sailing the high seas on my pirate vessel, and I must say I'm very impressed by the lead actor portraying Mussolini — the guy just kills it.
Dr.Retarded
has on numerous occasions mentioned the difference between movie stars and actors, which I agree with. And this actor's performance definitely puts him on the actor side with flying colors.
The first season covers the first book out of five and takes place between 1919–1925. This isn't a series for everyone. It would help if you have an interest in, and to some extent, some historical knowledge of who he was. For those unfamiliar with his speeches, the actor’s portrayal may come off as overbearing or exaggerated — but it actually isn’t. The real Mussolini was very animated and over-the-top in how he acted and presented himself.
The actor portraying Mussolini also "breaks the fourth wall" from time to time, speaking directly to the viewer and treating you as his invisible passenger who is always by his side. This is especially noticeable in the first episode, where I personally think it went on a bit too much, but thankfully it balanced out in the remaining episodes.
All in all, a very well-made historical portrayal of this interesting character.
Watch this trailer from MUBI
The actor Luca Marinelli studied Mussolini’s body language and mannerisms intensively. He gained weight, partially shaved his head, and wore contact lenses to match Mussolini’s eye color. The only prosthetics used were for the nose.
This is the actor as Mussolini:
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And this is how he normally looks.
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