Lorraine Bracco is getting into the home-renovation business — and the home-renovation television business — on HGTV’s “My Big Italian Adventure.”
In the upcoming series, the “Goodfellas” and “Sopranos” actress will remodel a 200-year-old, 1,075-square-foot home that she purchased in Sicily for exactly one Euro. Her reno budget will be many, many, many multiples of that.
Bracco will be joined in the tiny hilltop town of Sambuca di Sicilia by an architect, a contractor (Piero) and a translator (Cynthia).
The mayor of Sambuca famously created the one-Euro program to help sell the town’s vacant homes quickly and inexpensively. The goal was to encourage families to return to the rural oasis, but the catch is that renovation on the homes must be completed within three years of purchase.
Bracco’s centuries-old home has no electricity, running water, kitchen or bathrooms and needs to be gutted due to its deteriorating floors, crumbling walls and dilapidated roof. But in the end, HGTV promises “a stunning entryway with a custom tiled rug, a dreamy Sicilian-inspired bedroom and an indoor courtyard with a custom water feature.”
“I believe life is an adventure,” Bracco said in a statement provided to TheWrap. “When I saw the article that you could buy a house in Sambuca for one Euro, I jumped on it. So, I came on the plane. I bought the house. I’m very excited to be here, meet and work with the locals, and live amongst them. I’m here to pay homage to my family that comes from Sicily.”
“This is a huge undertaking,” she continued. “I’m not a contractor. I’m not a decorator. I’m an actress. I’ve never done this before. I have no idea what I’m really getting into! It’s a lot of work, but everything is possible. I believe that. And for one Euro, we’ll see!”
“My Big Italian Adventure” premieres Friday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV.
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