The blockbuster series is back, from 31 March on Rai 1 The Rai Uno fiction, broadcast on Thursday evening, revolves around the sentiment of friendship. on and off the set. The historic protagonist, for this new edition, gives way to Don Massimo, the priest played by Raoul Bova Vanessa Quinto
Rai Press Office
The cast of Don Matteo 13. Ten episodes for the Rai Uno appointment which recorded 255 in 22 years. The first 4 episodes will still have Terence Hill as the protagonist, in the role of the priest who contributes to the investigations of the Carabinieri in the municipality of Spoleto, then Don Massimo will arrive. Directed by Francesco Vicario, Luca Brignone and Riccardo Donna. The writers are Mario Ruggeri, Umberto Gnoli and Dario Sardelli. The fiction is a co-production between Lux Vide and Rai Fiction.
Yes, Don Matteo leaves the fiction. The fans already knew it, but soon they will see it with their own eyes: four more episodes and then Don Massimo will arrive. As the production and the actors have pointed out, that of Raoul Bova is not a replacement , but “ an extra seat at the table “.“We found the right way to enter the series,” Bova said during the press conference. “This is not a replacement but a continuation. Terence will always remain Don Matteo and I did not want to replace him, but to evolve a series that had already given great results, bringing even further those elements that had worked “.
Terence Hill therefore leaves the series that has set audience records, but not before saying goodbye to the audience and cast: “Without the audience from home there would be no Don Matteo , for this I want to thank everyone: the crew, the many colleagues who have worked with me over the years, in particular my friend Nino Frassica. After the end of the set I missed you all. I have received your love and I reciprocate it. Two, three months after leaving I was still thinking of you, I have to thank Luca Bernabei who allowed me to work in the best way. Love each other well “.
The ingredients of the success of such a long-lived series, according to the producer Luca Bernabei : “They are 25 years of work done together with Rai which in this was a guardian of this jewel. Behind Don Matteo there is a thread that binds everything, that of friendship. A story of friendship because all of them have always been in the series. It is a story of friendshipamong them. Behind Don Matteo there is an important person, the screenwriter Mario Ruggeri. The serial is made up of well written words “.
“More than twenty years have passed – recalled the director of Rai Fiction Maria Pia Ammirati – and over two hundred and fifty episodes since the first episode. The fiction Don Matteo told a cross-section of Italy : the problems of adolescents, their relationship with their parents, the world of adults in general, always giving a key to face life head-on, but always in a positive and balanced way “.
The curiosity for the new edition is all for Don Massimo, but we have to wait until Thursday evening to see the first episode and four episodes for its arrival. “My character has a strong character , he wants to get his hands dirty and be among the people. And a young priest in evolution who discovers, through cases, the values of forgiveness and acceptance “, revealed Raoul Bov to whom he also added:” There is only one of Don Matteo, which is why I wanted to meet Terence. He told me: ‘ You will be a new priest, you will have your name ‘. Don Massimo has a fairly important past, he fought for justice from a young age.
Among the other news, there is also Emma Valenti , who plays the daughter of Captain Anceschi, the character played by Flavio Insinna,on his return to the TV series after sixteen years. And Giancarlo Magalli will also arrive , who will be the Bishop and friend of Don Massimo, as well as Maria Chiara Giannetta and Maurizio Lastrico . Nino Frassica , who for more than twenty years now plays the role of the iconic Marshal Cecchini, said in the press conference: “For an actor to play a role for so long is the best thing that can happen: you can focus on character, continuing to improve it. Cecchini by now I know him very well, in Don Matteo 1he was a marshal who could also have played Ugo Pagliai, he was just a marshal who was in the barracks and blew everything to the priest, he didn’t even have a family, he didn’t have a private person. After the success of the first series, they gave me a family and children, so that a private dimension could also be developed narratively. At the same time, I tried to make the character look like me, even if I think I am only slightly more intelligent than Cecchini . Better than me whoever does it Cecchini, if Cecchini is me
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We expect a lot of news for the new series, but also to find certainties because, as Francesco Nardella, deputy director of Rai Fiction said: “The thing I want to say is that I really enjoy working for Don Matteo, because they are the playgrounds of innovation. Through the work done we can see how the product has remained with its identity but has changed a lot. It is a job that we do every time with writers, that is to make changes that make the product contemporary ”.
Among the certainties to look for there is the aforementioned return of Flavio Insinna who, excited, said in this regard: “My fear was that of being agedfor the codes of this series. For two nights I didn’t sleep before filming began. Nino has a way of smiling that he makes you understand that he is going well. It is not taken for granted that everyone will put you at ease, from first coffee to makeup. There is a human journey. Thank you for the way you welcomed me. The thread that binds the series and friendship . I thank Rai because they trusted me and made me take risks. This series has given me an extraordinary gift. ”
And the public, perhaps, expects the same.
