Netflix’s The Big Fake Cast And Character Guide

Directed by Stefano Lodovichi, Netflix’s Italian crime thriller, “The Big Fake,” follows the meteoric rise of a talented forger in the tumultuous political climate of 70s Italy, with the perennial equation of moral decline triggered by greed looming large in the background. The movie does a decent job in creating the central intrigue by blending Italy’s treacherous underworld, high society, and political conspiracies, while juggling themes of loyalty, ambition, friendship, betrayal, and the high cost of freedom. Even though the narrative itself is quite derivative and predictable, an interesting ensemble of characters helps the makers to explore the concepts and themes introduced in the premise. 

Toni, played by Pietro Castellitto

Son of prolific Italian director Sergio Castellitto and Irish-Italian author and screenwriter Margaret Mazzantini, actor Pietro Castellitto has previously done movies like “Don’t Move,” “Twice Born,” and “Robbing Mussolini.” Aside from these, Pietro has acted in and directed acclaimed movies like “The Predators” and “Enea.” In “The Big Fake,” Pietro plays the lead role of Toni della Duchessa, a talented artist with the remarkable ability to create identical replications of artworks and signatures. Belonging to a humble background and growing up in a place where he couldn’t utilize his artistic talents, Toni arrived in Rome with his friends, Vittorio and Fabione, to manifest his dreams of making it big. However, receiving no appreciation for his talent as Rome’s cultural landscape shifted towards postmodernist sensibilities, Toni was quick to adapt according to the circumstances and grab any opportunity the city handed him. The Dolce Vita era of the 60s, which might have ignited the dreams of artists like Toni, was long gone, and social decay accompanied by rampant political conflict and violence set the stage for opportunists to swarm like vultures. Like Tony Montana from “Scarface,” Toni’s vaulting ambition, flamboyance, and confidence are backed up by a relentless drive to tower above everyone else. A street-smart Toni made a name for himself by getting involved with the underworld, and despite having it all, his greed pushed him to crave more, which eventually caused him to get involved with the wrong crowd of political hotshots like Tailor. 

Toni has no definite principle, no ideals to stand by, which works well for him in the context of the contemporary sociopolitical scenario, but at the same time makes him blind to his hubris. The central question mentioned in Toni’s monologue—of what one can do to reach the zenith of success—is his self-reflection, as throughout the narrative, he becomes more reckless, brash, and unmindful about his circumstances, and people close to him pay the price. By the time Toni prioritizes his relationship with Donata and tries to free himself from the dangerous entanglements he has gotten involved in, it is already too late. Tony pays the price of freedom by selling his soul and fakes his death by having his friend, Vittorio, killed. Toni’s degradation is gradual but never tragic, as he chose to abandon his morals not just to survive but to prosper. Vittorio’s betrayal might have made Toni appear as less of an evil figure, but he has been a feckless monster ever since he knowingly chose his path. 

Don Vittorio, Played by Andrea Arcangeli

Italian actor Andrea Arcangeli, whohas previously starred in small-screen ventures like “Romulus” and “Trust,” played the role of legendary footballer  Roberto Baggio in “Baggio: The Divine Ponytail,” and acted in movies such as “The Startup,” “Like Sheep Among Wolves,” and “The First Omen,” to name a few. In “The Big Fake,” Andrea plays the role of Bishop Don Vittorio, a man of faith whose morals are challenged by the materialistic allure presented by 70s Rome. Vittorio’s motivation to join the church was forged by his survival drive; for a long while, he denied his urge to enjoy the finer taste of life. However, seeing his good friend, Toni, rising through the social ladder by giving up his morals, Vittorio finds his not-so-firm belief in faith to be challenged. While Toni doesn’t need any façade to hide behind, Vittorio uses his role as a pastor as a medium to keep his image clean. Like Toni, Vittorio too has high ambition but lacks the resolve and courage to acknowledge his true self. Vittorio’s betrayal shouldn’t come as a shocker; there were plenty of indications scattered throughout the narrative that conveyed that Rome had bewitched the priest from the get-go. 

Fabione, played by Pierluigi Gigante

Italian actor Pierluigi Gigante is the grandson of renowned Italian soccer player/coach Luigi Gigante. He has previously acted in Netflix’s “ACAB—The Series,” “Gerri,” “Gomorrah—The Series,” etc. In the movie, he plays the role of Fabione, bosom friend of Toni and Vittorio. A steel mill worker by profession, Fabione gets involved in the Italian Communist Party after arriving in Rome, and his righteous zeal to make a difference prompts him to become involved in a dangerous political conspiracy. Even though none of the characters in the series are morally upright, Fabione is the only one who was driven by a particular ideal and sense of higher purpose. Which is probably also why he lost his life in a miserable way, being gunned down by state police, as noble purposes have no place in an arena infested with scum and backstabbers. 

Miscellaneous Characters 

Aside from the main characters, the supporting cast of “The Big Fake” were excellent in their roles. Actor Giulia Michelini played the role of Donata, an unscrupulous art dealer and Toni’s lover. Edoardo Pesce played the role of gangster Balbo. Fabrizio Ferracane played the role of mob boss Zu Pippo. 

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