Oscar and Emmy-nominated actor Lorraine Bracco took a Sicilian town up on on offer she couldn't refuse: purchasing a €1 home. Now she's sharing her renovating experience on a new TV show.
The Sopranos and Goodfellas actor purchased the home in Sambuca di Sicilia last year, an ancient hilltop town in Sicily's western hills. Now a new HGTV series, My Big Italian Adventure, will follow Lorraine's journey as she renovates the dilapidated 1075-square-foot property. The Brooklyn-born actor's house is among the 16 vacant properties that were put up for auction last year at a starting price of €1, as part of an effort to halt the depopulation of the small town. The goal is to encourage families to return to Sambuca and regenerate it, but the catch is they must renovate the homes within three years.
What it's really like to buy a €1 Italian home
"I believe life is an adventure," said Lorraine. "When I saw the article that you could buy a house in Sambuca for €1, 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."
The home renovation will be a massive undertaking. While it was a bargain at €1, the 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. Lorraine is working alongside her contractor Pietro, translator Cynthia and a group of local experts to get the project off the ground. The plan is to transform the house into an Italian retreat she can share with her family, and Lorraine has big ideas for her interiors with Sicilian-inspired decor.
"This is a huge undertaking,” said Lorraine. “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 €1, we'll see!”.
The new series premieres on Friday, October 30 at 8pm EST.
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