Upamanyu Biswas
In ‘Nonnas,‘ a struggling transportation worker named Joe Scaravella revamps his life after losing his grandmother and mother. After being propped up financially by his friends, Scaravella uses the money to open an Italian restaurant in Staten Island, New York City – one that hires nonnas (grandmothers) operating as chefs. While the novel idea suffers some pushback from several people, the protagonist uses it as a source of strength to differentiate himself from his competitors while embracing the soulful aspects of cooking food. His journey also brings him face-to-face with a familiar figure from his childhood days, Olivia. Despite having a tetchy relationship in the past, the two grow close throughout the narrative, ramping up her importance and her influence on Scaravella’s journey.
Olivia is Likely Inspired By a Real Person
Although ‘Nonnas’ is based on the experiences of real-life restaurateur Jody “Joe” Scaravella, the film dramatizes certain elements and characters for a more engaging narrative. This extends to people such as Olivia, who plays a significant role in the story as an emotional anchor for the protagonist. In real life, Scaravella had no links with any woman named Olivia. However, it is likely that the character is vaguely rooted in Francesca Leone, Scaravella’s former girlfriend. While the two have different names, they have specific aspects to their story that are broadly similar, especially when comparing the struggles in their past. Still, the creative team takes Olivia’s character in a wholly different direction, which only separates the characters further.
As per Scaravella’s cookbook ‘Nonna’s House,’ which he co-wrote with Elisa Petrini, Francesca was the woman who introduced him to the culinary field. Born in Calabria, Italy, Francesca grew up close to her nonna, who helped her learn the intricacies of cooking traditional Italian meals. Things changed in her adulthood when she moved to America after marrying her husband. The two established a life in New York and even had two kids. However, the relationship eventually came to an end as the pair went their separate ways after getting a divorce. Subsequently, Francesca entered Scaravella’s life, inspiring him with the magic of Italian food and opening his eyes to the wisdom of nonnas. Her input was vitally important, even though the relationship ended abruptly and the couple separated.
Following her breakup with Scaravella, Francesca got married to another man named George Lecznar. The relationship offered the chance of a new beginning. But the happy memories did not last forever,r as he passed away due to pancreatic cancer. It is possible that George’s death became the basis for Olivia’s backstory in ‘Nonnas.’ The Netflix film states that Olivia lost her husband not so long ago, which provides more context about her internal dilemmas and showcases the battle raging inside her head. As the story progresses, she and Scaravella become intertwined in a romantic relationship, another parallel to the real-life Scaravella’s relationship with Francesca. Therefore, the writers may have drawn inspiration from bits and pieces of Francesca’s life when crafting Olivia.
Francesca Leone Lives a Quiet Life Today
Before the passing of George Lecznar, Francesca moved in with him in Pennsylvania around the year 2010. She continued to indulge in her cooking while maintaining a low profile at the time. However, as per the records of listings sold in the region, she likely moved out of the house following George’s tragic death. Her husband’s passing affected her on a variety of levels, making it difficult to look past the time they had together. While it is hard to discern her current whereabouts, it is possible that she remains in touch with her cooking skills and the recipes passed down to her by her late grandmother.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Nonnas Based on a True Story?
