Ayesha Gani
Baby is an Italian TV show that draws its inspiration from ‘Baby Squillo’, a real-life scandal in Italy. In one of the wealthiest districts of Rome, the presence of an underage prostitution ring is revealed in 2014. An investigation focusing on two girls, aged 16 and 14 is carried out, even though there were a dozen girls involved. The series is just inspired by them and is not based on their real story. Benedetta Porcaroli, the lead actress of the show, mentioned in an interview, “I was aware of the [scandal’s] facts, but these were just a starting point for the series. The characters were only loosely inspired by the real ones. For me, the script was the focus of my job.”
Baby is directed by Andrea De Sica and Anna Negri and produced by Marco De Angelis, Nicola De Angelis, and Gian Gabriele Foschini. The first season of the show premiered on November 30, 2018 and the second in October 2019. Now the question is, will there be a ‘Baby’ season 3? We will delve into that question, but first let’s quickly look into the details of the series.
Baby Cast: Who’s in it?
The show features a cast of young, attractive and talented people most of whom are high school students. It includes Benedetta Pocaroli as Chiara and Alice Pagani as Ludovica, both friends, playing the central characters along with Riccardo Mandolini as Damiano Younes, their new friend. Chabeli Sastre as Camilla, Chiara’s friend, Brando Pacitto as Fabio, son of the principal of their school, Lorenzo Zurzolo as Niccolo, Galatea Ranzi as Elsa, Tommaso Ragno as Fedeli, and Paolo Calabresi as Saverio, their pimp, forms the rest of the cast.
All the main cast members are expected to return for season 3, if it gets commissioned.
Baby Plot: What is it about?
Baby is loosely inspired by Baby Squillo, a real story that came into light in 2014. It is basically about wealthy European teens getting into trouble due to their illicit lifestyles.
Two Italian girls named Chiara and Ludovica, from a posh Roman high school, get seduced into pursuing prostitution. It is a known fact that prostitution is legal in Italy but it still is a crime to pay under-18 individuals for sex. The trouble surfaces when Chiara and Ludovica, who are other-side-of-the-track teens, despite being aware of the laws governing prostitution in Italy, enter the sex trade. Ludovica, as surprising as it may sound, is not forced into prostitution but is rather drawn towards it in her discovery of her true self. Chiara is compelled to choose this field because of her parents’ failed marriage and her failed friendship with her BFF Camilla.
Porcaroli said in an interview, “Chiara feels something inside forcing her to behave and live accordingly to what is expected from her. The transition to adulthood becomes, for her, the first time she has the opportunity to be herself and to live, perhaps even by making mistakes, according to her natural impulses. Only through this process, she will discover her real nature.”
The show starts with the introduction of Chiara, as a student at an exclusive private high school, who is also an athlete and is friends with Ludovica, her rebellious classmate. They also develop a friendship with a new, mysterious boy named Damiano. The first season ends with all three of them filled with a feeling of fear and guilt. Fabio is seen savouring the moment that changes their lives, and Saverio succumbs to his death.
What makes the series interesting is the double life each of the characters in Baby is playing, and battling day-to-day problems, be it their love life issues, family drama, or money problems.
Even before its release, Baby had witnessed criticism that it was promoting sex trafficking. The director Andrea De Sica thought it important to throw light on the rampant prostitution in the neighbourhoods of Rome. He explained, “That was the most delicate thing and issue about doing this series. For us, the real story was just to spotlight one of the important neighbourhoods of Rome, which from the outside world gives the image of a perfect world, but was something dark, with something happening beyond the facade. It moves from this very rich world that is frustrated about getting onto this path of transgression, where two of these six main characters give into prostitution.”
Baby Season 3 Release Date: When will it premiere?
Baby season 2 premiered on October 18, 2019 on Netflix. With sizzling drama, the show has been able to generate audience interest.
As far as the next season goes, Netflix hasn’t made any official announcements yet. Though it seems like the show might have run its course and might not get renewed. Surprises always happen in the world of television, so we are hoping that the show gets renewed despite its mediocre ratings and we get to see Baby season 3. If we hear anything about it, we will update this section.
Baby Trailer
All the episodes and trailer of the controversial show can be watched here.
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