Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘Supersex,’ a man finds the purpose of his life in sex. Rocco Tano discovers the power of sex at a young age. When he steps into adulthood, he decides to join the porn industry and quickly rises the ladder to become one of the most sought-after and accomplished adult film actors of his time. His journey is tumultuous, and he has to face many personal and professional challenges along the way. It is difficult to keep relationships when your work consumes your very being, but there are some people who become constants in his life. Lucia is one of them. Considering that the show is based on the true story of Rocco Siffredi, the question about Lucia’s real-life counterpart arises. SPOILERS AHEAD
Lucia is a Fictional Character to Contrast Rocco’s Journey
While ‘Supersex’ seeks inspiration in the life of Rocco Siffredi, it does so with an occasionally fictional lens. Rocco’s character arc in the show mirrors that of the real-life pornstar. However, there are certain events and characters that have been added by the writers to add more dimension to the story. This is where Lucia comes in.
Lucia is a fictional character in Rocco’s story and was added with the intention of creating a contrast with Rocco’s story. For creator, writer, and director Francesca Manieri, working on ‘Supersex’ was an opportunity to explore the meaning of masculinity, especially toxic masculinity, and how it affects the life and choices of a person. However, as a feminist, Manieri also wanted to use this story to delve further into the dual meaning of sex and working in the field of sex for men and women.
For Rocco, having a career in porn comes with some backlash, especially from the people of his town and the acquaintances who have known him and his family for a long time. It takes some time for his father and brothers to accept his line of work, but eventually, they come around. Whatever reservations people may have with him, Rocco has the luxury of not paying them attention and doing what he wants.
For Lucia, things are much different than they are for Rocco. Even at a young age, Lucia has the tag of “slut” stamped on her as rumors swirl around town about her sex life. Her sexuality is seen as a threat by people around her, while the young men desire her for it. Due to this, her boyfriend, Tommaso, also has to face backlash from his family. Later, when Lucia and Tommaso move to Paris, and she takes up sex work, life still doesn’t change much for her. Her work and position are still looked down upon, which feels a bit hypocritical to her, especially when the criticism and pity come from Rocco.
For Lucia, there is no difference between her work and Rocco’s work. They are both making money by giving their bodies for sex, but while she doesn’t have any comments on Rocco’s work, he looks down on her, even when he tries to help her. In the same vein, when Rocco makes money from having sex, he not only gains popularity, fame, and more money but also receives awards for his work. But for Lucia, the labels of “slut” and “whore” are perpetual, and no respect is attributed to her due to the nature of her work, which later turns out, was forced on her.
Eventually, when Lucia decides to turn things around for the sake of her child and chooses a more stable man who will provide for her and her son, rather than Tommaso, she faces criticism even then, called a heartbreaker and whatnot. In all of this, Tommaso never gets to answer for his actions, especially for forcing his wife to be a sex worker and continue to work even when she is pregnant. Even when Rocco tries to speak out against his brother, his attempts are just half-hearted, and he doesn’t look behind once he moves on from them and has his own career.
Through all this and more, Francesca Manieri wanted to underline this difference between men and women. This contrast not only elevates the story and its themes but also makes the audience think about society’s perception and how our judgment changes according to gender. For one gender, sex is seen as a tool for self-expression and growth. For the other, it is a shameful sin that turns them into an outcast.
