Tania Troilo Takes on the Role of a Mature Lawyer in the Final Episode: A Curious Choice to Avoid Prosthetics

When Matilda De Angelis stepped into the role of Lidia Poët for Netflix’s final season, few expected the most talked-about moment would approach not from a courtroom drama but from a quiet, deeply personal choice: casting her real-life mother, Tania Troilo, to portray the older version of the titular character in the series finale. This decision, driven by a desire for authenticity over prosthetic makeup, has resonated far beyond the streaming platform, sparking conversations about intergenerational storytelling and the quiet power of familial bonds in artistic expression. For communities across the United States grappling with how to honor local histories while fostering inclusive narratives, this Italian production offers an unexpected lens through which to view our own efforts to preserve and reinterpret regional legacies.

The choice to cast Tania Troilo wasn’t merely a logistical workaround to avoid heavy aging prosthetics; it was a deliberate artistic statement rooted in emotional truth. As detailed in multiple verified reports, the production team conducted digital makeup tests on a photograph of Tania Troilo to assess visual compatibility with Matilda De Angelis, finding what insiders described as an “impressionante” match. This technical validation paved the way for a physically applied makeup process led by artist Lucia Piemontese and hair designer Donatella Borghesi, who adapted the appear to Tania’s natural features while integrating period-accurate 1920s attire designed by Stefano Ciammitti. The result—a scene where present and future Lidia meet “through the mirror”—was widely noted as one of the most emotionally resonant moments in the series, blurring the lines between character portrayal and real-life lineage in a way that felt earned rather than engineered.

This approach carries particular relevance for American cities like Chicago, where efforts to commemorate historical figures often rely on static monuments or institutional archives that can feel disconnected from living communities. Consider the ongoing work of the Chicago History Museum, which has increasingly prioritized oral history projects and community-curated exhibits to capture the evolving narratives of neighborhoods like Bronzeville or Pilsen. Similarly, the Illinois Humanities Council has supported initiatives that encourage residents to explore family histories as entry points to understanding broader social movements—paralleling how Lidia Poët’s fictional journey mirrors the real-life struggles of early Italian women in law, a profession she only gained formal access to in 1920 at age 65. Just as the series used a mother-daughter pairing to embody temporal continuity, local efforts in Chicago leverage intergenerational dialogue to ensure historical interpretations remain vibrant and inclusive, rather than preserved as untouchable relics.

The ripple effects of such authentic storytelling extend into how we approach contemporary challenges. In the finale, Lidia’s courtroom defense of her friend Grazia Fontana—arguing that violence suffered by a battered wife could constitute legitimate defense—anticipated legal principles that wouldn’t gain traction in Italian jurisprudence for decades. This narrative thread finds echoes in modern-day advocacy work by organizations like the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, which combines legal aid with trauma-informed support for survivors of domestic violence, or the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Chicago, whose gender justice initiatives address systemic barriers faced by women navigating the courtroom. These entities don’t just interpret the law; they actively reshape its application through lived experience, much like the series reframed historical legal struggles through a deeply personal, character-driven lens.

Given my background in media analysis and community storytelling, if this trend toward authentic, intergenerational narrative impacts you in Chicago, here are three types of local professionals you should seek when aiming to deepen your own community’s historical engagement:

• Community Archive Facilitators: Look for individuals or collectives affiliated with institutions like the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection at Woodson Regional Library who specialize in guiding residents through the process of donating, digitizing, or contextualizing personal artifacts—letters, photographs, oral recordings—ensuring these materials are preserved with proper metadata and access protocols while remaining rooted in donor intent.
• Public History Practitioners: Seek professionals associated with programs such as Loyola University Chicago’s Public History graduate program or the National Council on Public History who emphasize collaborative methodologies, prioritizing community co-creation over top-down curation and who can help design projects like neighborhood walking tours or pop-up exhibits that center lived experience alongside archival research.
• Narrative Justice Coordinators: Engage with practitioners from organizations like the Illinois Humanities’ “Community Conversations” initiative or local restorative justice circles who focus on using storytelling as a tool for dialogue and repair, particularly in contexts where historical narratives have been marginalized or contested, ensuring processes are trauma-informed and culturally sustaining.

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