During his time in the rich Veneto region, Stanley Tucci not only soaked up one of the most exquisite cuisines in the world, but also delved into the most bitter side of Italy: the dehumanization of the immigrant and the ease with which hatred spreads in society.
“There is a lot of hatred towards migrants and towards the ‘other’. There is always an ‘other’. And it’s easy to create it, whether it’s because they’re fleeing poverty, war or hunger. You can vilify them and turn them into the enemy,” said the ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ actor in an interview with EFE.
The second season of its hit documentary series ‘Tucci in Italy’ (‘Tucci in Italy’), available starting this Tuesday on Disney+, continues to explore the Italian identity through regions such as Sicily and Sardinia, without leaving behind the acute political and human situation the country is going through.
Taking advantage of his gastronomic tour of the Mediterranean enclaves, the Italian-born American actor highlighted the hospitality of a society that “has been truly extraordinary in accepting so many refugees because it is in a geographical position to receive them.”
This welcoming scenario contrasts with the interests of the Italian government, headed by the far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who, in her opinion, does not seem to be so interested in tackling the migration crisis.
“I don’t think Italy has had the support it needs, perhaps from the European Union or even from the government itself, to accept those refugees and find places for them,” he argues.
Stanley Tucci against agricultural exploitation
This season’s tour includes an immersion in the Veneto where the actor decided to get away from the traditional tourist circuits to discover a landscape that he found “simply beautiful” for its flat geography and extensive rice paddies.
“It’s quiet, it’s really beautiful and the food is amazing. There’s a lot to try in Venice, but because it’s so touristy, it’s really hard to find good food at affordable prices and you almost have to go to someone’s house. So going out to the countryside was really interesting,” she points out.
Beyond the landscape, the series in general focuses on food ethics, visiting sites such as tomato producers who reject the use of slave labor, a problem that, according to the interpreter, “is widespread in all countries”.
In this new installment, Tucci abandons the traditional tourist circuits in favor of a deeper and more diverse Italy, structuring his journey through five key regions: Naples and Campania, Sicily, Sardinia, Le Marche and Veneto.
The actor places special emphasis on the geographical and economic contrast, comparing the tourist opulence of places like Venice with the agricultural reality of the Veneto countryside or the cultural resistance of the islands in the face of globalization.
A detailed, two-part production
For Tucci, working with National Geographic, the label responsible for the production of this series, has allowed a creative freedom superior to previous stages by facilitating the development of stories with greater depth.
The 40-minute format allows to prioritize the weight of the testimonies over the commercial breaks, a flexibility that makes the difference in the final result of the documentary, allowing the experiences of the protagonists to breathe without the usual limitations of conventional television.
“Sometimes, some stories need more time,” Tucci concludes, reported Agencia EFE.
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