Reality TV is no stranger to controversial casting, but the next season of Italy’s “Celebrity Big Brother” may be drawing its most attention-grabbing contestant yet. Alessandra Mussolini, a longtime Italian politician and the granddaughter of dictator Benito Mussolini, has announced on social media that she will enter the house on “Grande Fratello VIP,” marking a surprising new chapter in her decades-long career spanning politics, television, and entertainment.
Most-Talked About Contestant
Alessandra Mussolini is the daughter of Romano Mussolini, Benito Mussolini’s fourth son, and Maria Scicolone. Maria is the sister of actress Sophia Loren, which would make Alessandra one of Loren’s nieces.
Alessandra will be one of the contestants on “Grande Fratello VIP,” which is Italy’s version of “Celebrity Big Brother.” Season 8 of the Italian edition will premiere on March 17, and Alessandra will definitely be one of the most talked-about contestants on the show.
Weaving Two Different Worlds
Mussolini’s granddaughter has long been weaving her career between the worlds of Italian entertainment and politics. When she first started, she tried to follow in her aunt’s footsteps.
Alessandra appeared in a dozen Italian movies between 1972 and 1990. That list of movies included a small role alongside her aunt in Ettore Scola’s “A Special Day.” That movie is set during Hitler’s 1938 visit to Italy. She even tried her hand at singing, releasing a pop music album in Japan, which was called “Amore,” in 1982.
After trying to follow in her aunt’s footsteps, Alessandra then tried to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps. She entered Italian politics in the early 1990s as a member of the Italian Social Movement, where she would become a prominent right-wing politician.
She would go on to serve several terms as a member of Italy’s upper and lower houses of parliament, and, subsequently, as a member of the European Parliament.
While she was in office, Alessandra became a regular on the country’s TV talk show circuit. She also appeared as a contestant on Italy’s version of “Dancing With the Stars.”
Competing Again on Reality TV
Now that she has announced her appearance on “Celebrity Big Brother,” it will be the first time a prominent Italian politician competes in a reality show. This will also be a new chapter for Alessandra, who has had a long-standing rapport with showbiz.
In her post on social media, Alessandra wrote, “Hold on tight. I’m entering the ‘Big Brother’ house as a contestant. We have to dance, we have to sing, and I want to learn from the others.”
That’s certainly a fascinating and potentially controversial move for her. It will be interesting to see how she navigates the show’s dynamic.