HBO and RAI’s “My Brilliant Friend: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay,” Based on the Third Book in Elena Ferrante’s Quadrilogy, Debuts February 28

The eight-episode, third season of HBO and RAI’s “My Brilliant Friend,” MY BRILLIANT FRIEND: THOSE WHO LEAVE AND THOSE WHO STAY, based on the third book in Elena Ferrante’s quadrilogy, debuts Monday, February 28 @ 10:00PM ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. MY BRILLIANT FRIEND follows Elena Greco and the most important friend in her life, Raffaella Cerullo, whom she has always called Lila. They met in the first year of primary school in 1950 and their story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives and explores the mystery of Lila, Elena’s brilliant friend and – in a way – both her best friend and her worst enemy.

Filmed in Italian and Starring Margherita Mazzucco and Gaia Girace, Season 3 picks up with Elena and Lila, both now grown women, during the great open sea of the 1970s. Lila took her young son and left her husband and a comfortable life to work as a factory worker in the toughest of conditions, while Elena left the neighborhood to study in Pisa, and is now an author of a successful novel that has paved the way to an affluent and cultivated world. They now navigate a scenario of hopes and uncertainties, still united by their strong and ambivalent bond.

Season 2 of MY BRILLIANT FRIEND received rave reviews, with Vanity Fair calling it “immersive,” “addictive,” as well as “serious, novelistic art, and verified prestige television.” Rolling Stone deemed it “masterful,” “gorgeous and gripping,” while IndieWire observed, “it’s hard to think of a more striking show on television.”

MY BRILLIANT FRIEND: THOSE WHO LEAVE AND THOSE WHO STAY is a series by Daniele Luchetti. An HBO-RAI Series, the third season is based on the bestselling novel “My Brilliant Friend:Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay,” the third book of the quadrilogy by Elena Ferrante published in the U.S. by Europa Editions; a The Apartment, Fremantle, Wildside and Fandango Production; Produced by Lorenzo Mieli for Fremantle, The Apartment and Wildside (both Fremantle companies) and by Domenico Procacci for Fandango. In collaboration with Rai Fiction and HBO Entertainment. The story and screenplays are by Elena Ferrante, Francesco Piccolo, Laura Paolucci and Saverio Costanzo. Among others, Paolo Sorrentino and Jennifer Schuur are the executive producers. Fremantle is the international distributor in association with RAI Com.