Age: 45
male
Nicola Nocella is an award-winning Italian actor and writer born on June 14, 1981, in Terlizzi, Puglia. He gained prominence in 2010 with his breakout role in Pupi Avati's The Youngest Son (Il figlio più piccolo), for which he won a Nastro d'Argento for Best Newcomer. He further solidified his reputation with a acclaimed lead performance in the 2017 film Easy (Easy - Un viaggio facile facile), earning a David di Donatello nomination for Best Actor and winning the Boccalino d'Oro. Known for his physical resemblance to John Belushi, he has portrayed the icon on stage and has continued to work across Italian cinema and television, recently starring in the 2022 crime film Il Maledetto, which was released on RaiPlay in 2025.
In this reimagining of the beloved fairy tale, we follow the story of Ari, a adventurous young man who longs to explore the world beyond his underwater kingdom. When he saves the life of a beautiful sailor named Erica, he becomes fascinated with the human world and yearns to be part of it. Desperate to experience life on land, Ari makes a deal with a powerful sea wizard named Urcle. In exchange for his voice, Urcle gives Ari legs so he can walk on land. But there's a catch: if Ari doesn't receive true love's kiss within three days, he will belong to Urcle forever. On land, Ari meets Erica again and they quickly form a deep connection, drawn to each other's adventurous spirits. But with his voice gone and the clock ticking, Ari must navigate the challenges of life on land and convince Erica to see past his differences in order to find true love. Meanwhile, Urcle schemes to keep Ari from succeeding, using his powers to manipulate the people around him and try to steal away Erica's heart.
