Eleonora Abbagnato: A Journey from Sicily to Stardom

"At 11, I left my Sicily and my family to go to Paris to study," Eleonora Abbagnato arrives at Domenica In to present the special dedicated to her "A Dancing Star" which will air on Friday, March 29 in prime time on Rai3, and she talks about her career and her life. "They called me the little mafiosa; I was the only Italian. It wasn't easy." Eleonora Abbagnato: "In Paris, they called me little mafiosa." Who is the étoile today at Domenica In? Age, threats, career, children, and husband. Eleonora Abbagnato and the tears at Domenica In. A career marked by her determination. Her parents thank her with a video message. "She doesn't know it, but we thank her so much; she has really made us proud." The étoile is moved, and so is the host. "I did what I did thanks to them, mom especially was very close to me." Mom Piera, unfortunately affected by a severe form of leukemia, is the protagonist of the special that will air on Rai3. In an interview given to Verissimo, Abbagnato recounted what happened when she discovered the sad news: "I leave the Opéra de Paris because my mom is sick. I have always been there for her, we often talk on the phone, but now by returning to Italy, I hope to be able to be close to her and to be strong. Roles change." Domenica In, today's guests (March 24): from Eleonora Abbagnato to Federico Zampaglione. The relationship with Carla Fracci. The film also talks about the special relationship between Abbagnato and Carla Fracci, and the étoile tells Mara Venier: "On stage, I saved her life. There was a bull in a choreography that had not been secured and could have gone against Carla or even the audience, and I stopped it." She remembers Eleonora affectionately: "I didn't listen and did a bit of my own thing, but that's why I resembled her. She had an innate elegance. Now she is a loss for all of us." But at Domenica In, there's also room for love. In 2010 she meets Federico Balzaretti, then a player for Palermo and currently a director at Roma. It was their hairdresser who introduced them, thinking the two might have something in common. The couple got married on June 13, 2011, in the Palatine Chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo. Now they live in Rome, along with the two daughters Federico had from a previous relationship, Lucrezia and Ginevra. "One of the girls went to Paris, and we miss her so much. I was lucky to have a husband like Federico." Il Volo "stuns" Mara Venier at Domenica In: "Here's what we heard you say off-air, can we repeat it?" Then the denial of the dissolution. The letter from Federico's daughter. For the former dancer then comes a letter written by her husband's daughters: "I don't know whether to call you Ele or mom - writes Ginevra - What you are to me and Lucrezia is as important as a mom." Abbagnato cannot continue reading, and Mara Venier interrupts the live broadcast. "Enough, we will not go on, you will continue to read it later by yourself." Eleonora and Federico indeed raised the two daughters the soccer player had from a previous relationship, Federico had sole custody of the girls, and Eleonora raised them as if they were her own.