Paola Lambruschini

**Paola Lambruschini** is a documentary filmmaker Mitch met while in Italy.

## History

### Meeting Mitch

Mitch Kessler was eating gelato outside a Gelateria when a young woman began yelling at him, saying that he was ruining her favorite Gelateria by being there. Mitch was just going to leave, but Paola stepped in and pointed out to the woman that there was nothing Mitch could do that would satisfy her. She also knew that the woman's friend was recording the interaction on her phone for social media clout. She then told the woman she had fought for that woman's right to be an asshole and didn't want her to make Paola regret it. While she was talking to the woman, Mitch got out of his seat and left, so Paola followed him. She told him she wanted to pick his brain and talked him into giving her his number so she could call him.

A few days later, Paola and Mitch met up for drinks and she told him she makes documentary films. When Mitch's phone rang, she encouraged him to check it even though he was sure he knew who it was. He saw that Alex was returning to The Morning Show, which upset him and he tried to excuse himself and leave. Paola took his phone and said he shouldn't be upset that Alex was returning, because she was choosing to live in the past while he could live in the present. She told him he couldn't undo what he did, but he can move forward from it. She then asked him to help her make a documentary about a rape conviction in Italy that was overturned because the defendant said the victim was too ugly to be raped. Mitch said he couldn't do it and left, but later messaged Paola to say he'd help her.

Paola and Mitch drove to a university to interview a professor there. Mitch waited outside while Paola did the interview. When she was finished, they went back to her apartment to review the footage. Paola translated portions of it for Mitch and told him there was a lot of good stuff in there. She also cooked dinner for the two of them, but things became awkward when Paola kissed Mitch on the cheek, which made him freeze and ask her not to do that.

Not long after that, Paola called Mitch to inform him that the professor she'd interviewed had the novel coronavirus and since she'd been with Mitch for hours after interviewing him, they both needed to quarantine. She suggested they do so together so they wouldn't be lonely and they could work on the documentary together.

### Quarantine, Alex's Visit, and Mitch's Death

While they quarantined, Mitch and Paola finished filming everything she needed for the documentary she was making. She thanked Mitch for his help and asked him why he invited her to stay at his Villa instead of quarantining separately. He told her he liked her company, but then clarified that they wouldn't be sleeping together. Though she is beautiful, he's too damaged. When Paola told him that she knew that, Mitch asked her why she stayed. Paola explained that damaged attracted her. Later, Paola asked Mitch to let her interview him. He said no because of what happened the last time he was supposed to be interviewed, but agreed when she promised it would just be for her to practice.

For the interview, Paola asked Mitch what he did wrong. He spoke about not thinking he was the kind of person who could hurt someone like he had. But he failed to see the signs that Hannah didn't want him. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that he went to Hannah and asked for her help. And she told him her side of everything and he didn't understand and said horrible things to her. And to him, that was his worst crime because he couldn't write that off as ignorance. He knew it was wrong and did it anyway.

Paola and Mitch were waiting out the last few days of their quarantine when Alex showed up at the house. After witnessing a fight between Alex and Mitch that led to Alex leaving in anger, Paola encouraged Mitch not to leave things like that. After Alex left a second time, Paola showed Mitch that she had deleted his interview as he'd requested. Then she left, saying she'd finish the quarantine at her own home. She also told him she received a message from the professor's daughter informing her that he died that morning. Paola explains to Mitch that she is going to send flowers in both their names.

Mitch later texted Paola to come back, but she didn't get it until hours later. She asked if he still wanted her to come and he asked if he could come to her instead. They talked about the news report saying that he'd specifically targeted Black women, something he didn't think he'd done. They then had sex, despite Mitch's prior insistence that they wouldn't. While they lay in bed afterward, Paola went for a cigarette, but discovered she was out. Mitch offered to go get her some more. She then admitted that she hadn't really deleted the interview as she wanted to keep a piece of him in case she didn't see him again. He told her if that was why, she could safely delete it.

While he was out getting her cigarettes, Mitch got in a single-car accident. He was taken to the hospital, where Paola found him and stayed with him while he died. Later, when Alex called upon her arrival in New Jersey, Paola told her what had happened and confirmed that Mitch was dead. She also told Alex that Mitch loved her.

### Mitch's Memorial

Paola came to the US with a ticket Alex provided to attend Mitch's memorial. When Alex herself came late into the memorial, Paola said it felt weird to be there when Mitch wasn't, but it was nice to see one friendly face. Alex told her that Mitch made her promise to introduce her to the right people to help her in the business. Paola replied that she'd thrown herself into her work after Mitch's death, but it was a very emotional time for her and she wasn't ready. Alex told her that she wasn't sure how much longer people would be returning her calls, so she needed to get ready as soon as possible. Paola then listened with everyone else as Alex eulogized Mitch, saying she'd been with him the day he died and witnessed that he understood what he'd done wrong and was working to do better and be better.

### Meeting with Cory

Alex called and set up a meeting for Paola with Cory. However, Cory cancelled the meeting and had his assistant, Kyle, call Paola and ask her to leave a sample for Kyle to review and hand to Cory if it was any good. Paola was angered by this and insisted on a meeting. Kyle said Cory was too busy and suggested she call when she was back in New York. So she drove to New Jersey and then back to New York and came to Cory's office unnnaounced. She asked him to give her two minutes and said she couldn't just leave her sample becuase she made a promise. Cory agreed to give her two minutes, but when he saw that she'd made a documentary about Mitch filmed just six days before his death, he stayed to watch the whole thing. When it was over, she told him she wanted a job and was open to what kind. He said there was an audience for her documentary, but she told him she wouldn't betray Mitch, as she owed him. Cory asked her to reconsider and said she had his number before leaving.

## Relationships

### Family

She adopted Mitch's dog, Fido, after Mitch's death.

## Career

She is a documentary filmmaker but wants more consistency in her life. After Mitch's death, she asked Cory for a job at UBA, saying she was open to all kinds of things.

## References

1. ↑ It's Like The Flu, 2x02
2. ↑ Laura, 2x03
3. ↑ Kill the Fatted Calf, 2x04
4. ↑ Ghosts, 2x05
5. ↑ La Amara Vita, 2x07
6. ↑ Confirmations, 2x08
7. ↑ Testimony, 2x09
8. ↑ Fever, 2x10