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Guest Character Profiles > Francesca Villante Carmelina Di Guglielmo

Francesa Villante 2012, 2013
Lives: 60 Summit Road, Rosebud, Victoria
Marital Status: Antonio [Tony] Villante
Children: Vanessa

The overbearing, deeply religious and conservative mother of Vanessa Villante, Francesca first came to Erinsborough in October 2012. Following a trip to Italy, she wanted to find out why Vanessa had moved across the city to start a new life elsewhere, and Vanessa was desperate to cover up the fact that she was seven months pregnant. She had almost succeeded, when Chris Pappas offered to help with the bins outside the house, mentioning her pregnancy, as Francesca was getting in the car to leave. Vanessa was forced to own up, and Lucas, who Vanessa had lied was just her landlord, explained that he was the father. To save Vanessa from her mother's judgement, he also said that he and Vanessa were a couple and very much in love, and Vanessa went along with it. Francesca was determined to find out everything, quizzing Lucas about his family and financial situation, and deliberately getting his name wrong in the process. He finally snapped, and with Vanessa out of the room, he told Francesca how much he loved her daughter and would stand by her. Satisfied, Francesca phoned her husband Tony to tell him everything, before giving the relationship their blessing and announcing that they would have to get married as soon as possible.

Already exhausted by her mother's visit, Vanessa tried to argue but was told that, if she went ahead and had the baby out of wedlock, she would be cut off from the family. Lucas agreed to go ahead with a wedding, privately telling Vanessa that it was just a piece of paper and wouldn't change anything. Francesca pushed ahead, booking a church and a priest, and making plans before Vanessa had the opportunity to change her mind. Francesca then arranged for the family priest Father Guidotti to perform the wedding ceremony, and he came to the house to speak to the engaged couple. Though he was satisfied with Lucas' plans for the future of the relationship, he had concerns that Vanessa was simply telling him what he wanted to hear. He suggested some counselling for them before the wedding, and Francesca began to worry that Vanessa was hiding something from her. After a couple of incidents in which Vanessa had behaved oddly around neighbour Rhys Lawson, Francesca demanded to know what was going on. Francesca was forced to admit that she and Rhys had once been in a relationship, but she was happy with Lucas now, though she couldn't simply ignore Rhys or her friendship with him.

With the wedding only a day away, Francesca was busy organising things, and was finally forced to admit to Vanessa that her dad didn't approve of the situation and was refusing to come. As the big day dawned, Francesca gave Vanessa some earrings that she'd worn on her own wedding day, telling her daughter how proud she was. But as the ceremony began, and Francesca walked Vanessa down the aisle in place of her father, the bride's doubts were beginning to show, and things only got worse when Rhys suddenly arrived to watch. As the time came to begin her vows, Vanessa stumbled and began to cry, before running out of the church. Back on Ramsay Street, Francesca found Vanessa, who opened up about everything, admitting to the one-night-stand and the fake relationship, with a disgusted Francesca telling her that she had shamed their family and was now cast out.

Some weeks later, Vanessa was overdue and struggling with the thought that her mum wouldn't be around to help with, or after, the birth. Seeing how upset Vanessa was, Lucas went to visit Francesca in an attempt to talk some sense into her. Francesca was shocked to see him, but was adamant that she couldn't change her mind about this; her daughter had broken her heart and she couldn't forgive her. Eventually, she admitted that it was very difficult for her to lose the opportunity to see her first grandchild, and Lucas told her that it was up to her to decide what to do next. He then rushed off as word came through that Vanessa had gone into labour and, later that day, Francesca arrived at the hospital to see her daughter and new grandson, with Vanessa overwhelmed that Lucas had gone to all that trouble, and missed the birth, for her. A few days later, Francesca came to visit her daughter and new grandson, attempting to help out with finding a name for her, and was shocked when she learnt that Vanessa was back together with Rhys, and that they were now engaged.

Episodes Featured
6510, 6511, 6512, 6517, 6518, 6522, 6523, 6524, 6531, 6532, 6549, 6550, 6555

Biography by Steve

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