The Giovanni (the article "The" in his case is an actual part of his proper name) is a famous Italian artist, known both for the excellence of his painting and for his irascible temper. In the first season episode "Fitzherbert P.I." he has been commissioned to paint the "royal portrait" of Princess Rapunzel, though he ends up not doing so, first, because his place is taken by the impostor Dale, and, second, because Rapunzel decides to do her own portrait instead of having him do one.
Trivia
- "Giovanni" is the Italian version of the name "John."
- He is referred to in the episode credits as "The Real The Giovanni," as distinguished from the impostor who takes his place, who is referred to as "The Fake The Giovanni."
- Though even The Real The Giovanni refers to himself as "The Giovanni," he should properly have referred to himself rather as "Il Giovanni," using the Italian masculine article.
- The Giovanni's character design rather resembles the Italian late Renaissance/early Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Like The Giovanni, Caravaggio was notorious for his violent temper.
- Interestingly, his voice actor, Fabio Tassone, though having an Italian name and father, was actually born in Málaga, Spain, and has a mother who is half-Spanish and half-French.
- This may be partly why The Fake The Giovanni resembles a real Spanish painter rather than a real Italian one.
- Amusingly, Fabio Tassone, who plays the real The Giovanni, speaks Italian as a native (and is fluent in English, French, and Spanish as well), but Artt Butler, who plays the fake The Giovanni, does not.
- In the Italian dub of the series The Giovanni was renamed "El Juan" and he speaks with a Spanish accent.