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Francesca Alicia "Frenchy" Facciano, is one of the main protagonists in Grease and a charter member of the Pink Ladies. She is portrayed by Didi Conn.

Fran is a guest character in the Paramount+ original series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, as Jane's younger sister. She is portrayed by Madison Elizabeth Lagares.

Biography[]

The Facciano family moved from New York to Rydell, California in 1953, where Fran was bullied relentlessly by the students of her school, especially Betty Rizzo. Betty mocked Fran for her voice, talking fast, and talking too much. One day, Fran was being bullied by a boy when Betty walked up and kicked him "in the family jewels". Fran walked up to her and told her that she was her new best friend, and Betty simply said "fine". The girls became inseparable ever since.

Film series[]

Grease[]

Grease 2[]

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies[]

In "We're Gonna Rule the School", Mrs. Facciano refused her youngest daughter Fran's plea to get her ears pierced like her best friend Betty. Kitty told Jane to talk to Fran about Betty. Jane agreed to do it later and hurried off to school.

The Facciano's attended Rydell High's pep rally, which was organized by Jane. Kitty was pleased to have a reason to be proud of her daughter. Fran showed off her new pierced ears to her sister, and said that Betty did them for her. Kitty admonished Fran's vulgar new nickname from Betty - Frenchy. The family later watched in horror when Jane's banner "THIS YEAR, RYDELL GOES ALL THE WAY" was replaced with "JANE FACCIANO GOES ALL THE WAY". A group of mascots then mooned the audience. After the mascots left and Jane hurried off, Fran made an ill-timed remark that Jane was "fast".

Jane snuck into her room later that night but was caught by her mother anyway. Jane laid down when she noticed candy wrappers on her comforter. Fran peeked out from under the bed. She had snuck in because Jane's room was nicer. Fran eagerly asked what Jane wanted to talk about earlier, and Jane relayed their mother's message that Betty is a bad influence. Betty emerged from under the bed; they had another secret sleepover. Fran admitted how things were hard for her when they moved to Rydell and how Betty bullied her, until one day when Betty stood up for her against a boy. They were best friends ever since, so Jane would just have to deal with it. Jane merely smiled at the girls.

In "Too Pure to Be Pink",

In "So This Is Rydell?", The Facciano's hosted a fancy dinner party where they attempted to fit in with the upper-class guests. The paternal guest Jim Johnson liked Jane's run for student president and thought it would make a good story for his show. He wanted to show a changing Rydell, though a drunk woman could look outside her door to see the town changed - three new Mexican families with their “god-awful music” moved onto her street. Ethel didn't think Kitty looked like her girl's mother at all, being of a darker complexion. She assumed it was from being Italian and from a different region than Vincent. Fran tried to correct Ethel, but Kitty and Vincent interrupted her to ask about Jim's show. The Johnsons suggested the Faccianos join their Athletic Club. Fran gagged from the corner when her appetizer looked like cake but was meat.

The next morning, Kitty reprimanded Fran as she needed to be seen but not heard. She tried to explain why she didn't want to explain she was Puerto Rican, but Fran didn't understand. Jane insisted mother knew best and left for school.

The Facciano's went to the Athletic Club for a tour. They were greeted by the club's director and a Hispanic maid, whom the director insisted Kitty give her coat. He ushered them along on a tour and assured them that they would fit in as they welcomed Italians into the club for five years. Jane noticed how many of the employees were Hispanic, then joined her family in the Founders Room. Fran noticed her sister's discomfort, and Jane masked it as not feeling well. She wanted a minute alone.

Personality[]

Frenchy is fun-loving, bubbly, flighty, and a bit of an airhead, but a very friendly young girl carving her own path. She was uprooted from her New York roots to move to California, and subsequently, endured bullying from the girls at her school, especially Betty Rizzo. One day, Betty stood up for Frenchy, who declared they would be best friends from then out. This is a key aspect of Frenchy's personality - she doesn't hold grudges and is keen on making friends. She admired her older sister and looked up to her. Though she coveted after her things and the romantic drama in Jane's life, she also respected her sister. Once in high school, Frenchy joined the gang that her sister started four years earlier, the Pink Ladies. When she saw the new girl Sandy Olsson, Frenchy instantly befriended her and made sure she felt welcome in Rydell. Something that not even Betty did for Frenchy when she moved to Rydell. Frenchy, however, wasn't keen on school and dropped out to enter beauty school and become a beautician, but she dropped out after her hair turned pink in tinting class.

Physical Appearance[]

Frenchy is a very pretty young woman of average height, a slight peach skin tone, brown eyes, and curly red hair. Frenchy's style is bright and colorful. She also sports a New York accent. Her most memorable scene said by people who have seen the film is probably the "Beauty School Dropout" segment when she imagines Frankie Avalon is singing to her as her guardian angel after dropping out of "The La Coiffure Beauty School" (which she pronounces "laca-fury"). At the National Dance-Off, her hair is blonde and she's wearing a yellow dress, matching yellow high heels and (hopefully), matching yellow panties. She is often seen in her Pink Ladies Jacket with the other girls.

In the 2023 prequel, Fran is a young girl in her last years of junior high. She has wavy dark brown hair, wide brown eyes, and is of Italian-Puerto Rican descent. She decides to pierce her ears - with help from Betty - even though her mother forbids it.

Notes and Trivia[]

  • Frenchy is bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish.

Gallery[]

References[]

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