Is "The Abandons" Inspired by a True Mafia Story? Delving into the Real-Life Inspiration Behind the Netflix Western

Key Details:

• Netflix premiered The Abandons on December 4
• The series spans seven episodes, featuring Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey as rival family matriarchs
• Although set in the 1850s Washington Territory, creator Kurt Sutter drew inspiration from the early Sicilian Mafia

Kurt Sutters The Abandons may unfold in the historical Washington Territory, but its core themes are influenced by real-life criminal organizations in Sicily. In a 2021 interview, Sutter explained that he has long been fascinated by the origins of La Cosa Nostra, observing how marginalized Sicilian peasant families struggled against aristocratic and land-owning powers.

While Sutter envisioned a gritty Western even before the debut of Sons of Anarchy in 2008, it took more than a decade before Netflix brought The Abandons to the screen. The series, released on December 4, follows two families whose fates intertwine through crimes, secrets, forbidden love, and a land rich with silver, with Anderson and Headey portraying the family matriarchs.

Is The Abandons Based on Reality?

The series is fictional, but its backdrop draws from the formation of La Cosa Nostra, also known as the Sicilian Mafia. Though commonly associated with organized crime broadly, mafia specifically refers to the Sicilian organization and its American offshoots. Beyond mafia history, Sutter also drew inspiration from classic 1950s Western shows, finding parallels between family loyalty, land, and revenge.

The Origins of La Cosa Nostra

Historians trace La Cosa Nostra to mid-19th century Sicily, where private groups called mafie protected locals from foreign rulers. Initially, the term mafioso referred to a wary defender rather than a criminal. Sutter explained that these peasant families united against abusive landowners, gradually establishing their own law and authority. By the 1920s, some factions migrated to the U.S., paving the way for notorious figures like Charles Lucky Luciano.

Who Were The Abandons?

In the series, Fiona Nolan (Headey) leads a family of orphans and societal outcasts. While the characters are fictional, the term the abandons is historically authentic. Sutter described it as a period-specific label for marginalized individualsorphans, prostitutes, outcastsliving on societys fringes. He likened their collective struggle against powerful landowners to the Sicilian Mafias rise, emphasizing loyalty, resistance, and sometimes violent self-determination.

Are the Characters Based on Real People?

No, the characters themselves are invented. However, Sutter hinted that, should the series continue for multiple seasons, the cast could encounter historically famous outlaws. He suggested that future storylines might subtly intersect with figures like a young Billy the Kid, blending fictional drama with glimpses of Wild West history.

Author: Riley Thompson