If you watched the Netflix series From Scratch and didn't end up a puddle of tears on your sofa, you might be a robot. The show, starring Zoe Saldaña, is based on a gut-wrenching, beautiful memoir by actor Tembi Locke. It’s a story about a Black American woman who falls in love with a Sicilian chef named Saro Gullo, only for him to pass away from a rare cancer, leiomyosarcoma, leaving her to raise their young daughter alone.
While the show calls the daughter Idalia, fans are constantly asking about the real girl behind the screen. Her name is Zoela Saro-Gullo. Honestly, she’s the heartbeat of Tembi’s real-world narrative, and her life has evolved quite a bit since the cameras stopped rolling.
The Story of Zoela Saro-Gullo
Tembi and Saro always knew they wanted a family. After years of navigating Saro’s health battles and the initial rejection from his traditional Sicilian parents—who weren't exactly thrilled about him marrying a Black woman—they decided on adoption. Zoela was adopted at birth.
She was the bridge. You've probably heard that term "bridge baby," and in their case, it was literal. Her presence eventually helped heal the rift between Saro’s parents in Sicily and the couple in Los Angeles. Before Saro passed away in 2012, he got to see his daughter and his mother, Nonna Croce, bond in a way that seemed impossible years earlier.
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Why the name change?
In the TV show, the daughter is named Idalia. Why? Tembi has been pretty open about this. She wanted to create what she calls "psychic distance." Basically, she didn't want the real Zoela to feel like her every childhood move was being broadcast to millions. Interestingly, Tembi actually let Zoela choose her own character's name for the series. She picked Idalia because she liked how it sounded. That’s a pretty cool way to give a kid some agency over her own story, right?
Where is Tembi Locke's daughter now?
Time moves fast. In the memoir and the series, we see Zoela as a little girl navigating the "summer of grief" in Sicily, eating pasta and bonding with her grandmother. But fast forward to 2026, and she isn't that little girl anymore.
Zoela Saro-Gullo is currently a college student. Tembi recently released a new project called Someday, Now, which is an immersive audio memoir. It focuses on a very specific, bittersweet milestone: the summer of 2023, right before Zoela left for college. If you're a parent, you know that "empty nest" feeling is its own kind of grief. Tembi spent that final summer in Sicily with Zoela and her new husband, Robert, trying to figure out how to let go of the daily routine of "mothering" while the daughter she raised solo for so long finally took flight.
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- Age: Zoela is now in her early 20s.
- Education: She is currently attending university (though the specific school is kept private for safety).
- The "College Moon": Tembi famously coined the term "college moon" for their final big trip to Sicily before Zoela started her freshman year.
Growing up between two worlds
Zoela’s life is a mix of Los Angeles sunshine and Sicilian countryside. Since Saro died, Tembi made it a point to take her back to his hometown every single summer. It wasn't just a vacation; it was about preservation.
She needed Zoela to know the smell of the wild oregano and the specific dialect her father spoke. Today, Zoela is reportedly fluent in Italian. She has a deep relationship with her Italian family, especially her grandmother. It’s a bit of a miracle when you think about how that story started—with a family that refused to acknowledge the marriage—and ended with a granddaughter who is the pride of the village.
The impact of the "From Scratch" legacy
It isn't easy being the subject of a global hit series. People often project their own grief onto Zoela. They see her as the little girl on the screen and forget she’s a young woman with her own life.
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One thing Tembi has always been careful about is making sure Zoela knows she is the "love of her father's life," even if his time with her was short. In interviews, Tembi mentions how Zoela carries Saro’s spirit—his love for food, his resilience, and apparently, his knack for knowing exactly what a room needs.
What to know about the new family dynamic
If you're wondering if Zoela is still close to her mom, the answer is a resounding yes. Tembi remarried a man named Robert, and by all accounts, they’ve formed a tight-knit "blended" unit. Robert accompanied them on that final Sicilian summer before college, showing that while Saro is always "there" in spirit, the family has successfully built something new "from scratch."
Actionable Insights for Fans and Readers
If you are following the journey of Tembi Locke and her daughter, here is how you can engage with the story more deeply:
- Listen to "Someday, Now": If you want the "sequel" to the Netflix show, this audio memoir is where Tembi talks about Zoela growing up and leaving home.
- Visit the "From Scratch" Locations: If you’re ever in Sicily, the town of Aliminusa is the real-life inspiration. Just remember it's a real village with real people, not a movie set.
- Support Leiomyosarcoma Research: This is the rare cancer that took Saro's life. Contributing to research funds is the best way to honor the family's journey.
- Follow Tembi’s Writing Workshops: Tembi often hosts workshops on how to turn personal grief into art, which is exactly how she processed raising Zoela.
The story of Tembi Locke's daughter is one of radical resilience. She is the living proof that even after the most devastating loss, life continues to bloom in ways you'd never expect.