Franco Nero
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Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born 23 November 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film Django (1966), which made him a pop culture icon and launched an international career that includes over 200 leading and supporting roles in a wide variety of films and television productions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
During the 1960s and 1970s, Nero was actively involved in many popular Italian "genre trends", including polizieschi, gialli, and Spaghetti Westerns. His best-known films include The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966), Camelot (1967), The Day of the Owl (1968), The Mercenary (1968), Battle of Neretva (1969), Tristana (1970), Compañeros (1970), Confessions of a Police Captain (1971), The Fifth Cord (1971), High Crime (1973), Street Law (1974), Keoma (1976), Hitch-Hike (1977), Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Enter the Ninja (1981), Die Hard 2 (1990), Letters to Juliet (2010), Cars 2 (2011), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), and The Pope's Exorcist (2023).
Nero has had a long relationship with Vanessa Redgrave, which began during the filming of Camelot. With Redgrave, Nero starred in two films directed by Tinto Brass: Dropout (1970) and La Vacanza (1971). They were married in 2006, and are the parents of the actor Carlo Gabriel Nero (b.1969).
Early lifeEdit
Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero<ref>Template:In lang Franco Nero in MyMovies</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:In lang Franco Nero in CinemaItaliano.info</ref><ref>Template:In lang Franco Nero Template:Webarchive in Cinemastore Italy</ref><ref>Template:In lang Francoo Nero Biography in Hollywood.com</ref> was born in San Prospero Parmense (Parma, Emilia-Romagna), the son of a commissioned officer in the Carabinieri.<ref name="ref1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His parents were originally from San Severo (Foggia, Apulia).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He grew up in Bedonia and in Milan. He studied briefly at the Economy and Trade faculty of the local university, before leaving to study at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
CareerEdit
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Nero's first film role was a small part in Pelle viva (1962),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and he had his first lead role in Sergio Corbucci's Django (1966) a Spaghetti Western and one of his best-known films.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1966 from Django he went on to appear in eight more films released that year including Texas, Adios (1966) and Massacre Time.
In 1967, he appeared in Camelot as Lancelot, where Nero met his longtime romantic partner, and later his wife, Vanessa Redgrave.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Following this he appeared in the mafia film The Day of the Owl opposite Claudia Cardinale released in 1968.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A lack of proficiency in English tended to limit these roles, although Nero also appeared in other English-language films including The Virgin and the Gypsy (1970), Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Enter the Ninja (1981) and Die Hard 2 (1990).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Although often typecast in films like Los amigos (1973) or Keoma (1976) he has attempted an impressive range of characters, such as Abel in John Huston's epic The Bible: In The Beginning (1966), the humiliated engineer out for revenge in Street Law, the gay lieutenant in Querelle (1982), and Serbian mediaeval hero in The Falcon (1983). Nero has appeared in over 150 films, and has written, produced and starred in one: Jonathan degli orsi (1993).<ref>Franco Nero Interview from 1Kult.com Template:Webarchive (English subtitled)</ref>
More recently, Nero starred in Hungarian director Template:Interlanguage link multi's Honfoglalás (Conquest) in 1996, in Li chiamarono... briganti! (1999) by Pasquale Squitieri and subsequently in Koltay's Sacra Corona (Holy Crown) in 2001.Template:Citation needed
In 2009, Nero played an eccentric author called "Mario Puzzo" in Mord ist mein Geschäft, Liebling ("Murder is my trade, darling", Italian title "Tesoro, sono un killer"). German critics found his performance was the best part of the film: "Having Franco Nero playing in this film is really a great joy – it is only regrettable that after his appearances there is still so much film left."<ref>"Dass Franco Nero in diesem Film mitspielt, macht wirklich großen Spaß – schade nur, dass nach seinen Auftritten noch so viel Film übrig ist." Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2010, Nero appeared in the film Letters to Juliet with Redgrave.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, he appeared as a guest star on the season 13 premiere episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His character, although Italian, was based on Dominique Strauss-Kahn.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the same year, he received a star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2012, Nero made a cameo appearance in the film Django Unchained in one scene alongside Jamie Foxx, who stars as Django Freeman in the film. Nero, playing the original Django, questions Foxx's Django about how his name is spelled, and asks him to spell it, referencing a scene from Nero's role as Django in the original Django film. Upon learning that their names are spelled the same way, Nero's Django says "I know" to Foxx's Django.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
In 2016 and 2017, he interpreted Gabriele Tinti's poetry, giving voice to the masterpieces in the National Roman Museum.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Nero appears in the dark comedy feature film The Immortalist in 2020, along with Sherilyn Fenn, Paul Rodriguez, Aries Spears and Jeff DuJardin, directed by Vlad Kozlov.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In June 2024, principal photography was completed on The Estate, a feature drama, executive produced by Nero, his wife Vanessa Redgrave, and son Carlo Gabriel Nero. The film is written and directed by his son, and stars Nero and Vanessa Redgrave.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In May 2025, Nero joined the cast of Bertrand Mandico's upcoming film Roma elastica.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Personal lifeEdit
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His romantic involvement with English actress Vanessa Redgrave began in 1966 when they met on the set of Camelot. In 1969, they had a son, Carlo Gabriel Redgrave Sparanero (known professionally as Carlo Gabriel Nero), a screenwriter and director. After separating for many years, during which they both had relationships with other people, they reunited and married on 31 December 2006.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Carlo Nero directed Redgrave in the cinematic adaptation of Wallace Shawn's play The Fever.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Nero dated actresses Catherine Deneuve, Goldie Hawn and Ursula Andress in the 1970s.<ref>O'Brian, Jack (2 February 1970). "Playboy Rebuffed". The Jersey Journal.</ref><ref>O'Brian, Jack (8 September 1975). "Goldie and Vanessa's Oldie". Lebanon Daily News</ref><ref>"Kiss & Tell". New Straits Times. 9 January 1986.</ref>
In 1983, he had a second son, Frank Sparanero (also known as Frankie Nero or Frank Nero Jr). Born in Rome by Danica Pevec (a.k.a. Alexandra Romanov), Frankie began his acting career with Pupi Avati in 1996 at a film Festival and then 1999 with the film Buck and the Magic Bracelet by Tonino Ricci. In addition to being an actor, he is also an artist, architect and photographer.
In December 1987, a paternity suit was filed against him in court in Colombia where he was filming a movie. Mauricia Mena claimed that Nero had fathered her son Franquito after a brief romantic affair.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1994, Nero walked his future stepdaughter Natasha Richardson (1963–2009) down the aisle when she married actor Liam Neeson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Her father, Tony Richardson, had died in 1991.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
FilmographyEdit
FilmEdit
TelevisionEdit
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | The Legend of Valentino | Rudolph Valentino | Melville Shavelson | Television film |
| 1976 | 21 Hours at Munich | Luttif Afif | William A. Graham | Television film |
| 1978 | The Pirate | Sheikh Baydr Al-Fay the Pirate | Ken Annakin | Television miniseries |
| 1979 | Le rose di Danzica | General Konrad van Der Berg | Alberto Bevilacqua | Television miniseries |
| 1983 | Wagner | Crespi | Tony Palmer | Television miniseries |
| Die Försterbuben | Andreas Boehme | Peter Patzak | Television film | |
| 1984 | The Last Days of Pompeii | Arbaces | Peter R. Hunt | Television miniseries |
| 1985 | Un marinaio e mezzo | Nick | Tommaso Dazzi | Television film |
| The Hitchhiker | Dr. Peter Milne | Mai Zetterling | Television series Episode: "Murderous Feelings" | |
| 1986 | Un altare per la madre | Edith Bruck | Television film | |
| 1987 | Il generale | Giuseppe Garibaldi | Luigi Magni | Television miniseries |
| 1988 | Windmills of the Gods | Ionescu | Lee Philips | Television miniseries |
| 1989 | The Magistrate | Paolo Pizzi | Kathy Mueller | Television miniseries |
| The Betrothed | Friar Cristoforo | Salvatore Nocita | Television miniseries | |
| 1990 | Blaues Blut | Sandro Castellani | Sidney Hayers | Television series Episode: "Gegen die Uhr" |
| Oggi ho vinto anch'io | Saverio Palluca | Lodovico Gasparini | Television film | |
| 1991 | Young Catherine | Count Mikhail Vorontsov | Michael Anderson | Television miniseries |
| Julianus barát | Domenico | Gábor Koltay | Television miniseries | |
| 1992 | Touch and Die | Aquani | Piernico Solinas | Television film |
| 1993 | Das Babylon Komplott | Chris Lang | Peter Patzak | Television film |
| Azzurro profondo | Luca Morinari | Filippo De Luigi | Television film | |
| 1994 | Nemici intimi | Lorenzo Stradella | Piernico Solinas | Television film |
| The Dragon Ring | The Dragon King | Lamberto Bava | Television miniseries | |
| 1996 | The Return of Sandokan | Yogi Azim | Enzo G. Castellari | Television miniseries |
| 1997 | David | Nathan | Robert Markowitz | Television film |
| Desert of Fire | Marcel Duvivier | Enzo G. Castellari | Television miniseries | |
| Painted Lady | Robert Tassi | Julian Jarrold | Television miniseries | |
| Nessuno escluso | Alfonso Martinez | Massimo Spano | Television film | |
| Bella Mafia | Mario Domino | David Greene | Television film | |
| 1998 | Il tesoro di Damasco | Andrea | José María Sánchez | Television film |
| 2000 | St. Paul | Gamaliel | Roger Young | Television miniseries |
| 2001 | La voce del sangue | Antonio Castaldi | Alessandro Di Robilant | Television film |
| The Crusaders | Ibn-Azul | Dominique Othenin-Girard | Television miniseries | |
| 2002 | Die achte Todsünde: Toskana-Karussell | Giuseppe Mantaldo | Peter Patzak | Television film |
| 2003 | The Uncrowned Heart | Bear's Trainer | Peter Patzak | Television film |
| Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften | Pietro Bellini | Marco Serafini | Television miniseries | |
| Cattive inclinazioni | Vagrant | Pierfrancesco Campanella | Television film | |
| 2005 | Summer Solstice | Lorenzo | Giles Foster | Television film |
| 2006 | The Holy Family | Zechariah | Raffaele Mertes | Television film |
| 2007 | Der Fürst und das Mädchen | Count Massimo di Romano | Karsten Wichniarz, Axel de Roche | Television series 8 episodes |
| Two Families | Morandi | Romano Scavolini | Television film | |
| 2008 | Il sangue e la rosa | Umberto Mancini | Salvatore Samperi, Luciano Odorisio, Luigi Parisi | Television series Episode: "Prima puntata" |
| Mein Herz in Chile | Carlos Sanchez | Jörg Grünler | Television film | |
| A Night at the Grand Hotel | Ferran Moreno | Thorsten Näter | Television film | |
| Rosamunde Pilcher's Four Seasons | Max Freeman | Giles Foster | Television miniseries | |
| 2010 | Restless Heart: The Confessions of Saint Augustine | Augustine of Hippo | Christian Duguay | Television miniseries |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Roberto Distasio | Michael Slovis | Television series Episode: "Scorched Earth" |
| 2017–18 | Delicious | Joe Benelli | John Hardwick, Clare Kilner | Television series 4 episodes |
| 2019 | Christmas in Rome | Luigi Forlinghetti | Ernie Barbarash | Hallmark Channel movie |
| 2022 | Django | Reverend | Francesca Comencini | Television series |
Video gamesEdit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Cars 2: The Video Game | Uncle Topolino | Voice |
DiscographyEdit
- 1985 – Will Change The World/Cambierà (Lovers, LVNP 802, 7" – with his son Carlo)
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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