Roberto Benigni
Biography
Roberto Benigni is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director who started in experimental theater in Rome and became known in Italy through 1970s television before moving into film. His first film was Berlinguer: I Love You (1977), which he also wrote. He made his directorial debut with Tu mi turbi in 1983 and directed and starred in comedies including Johnny Stecchino (1991). He acted in Federico Fellini's The Voice of the Moon (1990) and in Jim Jarmusch's Down by Law (1986) and Night on Earth (1991). His best-known film is Life Is Beautiful (1997), a Holocaust tragicomedy he wrote, directed, and starred in. It won Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Dramatic Score, and he received the Best Actor award. Later roles included Pinocchio (2002), The Tiger and the Snow (2005), and To Rome with Love (2012).
73years old
Turns 74 on October 27in 14 days
- Born Castiglion Fiorentino
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Roberto Remigio Benigni (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 18
- Career span
- 35 years1977 to 2012
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A first
Benigni was the first, and remains the only, recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actor for a performance in a non-English language, winning for Life Is Beautiful.
Early training
Roberto Benigni trained as a clown under Philippe Gaulier at the École Philippe Gaulier, where he studied the art of clowning.
First role
Benigni's first theatrical success came in 1975 with Cioni Mario di Gaspare fu Giulia, a work written by Giuseppe Bertolucci.
First role
Benigni's first acting role came in the 1977 movie Berlinguer, I Love You. He wrote the film as well, and Giuseppe Bertolucci was its director.
First role
In 1983 Benigni directed his first movie, Tu mi turbi, also known as You Upset Me. It marked his first time working with Braschi.
Languages
Benigni learned English so he could bring Dante's work to English speakers during the North American presentations of his one-man show TuttoDante.
Roberto Benigni movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Coffee and Cigarettes2003 Comedy, Drama, Musicas Roberto (segment "Strange to Meet You")
IMDb rating 7.071K votes
Most often with
Jim Jarmusch directed three of these films. Nicoletta Braschi appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Nicoletta Braschi's page
Tom Waits's page
Paolo Bonacelli's page
Ronaldo Bonacchi's page
Claudia Cardinale's page
Isaach De Bankolé's page
All films by Jim Jarmusch
Also two films together7 more actors
- Alida ValliLuna (1979) and Berlinguer: I Love You (1977)
- Carlo MonniNothing Left to Do but Cry (1984) and Berlinguer: I Love You (1977)
- Richard BoesNight on Earth (1991) and Down by Law (1986)
- Franco JavaronePinocchio (2002) and The Voice of the Moon (1990)
- Jole SilvaniNothing Left to Do but Cry (1984) and Luna (1979)
- Massimo BianchiPinocchio (2002) and Life Is Beautiful (1997)
- SimAsterix and Obelix vs. Caesar (1999) and The Voice of the Moon (1990)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Roberto Benigni's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$484 million
9 of the 18 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 18 films: 9 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 6 figure not found.
- 9Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 1Never in cinemas
- 6Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$230M47.5% of the total
- 2$102M21.0% of the total
- 3$73M15.1% of the total
- 4$41M8.5% of the total
- 5$24M5.0% of the total
- 6$7.9M1.6% of the total
- 7$2.4M0.5% of the total
- 8$2.0M0.4% of the total
$1.5 millionfrom the other 1 film with a worldwide figure, 0% of the total
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 1998 to 2021, four of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1999 | Best Actor | Life Is Beautiful | Won |
| BAFTA | |||
| 1999 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Won | |
| SAG Awards | |||
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role | Won | ||
| Venice Film Festival | |||
| 2021 | Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2020 | Honorary Lumière Award | Honorary | |
| 2007 | Honorary doctor of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven | Honorary | |
| 2005 | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic | Won | |
| 2000 | European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award | Won | |
| 1998 | David di Donatello for Best Actor | Life Is Beautiful | Won |
| 1998 | European Film Award for Best Actor | Life Is Beautiful | Won |
| 1998 | European Film Award for Best Film | Life Is Beautiful | Won |
| 1998 | Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.