
Franco Nero
Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born November 23, 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor, producer, and director. 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 programmes. During the 1960s and 1970s, Nero was actively involved in many popular Italian "genre trends", including poliziotteschi, 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), and John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). Nero has had a long relationship with Vanessa Redgrave, which began during the filming of Camelot. They were married in 2006, and are the parents of the actor Carlo Gabriel Nero.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · In the Hand of Dante as Don Lecco
- 2023 · Giorni Felici as Antonio
- 2023 · On Our Way as
- 2023 · The Pope's Exorcist as The Pope
- 2023 · Django as Reverend
- 2022 · The Man from Rome as The Pope
- 2021 · The Duel as
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2020 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2019 · Christmas in Rome as Luigi Forlinghetti
- 2019 · A Rose in Winter as Rainer Praeger
- 2017 · The Broken Key as Hiram Abif
- 2017 · The Lost City of Z as Baron de Gondoriz
- 2017 · The Time of Their Lives as Alberto
- 2017 · John Wick: Chapter 2 as Julius
- 2016 · Delicious as Joe Benelli
- 2016 · Emigratis as Self
- 2014 · Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Self - Actor
- 2014 · Killer Mermaid as Niko
- 2013 · Istintobrass as Self
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2013 · I Tarantiniani as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Amerigo Vessepi
- 2011 · Cars 2 as Uncle Topolino (voice)
- 2010 · Rasputin as Narratore
- 2010 · Letters to Juliet as Lorenzo
- 2008 · Bathory: Countess of Blood as King Mathias
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2001 · Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as General Francini
- 2001 · Ulisse - Il piacere della scoperta as Self
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roberto Distasio
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1992 · Gold as Gabriele da Poppi
- 1992 · Amelia Lópes O'Neill as Fernando
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 1987 · Sweet Country as Paul
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Dr. Peter Milne
- 1982 · Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World as John Reed
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico on Fire as John Reed
- 1982 · Grog as Nicola Fanelli
- 1982 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 1979 · Mimi as Guido
- 1979 · The Visitor as Jesus Christ
- 1977 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1974 · Street Law as Carlo Antonelli
- 1974 · Der große Preis as Self
- 1970 · Tristana as Horacio
- 1967 · Camelot as Lancelot Du Lac
- 1966 · The Bible: In the Beginning... as Abel
- 1966 · Texas, Adios as Burt Sullivan
- 1966 · Django as Django
- Future · Roma elastica as
- 2023 · The Man Who Drew God as Emanuele
- 2021 · We Are Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained as Self - Actor
- 2020 · The Match as Old Branko
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2017 · Iceman as Ditob
- 2017 · The Neighborhood as Guglielmo
- 2017 · Il crimine non va in pensione as il primario
- 2016 · Road to Ruin as Self
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 2014 · Love Island as Marquis Polesini
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2012 · The Last Alchemist as Felix the Alchemist
- 2012 · Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s as Self
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustine of Hippo
- 2008 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Il sangue e la rosa as Conte Uberto Mancini
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2006 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2003 · The Uncrowned Heart as Bear's Trainer
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · Sacra Corona as Bishop Gellért
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1997 · Painted Lady as Robert Tassi
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1997 · The Medal as Ing. Ferrero
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1997 · David as Nathan
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1995 · Desideria e l'anello del drago as Dragon King
- 1994 · The Dragon Ring as Dragon King
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1989 · Blaues Blut as Sandro Castellani
- 1988 · Young Toscanini as Claudio Toscanini
- 1988 · Race to Danger as Francis, il marinaio
- 1987 · Django Strikes Again as Django
- 1987 · The Girl as Johan (John) Berg
- 1980 · The Man with Bogart's Face as Hakim
- 1980 · The Blue-Eyed Bandit as Renzo Dominici
- 1979 · The Shark Hunter as Mike di Donato
- 1978 · The Pirate as Baydr Al Fay
- 1975 · The Flower in His Mouth as Professore Michele Belcore
- 1975 · Death Rite as Sadry
- 1974 · The Last Four Days as Walter Audisio
- 1973 · White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1973 · High Crime as Commissario Belli
- 1973 · Redneck as Mosquito
- 1972 · The Monk as Ambrosio
- 1972 · The Harder They Come as Django (archive footage)
- 1971 · Confessions of a Police Captain as Sostituto Procuratore Traini
- 1970 · Dropout as Bruno
- 1968 · A Quiet Place in the Country as Leonardo Ferri
- 1968 · The Day of the Owl as Captain Bellodi
- Future · The Estate as
- 1966 · The Hired Killer as Tony Lo Bello
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as
- 2025 · The Run as
- 2024 · Titanus 1904 as Self
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2022 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Spirit
- 2022 · Buon Lavoro as
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Himself
- 2021 · Off the Rails as Giovanni
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2019 · Recon as Angelo
- 2019 · The Collini Case as Fabrizio Collini
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2013 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 2012 · Crazy Dog as Alvaro Genta
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustinus (age 76)
- 2009 · Franco Cristaldi e il suo cinema Paradiso as
- 2009 · Killing Is My Business, Honey as Enrico Puzzo
- 2008 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Four Seasons as Max Freeman
- 2008 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2008 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2007 · L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII as Caifa
- 2007 · Two Families as Morandi
- 2006 · The Holy Family as Zachary
- 2006 · Amore e libertà - Masaniello as Vicerè
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 2005 · Forever Blues as Luca
- 2005 · Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker as Self
- 2005 · The Spaghetti West as Self
- 2005 · Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show as Judge
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 2002 · The Last Gunfighter as The pistolero
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 2001 · La voce del sangue as Antonio Castaldi
- 2001 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle as Self
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 2000 · Mirka as Il Sindaco
- 1999 · Li chiamarono... briganti! as Caporale Nerza
- 1998 · Talk of Angels as Dr. Vicente Areavaga
- 1998 · Il tesoro di Damasco as Andrea
- 1997 · Bella Mafia as Mario Domino
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1996 · Il Ritorno di Sandokan as Yogi Azim
- 1996 · The Innocent Sleep as Adolfo Cavani
- 1995 · Viva el lunes as Self
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 1993 · Das Babylon Komplott as Chris Lang
- 1992 · Brothers and Sisters as Franco
- 1992 · From Time to Time as Leonard De Vinci
- 1991 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 1989 · A Double Victory as Saverio Pallucca
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1988 · Top Line as Ted Angelo
- 1988 · Run for Your Life as Commissario
- 1986 · Un altare per la madre as -
- 1985 · The Repenter as Falco
- 1985 · André schafft sie alle as Andre
- 1985 · Devil's Crude as Nick
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1984 · The Last Days of Pompeii as Arbaces
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1982 · Querelle as Lieutenant Seblon
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 1979 · Le rose di Danzica as General Konrad von Der Berg
- 1978 · Force 10 from Navarone as Lescovar
- 1977 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1975 · The Legend of Valentino as Rudolph Valentino
- 1975 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 1974 · Challenge to White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1974 · Blood Brothers as Nicola Bellizzi
- 1973 · The Assassination of Matteotti as Giacomo Matteotti
- 1973 · Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears as Johnny Ears
- 1972 · Pope Joan as Louis
- 1971 · Don't Turn the Other Cheek as Prince Dimitri Vassilovich Vladek Orlowsky
- 1971 · The Case Is Closed, Forget It as Vanzi
- 1971 · Vacation as Osiride
- 1971 · The Fifth Cord as Andrea Bild
- 1970 · Compañeros as Yodlaf Peterson
- 1970 · The Virgin and the Gypsy as The gypsy
- 1970 · The 5th Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 1969 · The Battle of Neretva as Capitano Michele Rossi
- 1969 · Detective Belli as Commissario Stefano Belli
- 1968 · The Mercenary as Sergei Kowalski, The Polish
- 1968 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1967 · Man, Pride and Vengeance as José
- 1966 · Massacre Time as Tom Corbett
- 1966 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- 1966 · The Wild, Wild Planet as Lt. Jake
- 1966 · The Third Eye as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
- 1965 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as