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
- 2026 · Roma elastica as The Old Filmmaker
- 2026 · In the Hand of Dante as Don Lecco
- 2025 · The Estate as
- 2024 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2017 · The Neighborhood as Guglielmo
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2006 · The Holy Family as Zachary
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 2001 · Chimera as Imprenditore
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 1992 · Gold as Gabriele da Poppi
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1987 · Sweet Country as Paul
- 1981 · Le rose di Danzica as Il generale Konrad Von Den Berg
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1975 · The Legend of Valentino as Rudolph Valentino
- 1975 · Death Rite as Sadry
- 1974 · Street Law as Carlo Antonelli
- 1973 · The Assassination of Matteotti as Giacomo Matteotti
- 1973 · Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears as Johnny Ears
- 1971 · The Fifth Cord as Andrea Bild
- 1970 · The Fifth Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 1967 · Man, Pride and Vengeance as José
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- 2023 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Valentino's Spirit
- 2023 · Giorni felici as Antonio
- 2022 · Buon Lavoro as
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 2017 · Il crimine non va in pensione as il primario
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2013 · I Tarantiniani as Self
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2008 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 2006 · Amore e libertà - Masaniello as Vicerè
- 2006 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2002 · The Last Gunfighter as The pistolero
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 1997 · The Medal as Ing. Ferrero
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1992 · From Time to Time as Leonard De Vinci
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1982 · Sergey Bondarchuk as Self
- 1966 · The Wild, Wild Planet as Lt. Jake
- Future · El Sobrino as
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- 2026 · Il Vecchio Terribile as Oste
- 2024 · Titanus 1904 as Self
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2023 · On Our Way as
- 2023 · The Pope's Exorcist as The Pope
- 2023 · The Man Who Drew God as Emanuele
- 2023 · Django as Reverend
- 2022 · The Man from Rome as The Pope
- 2021 · The Duel as
- 2021 · We Are Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained as Self - Actor
- 2021 · Off the Rails as Giovanni
- 2021 · The Match as Old Branko
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2019 · Christmas in Rome as Luigi Forlinghetti
- 2019 · Recon as Angelo
- 2019 · A Rose in Winter as Rainer Praeger
- 2019 · The Collini Case as Fabrizio Collini
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2017 · Iceman as Ditob
- 2017 · The Broken Key as Hiram Abif
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 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
- 2016 · Road to Ruin as Self
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2014 · Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Self - Actor
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2014 · Love Island as Marquis Polesini
- 2014 · Killer Mermaid as Niko
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2013 · Istintobrass as Self
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2013 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Amerigo Vessepi
- 2012 · The Last Alchemist as Felix the Alchemist
- 2012 · Crazy Dog as Alvaro Genta
- 2012 · Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s as Self
- 2011 · Cars 2 as Uncle Topolino (voice)
- 2010 · Rasputin as Narratore
- 2010 · Letters to Juliet as Lorenzo
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustine of Hippo
- 2010 · Restless Heart: The Confessions of Augustine 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 · Il sangue e la rosa as Conte Uberto Mancini
- 2008 · Bathory: Countess of Blood as King Mathias
- 2008 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2007 · L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII as Caifa
- 2007 · Two Families as Morandi
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 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
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2003 · The Uncrowned Heart as Bear's Trainer
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2001 · Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as General Francini
- 2001 · La voce del sangue as Antonio Castaldi
- 2001 · Sacra Corona as Bishop Gellért
- 2001 · Ulisse - The Pleasure of Discovery as Self
- 2001 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle as Self
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 2000 · Mirka as Il Sindaco
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roberto Distasio
- 1999 · Li chiamarono... briganti! as Caporale Nerza
- 1998 · Talk of Angels as Dr. Vicente Areavaga
- 1998 · Il tesoro di Damasco as Andrea
- 1997 · Painted Lady as Robert Tassi
- 1997 · Bella Mafia as Mario Domino
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1997 · David as Nathan
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1996 · The Return of Sandokan as Yogi Azim
- 1996 · The Innocent Sleep as Adolfo Cavani
- 1995 · Viva el lunes as Self
- 1995 · Desideria e l'anello del drago as Dragon King
- 1994 · The Dragon Ring as Dragon King
- 1993 · Das Babylon Komplott as Chris Lang
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1992 · Brothers and Sisters as Franco
- 1992 · Amelia Lópes O'Neill as Fernando
- 1991 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 1989 · Blaues Blut as Sandro Castellani
- 1989 · A Double Victory as Saverio Pallucca
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1988 · Young Toscanini as Claudio Toscanini
- 1988 · Top Line as Ted Angelo
- 1988 · Race to Danger as Francis, il marinaio
- 1988 · Run for Your Life as Commissario
- 1987 · Django Strikes Again as Django
- 1987 · The Girl as Johan (John) Berg
- 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 · The Last Days of Pompeii as Arbaces
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Dr. Peter Milne
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1982 · Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World as John Reed
- 1982 · Querelle as Lieutenant Seblon
- 1982 · Grog as Nicola Fanelli
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1982 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico in Flames as John Reed
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 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
- 1979 · Le rose di Danzica as General Konrad von Der Berg
- 1979 · Mimi as Guido
- 1979 · The Visitor as Jesus Christ
- 1978 · The Pirate as Baydr Al Fay
- 1978 · Force 10 from Navarone as Lescovar
- 1977 · The Pirate as Baydr Al Fay
- 1977 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 1977 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1975 · The Flower in His Mouth as Professore Michele Belcore
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1975 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 1974 · Challenge to White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1974 · Der große Preis as Self
- 1974 · The Last Four Days as Walter Audisio
- 1974 · Blood Brothers as Nicola Bellizzi
- 1973 · White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1973 · High Crime as Commissario Belli
- 1973 · Redneck as Mosquito
- 1972 · The Monk as Ambrosio
- 1972 · Pope Joan as Louis
- 1972 · The Harder They Come as Django (archive footage)
- 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 · Confessions of a Police Captain as Sostituto Procuratore Traini
- 1970 · Compañeros as Yodlaf Peterson
- 1970 · Dropout as Bruno
- 1970 · The Virgin and the Gypsy as The gypsy
- 1970 · Tristana as Horacio
- 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 · A Quiet Place in the Country as Leonardo Ferri
- 1968 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1968 · The Day of the Owl as Captain Bellodi
- 1967 · Camelot as Lancelot Du Lac
- 1966 · The Bible: In the Beginning... as Abel
- 1966 · Texas, Adios as Burt Sullivan
- 1966 · Massacre Time as Tom Corbett
- 1966 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- 1966 · The Third Eye as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
- 1966 · Django as Django
- 1966 · The Hired Killer as Tony Lo Bello
- 1965 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as