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
- 2023 · Giorni Felici as Antonio
- 2023 · The Pope's Exorcist as The Pope
- 2023 · Django as Reverend
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2019 · Recon as Angelo
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 2017 · John Wick: Chapter 2 as Julius
- 2016 · Delicious as Joe Benelli
- 2016 · Emigratis as Self
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2013 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 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
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustinus (age 76)
- 2008 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 2008 · Bathory: Countess of Blood as King Mathias
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2001 · Ulisse - Il piacere della scoperta as Self
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roberto Distasio
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1996 · The Innocent Sleep as Adolfo Cavani
- 1995 · Viva el lunes as Self
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Dr. Peter Milne
- 1982 · Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World as John Reed
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 1979 · The Shark Hunter as Mike di Donato
- 1979 · Mimi as Guido
- 1979 · The Visitor as Jesus Christ
- 1977 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 1977 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1974 · Challenge to White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1974 · Der große Preis as Self
- 1974 · Blood Brothers as Nicola Bellizzi
- 1971 · The Fifth Cord as Andrea Bild
- 1970 · Tristana as Horacio
- 1968 · The Mercenary as Sergei Kowalski, The Polish
- 1967 · Camelot as Lancelot Du Lac
- 1966 · The Bible: In the Beginning... as Abel
- 1966 · The Third Eye as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
- 1966 · Django as Django
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- Future · Roma elastica as
- 2025 · The Estate as
- 2025 · In the Hand of Dante as Don Lecco
- 2024 · Titanus 1904 as Self
- 2023 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Valentino's Spirit
- 2022 · The Man from Rome as The Pope
- 2021 · The Duel as
- 2021 · Off the Rails as Giovanni
- 2021 · The Match as Old Branko
- 2020 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2019 · Christmas in Rome as Luigi Forlinghetti
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 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
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 2014 · Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Self - Actor
- 2014 · Love Island as Marquis Polesini
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2013 · Istintobrass as Self
- 2012 · Crazy Dog as Alvaro Genta
- 2012 · Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s as Self
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2008 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2005 · Forever Blues as Luca
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 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 · The Medal as Ing. Ferrero
- 1997 · David as Nathan
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1992 · Brothers and Sisters as Franco
- 1992 · Gold as Gabriele da Poppi
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 1987 · Sweet Country as Paul
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1982 · Querelle as Lieutenant Seblon
- 1982 · Grog as Nicola Fanelli
- 1982 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico on Fire as John Reed
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 1980 · The Blue-Eyed Bandit as Renzo Dominici
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1974 · The Last Four Days as Walter Audisio
- 1973 · Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears as Johnny Ears
- 1972 · The Monk as Ambrosio
- 1972 · The Harder They Come as Django (archive footage)
- 1971 · Vacation as Osiride
- 1970 · Compañeros as Yodlaf Peterson
- 1970 · The Virgin and the Gypsy as The gypsy
- 1969 · Detective Belli as Commissario Stefano Belli
- 1968 · The Day of the Owl as Captain Bellodi
- 1966 · Texas, Adios as Burt Sullivan
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as
- 2025 · The Run as Hunter
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2023 · On Our Way as
- 2023 · The Man Who Drew God as Emanuele
- 2022 · Buon Lavoro as
- 2021 · We Are Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained as Self - Actor
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2019 · A Rose in Winter as Rainer Praeger
- 2019 · The Collini Case as Fabrizio Collini
- 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
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Killer Mermaid as Niko
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2012 · The Last Alchemist as Felix the Alchemist
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustine of Hippo
- 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 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2008 · Il sangue e la rosa as Conte Uberto Mancini
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 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 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 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
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2003 · The Uncrowned Heart as Bear's Trainer
- 2002 · The Last Gunfighter as The pistolero
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 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 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle as Self
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Mirka as Il Sindaco
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1996 · Il Ritorno di Sandokan as Yogi Azim
- 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 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1992 · From Time to Time as Leonard De Vinci
- 1992 · Amelia Lópes O'Neill as Fernando
- 1991 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1989 · Blaues Blut as Sandro Castellani
- 1989 · A Double Victory as Saverio Pallucca
- 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
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1982 · Red Bells as John Reed
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 1980 · The Man with Bogart's Face as Hakim
- 1979 · Le rose di Danzica as General Konrad von Der Berg
- 1978 · The Pirate as Baydr Al Fay
- 1978 · Force 10 from Navarone as Lescovar
- 1975 · The Legend of Valentino as Rudolph Valentino
- 1975 · The Flower in His Mouth as Professore Michele Belcore
- 1975 · Death Rite as Sadry
- 1975 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 1974 · Street Law as Carlo Antonelli
- 1973 · White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1973 · The Assassination of Matteotti as Giacomo Matteotti
- 1973 · High Crime as Commissario Belli
- 1973 · Redneck as Mosquito
- 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 · Confessions of a Police Captain as Sostituto Procuratore Traini
- 1970 · Dropout as Bruno
- 1970 · The Fifth Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 1969 · The Battle of Neretva as Capitano Michele Rossi
- 1968 · A Quiet Place in the Country as Leonardo Ferri
- 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 Hired Killer as Tony Lo Bello
- 1965 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as