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 · 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
- 2023 · Giorni felici as Antonio
- 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 · Buon Lavoro as
- 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
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 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
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 2017 · Iceman as Ditob
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 2017 · The Neighborhood as Guglielmo
- 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
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 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 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Killer Mermaid as Niko
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2013 · Istintobrass as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Amerigo Vessepi
- 2012 · The Last Alchemist as Felix the Alchemist
- 2011 · Cars 2 as Uncle Topolino (voice)
- 2010 · Rasputin as Narratore
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2010 · Letters to Juliet as Lorenzo
- 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 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Bathory: Countess of Blood as King Mathias
- 2008 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2007 · Two Families as Morandi
- 2006 · The Holy Family as Zachary
- 2006 · Amore e libertà - Masaniello as Vicerè
- 2005 · Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker as Self
- 2005 · The Spaghetti West as Self
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2003 · The Uncrowned Heart as Bear's Trainer
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2001 · Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as General Francini
- 2001 · Sacra Corona as Bishop Gellért
- 2001 · Ulisse - Il piacere della scoperta as Self
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roberto Distasio
- 1998 · Talk of Angels as Dr. Vicente Areavaga
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1997 · Bella Mafia as Mario Domino
- 1997 · The Medal as Ing. Ferrero
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1996 · The Return of 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
- 1994 · The Dragon Ring as Dragon King
- 1993 · Das Babylon Komplott as Chris Lang
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1992 · Brothers and Sisters as Franco
- 1992 · Gold as Gabriele da Poppi
- 1992 · Amelia Lópes O'Neill as Fernando
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 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
- 1987 · Sweet Country as Paul
- 1985 · The Repenter as Falco
- 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 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 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 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 1977 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1975 · The Legend of Valentino as Rudolph Valentino
- 1975 · The Flower in His Mouth as Professore Michele Belcore
- 1975 · Death Rite as Sadry
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1975 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 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 · The Assassination of Matteotti as Giacomo Matteotti
- 1973 · Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears as Johnny Ears
- 1973 · Redneck as Mosquito
- 1972 · The Monk as Ambrosio
- 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 · The Fifth Cord as Andrea Bild
- 1970 · Dropout as Bruno
- 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 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1967 · Man, Pride and Vengeance as José
- 1967 · Camelot as Lancelot Du Lac
- 1966 · The Bible: In the Beginning... as Abel
- 1966 · Texas, Adios as Burt Sullivan
- 1966 · The Wild, Wild Planet as Lt. Jake
- 1966 · The Third Eye as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
- 1966 · Django as Django
- 1965 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- Future · Roma elastica as
- 2022 · The Man from Rome as The Pope
- 2020 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2013 · I Tarantiniani as Self
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustine of Hippo
- 2008 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Four Seasons as Max Freeman
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2007 · L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII as Caifa
- 2006 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 1998 · Il tesoro di Damasco as Andrea
- 1997 · Painted Lady as Robert Tassi
- 1991 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 1985 · Devil's Crude as Nick
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 1980 · The Man with Bogart's Face as Hakim
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 1973 · White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1973 · High Crime as Commissario Belli
- 1970 · Compañeros as Yodlaf Peterson
- 1968 · The Day of the Owl as Captain Bellodi
- 1966 · Massacre Time as Tom Corbett
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- 2025 · The Run as Hunter
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2017 · The Broken Key as Hiram Abif
- 2017 · Il crimine non va in pensione as il primario
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2013 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 2012 · Crazy Dog as Alvaro Genta
- 2012 · Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s as Self
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2008 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2008 · Il sangue e la rosa as Conte Uberto Mancini
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 2005 · Forever Blues as Luca
- 2005 · Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show as Judge
- 2002 · The Last Gunfighter as The pistolero
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2001 · La voce del sangue as Antonio Castaldi
- 2001 · Chimera as Imprenditore
- 2001 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle as Self
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 2000 · Mirka as Il Sindaco
- 1999 · Li chiamarono... briganti! as Caporale Nerza
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1997 · David as Nathan
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1995 · Desideria e l'anello del drago as Dragon King
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1992 · From Time to Time as Leonard De Vinci
- 1989 · Blaues Blut as Sandro Castellani
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1986 · Un altare per la madre as -
- 1985 · André schafft sie alle as Andre
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico on Fire as John Reed
- 1982 · Red Bells as John Reed
- 1980 · The Blue-Eyed Bandit as Renzo Dominici
- 1974 · Street Law as Carlo Antonelli
- 1972 · Pope Joan as Louis
- 1971 · Confessions of a Police Captain as Sostituto Procuratore Traini
- 1970 · The Virgin and the Gypsy as The gypsy
- 1970 · The Fifth Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 1968 · A Quiet Place in the Country as Leonardo Ferri
- 1966 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- 1966 · The Hired Killer as Tony Lo Bello
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as