
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 Run as Hunter
- 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 · Recon as Angelo
- 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 · 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
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2001 · Ulisse - Il piacere della scoperta as Self
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roberto Distasio
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1995 · Viva el lunes as Self
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- 1992 · Gold as Gabriele da Poppi
- 1992 · From Time to Time as Leonard De Vinci
- 1992 · Amelia Lópes O'Neill as Fernando
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 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 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 1977 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1974 · Challenge to White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1974 · Der große Preis as Self
- 1971 · Vacation as Osiride
- 1970 · Tristana as Horacio
- 1967 · Camelot as Lancelot Du Lac
- 1966 · The Bible: In the Beginning... as Abel
- 1966 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- Future · Roma elastica as
- 2025 · The Estate as
- 2025 · In the Hand of Dante as Don Lecco
- 2024 · Titanus 1904 as Self
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2023 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Valentino's Spirit
- 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 · Off the Rails as Giovanni
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2021 · The Match as Old Branko
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2019 · The Collini Case as Fabrizio Collini
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 2017 · Iceman as Ditob
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 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
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2014 · Love Island as Marquis Polesini
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 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 · 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
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2010 · Rasputin as Narratore
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustinus (age 76)
- 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 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 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 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 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 · 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
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 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 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 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
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 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
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1997 · Painted Lady as Robert Tassi
- 1997 · Bella Mafia as Mario Domino
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1997 · The Medal as Ing. Ferrero
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1997 · David as Nathan
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1996 · Il Ritorno di Sandokan as Yogi Azim
- 1996 · The Innocent Sleep as Adolfo Cavani
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 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 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1992 · Brothers and Sisters as Franco
- 1991 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 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 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1984 · The Last Days of Pompeii as Arbaces
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1982 · Querelle as Lieutenant Seblon
- 1982 · Grog as Nicola Fanelli
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 1980 · The Man with Bogart's Face as Hakim
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 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 · 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 · 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
- 1974 · The Last Four Days as Walter Audisio
- 1974 · Blood Brothers as Nicola Bellizzi
- 1973 · White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1973 · The Assassination of Matteotti as Giacomo Matteotti
- 1973 · High Crime as Commissario Belli
- 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)
- 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 · The Fifth Cord as Andrea Bild
- 1971 · Confessions of a Police Captain as Sostituto Procuratore Traini
- 1970 · Dropout as Bruno
- 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 · A Quiet Place in the Country as Leonardo Ferri
- 1968 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1968 · The Day of the Owl as Captain Bellodi
- 1967 · Man, Pride and Vengeance as José
- 1966 · Texas, Adios as Burt Sullivan
- 1966 · Massacre Time as Tom Corbett
- 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
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- 1966 · The Wild, Wild Planet as Lt. Jake
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as