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 · In the Hand of Dante as Don Lecco
- 2025 · The Estate as
- 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 · 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
- 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
- 2017 · Iceman as Ditob
- 2017 · The Broken Key as Hiram Abif
- 2017 · The Neighborhood as Guglielmo
- 2017 · The Lost City of Z as Baron de Gondoriz
- 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 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Amerigo Vessepi
- 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
- 2008 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Four Seasons as Max Freeman
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2008 · Il sangue e la rosa as Conte Uberto Mancini
- 2008 · Bathory: Countess of Blood as King Mathias
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2007 · L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII as Caifa
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2001 · Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as General Francini
- 2001 · La voce del sangue as Antonio Castaldi
- 2001 · Ulisse - The pleasure of discovery as Self
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 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 · 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 · David as Nathan
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 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
- 1991 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 1989 · Blaues Blut as Sandro Castellani
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1988 · Young Toscanini as Claudio Toscanini
- 1988 · Top Line as Ted Angelo
- 1987 · Django Strikes Again as Django
- 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
- 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
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico in Flames as John Reed
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 1980 · The Man with Bogart's Face as Hakim
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 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 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1974 · Challenge to White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1974 · Street Law as Carlo Antonelli
- 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 · 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 · 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 · Vacation as Osiride
- 1971 · The Fifth Cord as Andrea Bild
- 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
- 1968 · The Mercenary as Sergei Kowalski, The Polish
- 1968 · A Quiet Place in the Country as Leonardo Ferri
- 1968 · The Day of the Owl as Captain Bellodi
- 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 · Massacre Time as Tom Corbett
- 1966 · The Wild, Wild Planet as Lt. Jake
- 1966 · Django as Django
- 1966 · The Hired Killer as Tony Lo Bello
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- Future · Roma elastica as
- 2024 · Titanus 1904 as Self
- 2024 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2023 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Valentino's Spirit
- 2023 · Giorni felici as Antonio
- 2023 · The Man Who Drew God as Emanuele
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 2017 · Il crimine non va in pensione as il primario
- 2017 · The Time of Their Lives as Alberto
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2014 · Love Island as Marquis Polesini
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2012 · Crazy Dog as Alvaro Genta
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 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 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2006 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 2005 · Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker as Self
- 2005 · The Spaghetti West as Self
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 2000 · Mirka as Il Sindaco
- 1998 · Il tesoro di Damasco as Andrea
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 1993 · Das Babylon Komplott as Chris Lang
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1992 · Brothers and Sisters as Franco
- 1992 · From Time to Time as Leonard De Vinci
- 1992 · Amelia Lópes O'Neill as Fernando
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1988 · Race to Danger as Francis, il marinaio
- 1988 · Run for Your Life as Commissario
- 1987 · The Girl as Johan (John) Berg
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1981 · Le rose di Danzica as Il generale Konrad Von Den Berg
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 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
- 1977 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 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 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 1971 · The Case Is Closed, Forget It as Vanzi
- 1970 · The Fifth Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 1969 · Detective Belli as Commissario Stefano Belli
- 1968 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1966 · The Third Eye as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
- 1965 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- 2022 · Buon Lavoro as
- 2021 · The Duel as
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 2016 · Road to Ruin as Self
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2013 · I Tarantiniani as Self
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2008 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 2008 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2006 · Amore e libertà - Masaniello as Vicerè
- 2003 · The Uncrowned Heart as Bear's Trainer
- 2002 · The Last Gunfighter as The pistolero
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 2001 · Chimera as Imprenditore
- 2001 · Sacra Corona as Bishop Gellért
- 1997 · The Medal as Ing. Ferrero
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1989 · A Double Victory as Saverio Pallucca
- 1985 · André schafft sie alle as Andre
- 1985 · Devil's Crude as Nick
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1966 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as
- 2026 · Il Vecchio Terribile as Oste
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2012 · The Last Alchemist as Felix the Alchemist
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 2007 · Two Families as Morandi
- 2006 · The Holy Family as Zachary
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 2005 · Forever Blues as Luca
- 2005 · Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show as Judge
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2001 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle as Self
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1992 · Gold as Gabriele da Poppi
- 1986 · Un altare per la madre as -
- 1982 · Sergey Bondarchuk as Self
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as
- Future · El Sobrino as