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 · 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
- 2022 · Buon Lavoro as
- 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 · The Collini Case as Fabrizio Collini
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 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 · The Time of Their Lives as Alberto
- 2017 · John Wick: Chapter 2 as Julius
- 2016 · Delicious as Joe Benelli
- 2016 · Emigratis as Self
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2014 · Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Self - Actor
- 2014 · Killer Mermaid as Niko
- 2013 · Istintobrass as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Amerigo Vessepi
- 2012 · Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s as Self
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2011 · Cars 2 as Uncle Topolino (voice)
- 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 · 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 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2007 · L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII as Caifa
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2001 · Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as General Francini
- 2001 · Ulisse - Il piacere della scoperta as Self
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 2000 · Mirka as Il Sindaco
- 1999 · Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Roberto Distasio
- 1998 · Talk of Angels as Dr. Vicente Areavaga
- 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 · David as Nathan
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1996 · The Return of Sandokan as Yogi Azim
- 1995 · Viva el lunes as Self
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 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 · Young Toscanini as Claudio Toscanini
- 1988 · Top Line as Ted Angelo
- 1987 · Django Strikes Again as Django
- 1987 · The Girl as Johan (John) Berg
- 1984 · The Last Days of Pompeii as Arbaces
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Dr. Peter Milne
- 1982 · Querelle as Lieutenant Seblon
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1982 · Red Bells as John Reed
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico on Fire 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
- 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 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1975 · Death Rite as Sadry
- 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
- 1970 · Compañeros as Yodlaf Peterson
- 1970 · Dropout as Bruno
- 1970 · The Fifth Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 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 · 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 · Django as Django
- 1966 · The Hired Killer as Tony Lo Bello
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- 2025 · The Run as Hunter
- 2023 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Valentino's Spirit
- 2023 · On Our Way as
- 2021 · We Are Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2019 · A Rose in Winter as Rainer Praeger
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 2014 · Love Island as Marquis Polesini
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2010 · Rasputin as Narratore
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustine of Hippo
- 2008 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2006 · The Holy Family as Zachary
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 2005 · Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker as Self
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2001 · La voce del sangue as Antonio Castaldi
- 2001 · Sacra Corona as Bishop Gellért
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 1999 · Li chiamarono... briganti! as Caporale Nerza
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1996 · The Innocent Sleep as Adolfo Cavani
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1992 · Brothers and Sisters as Franco
- 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 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1988 · Run for Your Life as Commissario
- 1987 · Sweet Country as Paul
- 1985 · The Repenter as Falco
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1982 · Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World as John Reed
- 1982 · Grog as Nicola Fanelli
- 1982 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 1980 · The Blue-Eyed Bandit as Renzo Dominici
- 1979 · The Shark Hunter as Mike di Donato
- 1977 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1975 · The Flower in His Mouth as Professore Michele Belcore
- 1975 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 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
- 1968 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1966 · The Wild, Wild Planet as Lt. Jake
- 1966 · The Third Eye as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
- 1965 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- 2012 · Crazy Dog as Alvaro Genta
- Future · Roma elastica as
- 2024 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2021 · The Duel as
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2017 · Il crimine non va in pensione as il primario
- 2013 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 2013 · I Tarantiniani as Self
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2008 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2006 · Amore e libertà - Masaniello as Vicerè
- 2006 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2005 · The Spaghetti West as Self
- 2005 · Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show as Judge
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 1998 · Il tesoro di Damasco as Andrea
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2023 · Giorni felici as Antonio
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2016 · Road to Ruin as Self
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2012 · The Last Alchemist as Felix the Alchemist
- 2007 · Two Families as Morandi
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2005 · Forever Blues as Luca
- 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
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2001 · Chimera as Imprenditore
- 2001 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle as Self
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1993 · Das Babylon Komplott as Chris Lang
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1989 · A Double Victory as Saverio Pallucca
- 1988 · Race to Danger as Francis, il marinaio
- 1986 · Un altare per la madre as -
- 1985 · André schafft sie alle as Andre
- 1985 · Devil's Crude as Nick
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1981 · Le rose di Danzica as Il generale Konrad Von Den Berg
- 1979 · Le rose di Danzica as General Konrad von Der Berg
- 1975 · The Legend of Valentino as Rudolph Valentino
- 1970 · The Virgin and the Gypsy as The gypsy
- 1966 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as