
Roberto Benigni
Acting
Roberto Benigni, (born October 27, 1952, Misericordia, Arezzo, Italy), Italian actor and director known for his comedic work, most notably La vita è bella (1997; Life Is Beautiful), for which he won an Academy Award for best actor. Benigni was the son of a poor tenant farmer who had worked in a German forced-labour camp during World War II. The elder Benigni used humour in retelling his experiences, which helped shape his son’s comedic skill. Benigni briefly attended a Jesuit seminary in Florence, and, after a stint as a magician’s assistant, he joined an underground theatre group in the late 1960s.
Known for

Life Is Beautiful
Guido

Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar
Lucius Detritus

Night on Earth
Cab Driver Rome

Pinocchio
Mister Geppetto

Luna
Upholsterer

Pinocchio
Pinocchio

Coffee and Cigarettes
Roberto (segment "Strange to Meet You")

Down by Law
Roberto

Son of the Pink Panther
Gendarme Jacques Gambrelli

The Monster
Loris

To Rome with Love
Leopoldo

Close Up
Self (archive footage)


