Franco Nero

Biography

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

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Cars 2

John Wick: Chapter 2

Django Unchained

The Hitchhiker

Die Hard 2

In the Hand of Dante

Through the Night with...

All Movies (226)

• Roma elastica2026 · as The Old Filmmaker
• In the Hand of Dante2026 · as Don Lecco
• Il Vecchio Terribile2026 · as Oste
• The Estate2025
• Titanus 19042024 · as Self
• Compagni d'arte2024
• The Jester from Transylvania2024 · as One-eye
• Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black2023 · as Valentino's Spirit
• Giorni felici2023 · as Antonio
• On Our Way2023
• The Pope's Exorcist2023 · as The Pope
• The Man Who Drew God2023 · as Emanuele
• The Man from Rome2022 · as The Pope
• Buon Lavoro2022
• The Duel2021
• We Are Cinema2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained2021 · as Self - Actor
• Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto2021 · as Self
• Off the Rails2021 · as Giovanni
• Two Men Alone2021 · as Himself
• The Match2021 · as Old Branko
• The Dark Dance2020 · as L'Impresario
• Harmonie2020
• Immortalist2020 · as Paolo Spersoni
• Entree Des Artists2020 · as Henry's Grandfather
• Havana Kyrie2019 · as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
• Christmas in Rome2019 · as Luigi Forlinghetti
• Recon2019 · as Angelo
• A Rose in Winter2019 · as Rainer Praeger
• The Collini Case2019 · as Fabrizio Collini
• Ed è subito sera2019
• Red Land2018 · as Professor Ambrosin
• Iceman2017 · as Ditob
• The Broken Key2017 · as Hiram Abif
• Agony2017 · as Carlo
• The Neighborhood2017 · as Guglielmo
• Il crimine non va in pensione2017 · as il primario
• The Lost City of Z2017 · as Baron de Gondoriz
• The Time of Their Lives2017 · as Alberto
• John Wick: Chapter 22017 · as Julius
• Road to Ruin2016 · as Self
• Along the River2016 · as Frank De Ville
• Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man2015 · as Himself
• Earth2015
• Road to Capri2015 · as Guido
• Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films2014 · as Self - Actor
• Figli di Maam2014
• Love Island2014 · as Marquis Polesini
• Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema2014 · as Self
• Killer Mermaid2014 · as Niko
• Obsessive Rhythms2014 · as Carmine
• Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres…2014 · as Lui-même
• Handy2013 · as Frank The Black
• Istintobrass2013 · as Self
• Memories They Told Me2013 · as Paolo
• The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti2013 · as Self
• I Tarantiniani2013 · as Self
• Django Unchained2012 · as Amerigo Vessepi
• The Last Alchemist2012 · as Felix the Alchemist
• Crazy Dog2012 · as Alvaro Genta
• Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s2012 · as Self
• New Order2012 · as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
• Cars 22011 · as Uncle Topolino (voice)
• Father2011 · as Enrico
• Rasputin2010 · as Narratore
• Prigioniero di un segreto2010 · as Il barbone
• Letters to Juliet2010 · as Lorenzo
• Restless Heart: The Confessions of Augustine2010 · as Augustinus (age 76)
• Franco Cristaldi e il suo cinema Paradiso2009
• Killing Is My Business, Honey2009 · as Enrico Puzzo
• Márió, a varázsló2008 · as Mario
• A Night at the Grand Hotel2008 · as Ferran Moreno
• Mein Herz in Chile2008 · as Carlos Sanchez
• Bathory: Countess of Blood2008 · as King Mathias
• La rabbia2008 · as Mentore
• Bastardi2008 · as Rene Iuvara
• Mineurs2007 · as Michele Acucella
• The Final Inquiry2007 · as Caifa
• Two Families2007 · as Morandi
• The Holy Family2006 · as Zachary
• Amore e libertà - Masaniello2006 · as Vicerè
• Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern2006 · as Self
• Hans2006 · as Giudice/barbone
• Giornata Nera2006
• Summer Solstice2005 · as Lorenzo
• Forever Blues2005 · as Luca
• Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker2005 · as Self
• The Spaghetti West2005 · as Self
• Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show2005 · as Judge
• Post Coitum2004 · as Bakchus
• Guardians of the Clouds2004 · as Padre
• Bad Inclination2003 · as Il barbone
• The Uncrowned Heart2003 · as Bear's Trainer
• The Last Gunfighter2002 · as The pistolero
• Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell2002 · as Giuseppe Mantaldo
• Fumata blanca2002 · as Cardenal Tura
• Ultimo stadio2002 · as Antonio
• In the Company of Compañeros2001 · as Self
• La ragion pura2001 · as Marito
• Megiddo: The Omega Code 22001 · as General Francini
• Chimera2001 · as Imprenditore
• Sacra Corona2001 · as Bishop Gellért
• Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle2001 · as Self
• The Crusaders2001 · as Ibnazul
• Saint Paul2000 · as Gamaliel
• Winds of Passion2000 · as Michele Giangrande
• Uninvited2000 · as Ralph Barolo
• Mirka2000 · as Il Sindaco
• Li chiamarono... briganti!1999 · as Caporale Nerza
• Talk of Angels1998 · as Dr. Vicente Areavaga
• Il tesoro di Damasco1998 · as Andrea
• The Versace Murder1998 · as Gianni Versace
• Bella Mafia1997 · as Mario Domino
• The Medal1997 · as Ing. Ferrero
• Rack Up1997 · as Jesus Barro
• David1997 · as Natan
• Desert of Fire1997 · as Marcel Duvivier
• The Conquest1996 · as Árpád vezér
• The Innocent Sleep1996 · as Adolfo Cavani
• Io e il re1995 · as Maggiore Ferri
• Jonathan of the Bears1995 · as Jonathan
• The Dragon Ring1994 · as Dragon King
• Das Babylon Komplott1993 · as Chris Lang
• Test of Memory1993 · as Paul Herzog
• Der Fall Lucona1993 · as Enzo Lombardi
• Azzurro profondo1993 · as Luca Morinari
• Brothers and Sisters1992 · as Franco
• Gold1992 · as Gabriele da Poppi
• From Time to Time1992 · as Leonard De Vinci
• Amelia Lópes O'Neill1992 · as Fernando
• Touch and Die1991 · as Aquani
• Breath of Life1990 · as Angelo
• Die Hard 21990 · as General Ramon Esperanza
• A Double Victory1989 · as Saverio Pallucca
• Magdalene1988 · as Janza
• Young Toscanini1988 · as Claudio Toscanini
• Top Line1988 · as Ted Angelo
• Race to Danger1988 · as Francis, il marinaio
• Run for Your Life1988 · as Commissario
• Django Strikes Again1987 · as Django
• The Girl1987 · as Johan (John) Berg
• Sweet Country1987 · as Paul
• Un altare per la madre1986 · as -
• The Repenter1985 · as Falco
• André schafft sie alle1985 · as Andre
• Devil's Crude1985 · as Nick
• Die Försterbuben1984 · as Böhme
• The Falcon1983 · as Banović Strahinja
• Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World1982 · as John Reed
• Querelle1982 · as Lieutenant Seblon
• Grog1982 · as Nicola Fanelli
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works1982 · as Self
• Kamikaze '891982 · as Weiss
• Red Bells Part I: Mexico in Flames1982 · as John Reed
• Sergey Bondarchuk1982 · as Self
• Enter the Ninja1981 · as Cole
• The Salamander1981 · as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
• The Man with Bogart's Face1980 · as Hakim
• Day of the Cobra1980 · as Larry Stanziani
• The Blue-Eyed Bandit1980 · as Renzo Dominici
• The Shark Hunter1979 · as Mike di Donato
• Le rose di Danzica1979 · as General Konrad von Der Berg
• Mimi1979 · as Guido
• The Visitor1979 · as Jesus Christ
• The Pirate1978 · as Baydr Al Fay
• Force 10 from Navarone1978 · as Lescovar
• Sahara Cross1977 · as Jean Ballard
• Hitch Hike1977 · as Walter Mancini
• 21 Hours at Munich1976 · as Issa
• Keoma1976 · as Keoma
• Submission1976 · as Armand
• Victory March1976 · as Captain Asciutto
• The Legend of Valentino1975 · as Rudolph Valentino
• The Flower in His Mouth1975 · as Professore Michele Belcore
• Death Rite1975 · as Sadry
• Cry, Onion!1975 · as Onion Stark
• How to Kill a Judge1975 · as Giacomo Solaris
• Smiling Maniacs1975 · as Judge Dani
• Challenge to White Fang1974 · as Jason Scott
• Street Law1974 · as Carlo Antonelli
• The Last Four Days1974 · as Walter Audisio
• Blood Brothers1974 · as Nicola Bellizzi
• White Fang1973 · as Jason Scott
• The Assassination of Matteotti1973 · as Giacomo Matteotti
• High Crime1973 · as Commissario Belli
• Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears1973 · as Johnny Ears
• Redneck1973 · as Mosquito
• The Monk1972 · as Ambrosio
• Pope Joan1972 · as Louis
• The Harder They Come1972 · as Django (archive footage)
• Don't Turn the Other Cheek1971 · as Prince Dimitri Vassilovich Vladek Orlowsky
• The Case Is Closed, Forget It1971 · as Vanzi
• Vacation1971 · as Osiride
• The Fifth Cord1971 · as Andrea Bild
• Confessions of a Police Captain1971 · as Sostituto Procuratore Traini
• Compañeros1970 · as Yodlaf Peterson
• Dropout1970 · as Bruno
• The Virgin and the Gypsy1970 · as The gypsy
• The Fifth Day of Peace1970 · as Bruno Grauber
• Tristana1970 · as Horacio
• The Battle of Neretva1969 · as Capitano Michele Rossi
• Detective Belli1969 · as Commissario Stefano Belli
• The Mercenary1968 · as Sergei Kowalski, The Polish
• A Quiet Place in the Country1968 · as Leonardo Ferri
• Sardinia Kidnapped1968 · as Gavino
• The Day of the Owl1968 · as Captain Bellodi
• Man, Pride and Vengeance1967 · as José
• Camelot1967 · as Lancelot Du Lac
• The Bible: In the Beginning...1966 · as Abel
• Texas, Adios1966 · as Burt Sullivan
• Massacre Time1966 · as Tom Corbett
• War of the Planets1966 · as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
• The Wild, Wild Planet1966 · as Lt. Jake
• The Third Eye1966 · as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
• Django1966 · as Django
• The Hired Killer1966 · as Tony Lo Bello
• The Tramplers1965 · as Charley Garvey
• I Knew Her Well1965 · as Italo - The garage attendant
• La Celestina P… R…1965 · as Fabrizio
• Italian Engagement1964
• Un delitto1963
• Scorched Skin1962
• La battaglia di Gorthene—
• The Temptation Of Gracie—
• Django Lives!— · as Django
• El Sobrino—

All TV Shows (33)

• Django2023 · as Reverend
• Delicious2016 · as Joe Benelli
• Emigratis2016 · as Self
• Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire2010 · as Augustine of Hippo
• Rosamunde Pilcher's Four Seasons2008 · as Max Freeman
• Mein Herz in Chile2008 · as Carlos Sanchez
• Il sangue e la rosa2008 · as Conte Uberto Mancini
• L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII2007 · as Caifa
• Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love2005
• Der Fürst und das Mädchen2003
• Through the Night with...2002 · as Self
• Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften2002 · as Fashion Billionaire
• The Crusaders2001 · as Ibnazul
• La voce del sangue2001 · as Antonio Castaldi
• Ulisse - The Pleasure of Discovery2001 · as Self
• Saint Paul2000 · as Gamaliel
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Roberto Distasio
• Painted Lady1997 · as Robert Tassi
• Desert of Fire1997 · as Marcel Duvivier
• David1997 · as Nathan
• Davide1997 · as Nathan
• The Return of Sandokan1996 · as Yogi Azim
• Viva el lunes1995 · as Self
• Desideria e l'anello del drago1995 · as Dragon King
• Young Catherine1991 · as Count Vorontsov
• I promessi sposi1989 · as fra Cristoforo
• Blaues Blut1989 · as Sandro Castellani
• The Last Days of Pompeii1984 · as Arbaces
• The Hitchhiker1983 · as Dr. Peter Milne
• Na sowas!1982 · as Self
• Le rose di Danzica1981 · as Il generale Konrad Von Den Berg
• The Pirate1977 · as Baydr Al Fay
• Der große Preis1974 · as Self