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Roberto Benigni
Biography
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
as Guido
Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar
as Lucius Detritus
Pinocchio
as Mister Geppetto
Night on Earth
as Cab Driver Rome
Coffee and Cigarettes
as Roberto (segment "Strange to Meet You")
To Rome with Love
as Leopoldo
Son of the Pink Panther
as Gendarme Jacques Gambrelli
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self (archive footage)
Down by Law
as Roberto
Untouchable
as Himself (archive footage)
