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 · Roma elastica as The Old Filmmaker
- 2026 · In the Hand of Dante as Don Lecco
- 2025 · The Estate as
- 2024 · Titanus 1904 as Self
- 2024 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2023 · On Our Way as
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2021 · Off the Rails as Giovanni
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2019 · Christmas in Rome as Luigi Forlinghetti
- 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 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2013 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2008 · Il sangue e la rosa as Conte Uberto Mancini
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 2006 · The Holy Family as Zachary
- 2006 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2005 · The Spaghetti West as Self
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 2002 · The Last Gunfighter as The pistolero
- 2001 · La voce del sangue as Antonio Castaldi
- 2001 · Chimera as Imprenditore
- 2001 · Sacra Corona as Bishop Gellért
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 1999 · Li chiamarono... briganti! as Caporale Nerza
- 1998 · Il tesoro di Damasco as Andrea
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1994 · The Dragon Ring as Dragon King
- 1993 · Das Babylon Komplott as Chris Lang
- 1988 · Young Toscanini as Claudio Toscanini
- 1988 · Top Line as Ted Angelo
- 1988 · Race to Danger as Francis, il marinaio
- 1988 · Run for Your Life as Commissario
- 1987 · Sweet Country as Paul
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1982 · Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World as John Reed
- 1981 · Le rose di Danzica as Il generale Konrad Von Den Berg
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 1979 · The Shark Hunter as Mike di Donato
- 1979 · Le rose di Danzica as General Konrad von Der Berg
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1975 · The Legend of Valentino as Rudolph Valentino
- 1975 · The Flower in His Mouth as Professore Michele Belcore
- 1974 · Street Law as Carlo Antonelli
- 1971 · The Case Is Closed, Forget It as Vanzi
- 1970 · The Fifth Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 1967 · Man, Pride and Vengeance as José
- 1965 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- 2026 · Il Vecchio Terribile as Oste
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2023 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Valentino's Spirit
- 2023 · Giorni felici as Antonio
- 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 · The Duel as
- 2021 · We Are Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained as Self - Actor
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2021 · The Match as Old Branko
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2019 · Recon as Angelo
- 2019 · The Collini Case as Fabrizio Collini
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 2017 · Iceman as Ditob
- 2017 · The Broken Key as Hiram Abif
- 2017 · The Neighborhood as Guglielmo
- 2017 · Il crimine non va in pensione as il primario
- 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
- 2016 · Road to Ruin as Self
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2014 · Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Self - Actor
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Killer Mermaid as Niko
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2013 · Istintobrass as Self
- 2013 · I Tarantiniani as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Amerigo Vessepi
- 2012 · The Last Alchemist as Felix the Alchemist
- 2012 · Crazy Dog as Alvaro Genta
- 2012 · Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s as Self
- 2011 · Cars 2 as Uncle Topolino (voice)
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2010 · Rasputin as Narratore
- 2010 · Letters to Juliet as Lorenzo
- 2010 · Restless Heart: The Confessions of Augustine as Augustinus (age 76)
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustine of Hippo
- 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 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 2008 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2008 · Bathory: Countess of Blood as King Mathias
- 2008 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2007 · L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII as Caifa
- 2007 · Two Families as Morandi
- 2006 · Amore e libertà - Masaniello as Vicerè
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 2005 · Forever Blues as Luca
- 2005 · Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker as Self
- 2005 · Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show as Judge
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2003 · The Uncrowned Heart as Bear's Trainer
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2001 · Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as General Francini
- 2001 · Ulisse - The Pleasure of Discovery as Self
- 2001 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle 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 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1997 · David as Nathan
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1996 · The Return of Sandokan as Yogi Azim
- 1996 · The Innocent Sleep as Adolfo Cavani
- 1995 · Viva el lunes as Self
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 1995 · Desideria e l'anello del drago as Dragon King
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 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 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 1989 · Blaues Blut as Sandro Castellani
- 1989 · A Double Victory as Saverio Pallucca
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1987 · Django Strikes Again as Django
- 1987 · The Girl as Johan (John) Berg
- 1986 · Un altare per la madre as -
- 1985 · The Repenter as Falco
- 1985 · André schafft sie alle as Andre
- 1985 · Devil's Crude as Nick
- 1984 · The Last Days of Pompeii as Arbaces
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Dr. Peter Milne
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1982 · Querelle as Lieutenant Seblon
- 1982 · Grog as Nicola Fanelli
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1982 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico in Flames as John Reed
- 1982 · Sergey Bondarchuk as Self
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 1980 · The Man with Bogart's Face as Hakim
- 1980 · The Blue-Eyed Bandit as Renzo Dominici
- 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 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 1977 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1975 · Death Rite as Sadry
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1975 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 1974 · Challenge to White Fang as Jason Scott
- 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
- 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 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1968 · The Day of the Owl as Captain Bellodi
- 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 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- 1966 · The Wild, Wild Planet as Lt. Jake
- 1966 · The Third Eye as Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
- 1966 · Django as Django
- 1966 · The Hired Killer as Tony Lo Bello
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as
- Future · El Sobrino as
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as