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.
Academy Awards
Best Actor
Known For
Life Is Beautiful
(1997)
Guido
Pinocchio
(2019)
Mister Geppetto
Pinocchio
(2002)
Pinocchio
Luna
(1979)
Upholsterer
Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar
(1999)
Lucius Detritus
To Rome with Love
(2012)
Leopoldo
Coffee and Cigarettes
(2004)
Roberto (segment "Strange to Meet You")
Down by Law
(1986)
Roberto
Night on Earth
(1991)
Cab Driver Rome
Son of the Pink Panther
(1993)
Gendarme Jacques Gambrelli
Nothing Left to Do But Cry
(1984)
Saverio
Johnny Stecchino
(1991)
Johnny Stecchino
The Tiger and the Snow
(2005)
Attilio de Giovanni
The Monster
(1994)
Loris
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Untouchable
(2019)
Himself (archive footage)
Full Filmography
Acting
Berlinguer: I Love You
(1977)
Mario Cioni
Cinématon
(1978)
N°801
Il parolaio
(1978)
Cliente
Vita da Cioni
(1978)
Womanlight
(1979)
Bartender at Clapsy's
Tigers in Lipstick
(1979)
The Principal
Seeking Asylum
(1979)
Roberto
Luna
(1979)
Upholsterer
The Days Are Numbered
(1979)
Il professore
In the Pope's Eye
(1980)
self
Il Resto del Pap'occhio
(1980)
self
The Soup
(1981)
Il maestro
Morto Troisi, viva Troisi!
(1982)
The anonymous childhood friend / Himself
FF.SS. cioè '...che mi hai portato a fare sopra a Posillipo se non mi vuoi più bene?'
(1983)
Lo sceicco Beige
You Upset Me
(1983)
Benigno
Roberto Benigni: Tuttobenigni
(1983)
Himself
Nothing Left to Do But Cry
(1984)
Saverio
Farewell to Enrico Berlinguer
(1984)
Self
Down by Law
(1986)
Roberto
Coffee and Cigarettes
(1986)
Roberto
The Little Devil
(1988)
Giuditta
The Voice of the Moon
(1990)
Ivo Salvini
Towards the Moon with Fellini
(1990)
Himself
Night on Earth
(1991)
Cab Driver Rome
Johnny Stecchino
(1991)
Johnny Stecchino
Son of the Pink Panther
(1993)
Gendarme Jacques Gambrelli
The Monster
(1994)
Loris
Tuttobenigni 95/96
(1996)
Roberto Benigni
Life Is Beautiful
(1997)
Guido
Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar
(1999)
Lucius Detritus
La strana coppia. Incontro con Age e Scarpelli
(2001)
Self
Pinocchio
(2002)
Pinocchio
The Magic of Fellini
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Fellini: I'm a Born Liar
(2003)
Self - La Voce della Luna
Caterina in the Big City
(2003)
Self
Cesare Zavattini
(2003)
Self
Coffee and Cigarettes
(2004)
Roberto (segment "Strange to Meet You")
The Tiger and the Snow
(2005)
Attilio de Giovanni
Isabella Rossellini - Aus dem Leben eines Schmetterlings
(2010)
Himself
La commedia di Amos Poe
(2010)
Narrator (voice)
To Rome with Love
(2012)
Leopoldo
La più bella del mondo
(2012)
Himself
Revisiting Life is Beautiful 15 Years After
(2012)
Self - (archival audio)
Opinioni di un clown - Roberto Benigni
(2012)
La più bella del mondo
(2012)
Close Up
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Cinque mondi
(2016)
Self
The Last Laugh
(2016)
Self
Marco Ferreri: Dangerous But Necessary
(2017)
Self
Evviva Giuseppe
(2017)
Himself
La voce di Fantozzi
(2017)
Sé stesso
Pinocchio
(2019)
Mister Geppetto
Cecchi Gori - Una famiglia italiana
(2019)
Self
Untouchable
(2019)
Himself (archive footage)
Once Upon a Time: Tonino Delli Colli, Cinematographer
(2019)
Himself
Paolo Conte, Come Away with Me
(2020)
Alida Valli: In Her Own Words
(2021)
Self
We Are Cinema
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
I magnifici 4 della risata
(2022)
Francesco Il Cantico
(2022)
Self - Host
Sanremo 2023. Tra Palco e realtà
(2023)
Self
Writing
Berlinguer: I Love You
(1977)
Screenplay and Story
Seeking Asylum
(1979)
Writer
You Upset Me
(1983)
Story and Screenplay
Nothing Left to Do But Cry
(1984)
Story and Screenplay
Coffee and Cigarettes
(1986)
Writer
The Little Devil
(1988)
Story and Screenplay
Johnny Stecchino
(1991)
Screenplay and Story
The Monster
(1994)
Story and Screenplay
Life Is Beautiful
(1997)
Screenplay and Story
Pinocchio
(2002)
Screenplay and Story
The Tiger and the Snow
(2005)
Author
Francesco Il Cantico
(2022)
Writer
Directing
You Upset Me
(1983)
Director
Nothing Left to Do But Cry
(1984)
Director
Farewell to Enrico Berlinguer
(1984)
Director
The Little Devil
(1988)
Director
Johnny Stecchino
(1991)
Director
The Monster
(1994)
Director
Tuttobenigni 95/96
(1996)
Director
Life Is Beautiful
(1997)
Director
Pinocchio
(2002)
Director
The Tiger and the Snow
(2005)
Director
Crew
Production