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 (86)
- 2025 · The Estate as
- 2024 · Titanus 1904 as Self
- 2023 · On Our Way as
- 2023 · The Pope's Exorcist as The Pope
- 2023 · Django as Reverend
- 2022 · The Man from Rome as The Pope
- 2022 · Buon Lavoro as
- 2021 · We Are Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 · Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained as Self - Actor
- 2021 · Off the Rails as Giovanni
- 2021 · Two Men Alone as Himself
- 2021 · The Match as Old Branko
- 2019 · Havana Kyrie as Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
- 2019 · Recon as Angelo
- 2019 · A Rose in Winter as Rainer Praeger
- 2019 · The Collini Case as Fabrizio Collini
- 2017 · Iceman as Ditob
- 2017 · The Broken Key as Hiram Abif
- 2017 · The Neighborhood as Guglielmo
- 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
- 2015 · Road to Capri as Guido
- 2014 · Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films as Self - Actor
- 2014 · Love Island as Marquis Polesini
- 2014 · Killer Mermaid as Niko
- 2013 · Istintobrass as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Amerigo Vessepi
- 2011 · Cars 2 as Uncle Topolino (voice)
- 2011 · Father as Enrico
- 2010 · Rasputin as Narratore
- 2010 · Letters to Juliet as Lorenzo
- 2010 · Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire as Augustine of Hippo
- 2010 · Restless Heart: The Confessions of Augustine as Augustinus (age 76)
- 2008 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Four Seasons as Max Freeman
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2008 · Il sangue e la rosa as Conte Uberto Mancini
- 2008 · Bathory: Countess of Blood as King Mathias
- 2007 · The Final Inquiry as Caifa
- 2007 · L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII as Caifa
- 2005 · Summer Solstice as Lorenzo
- 2005 · The Spaghetti West as Self
- 2005 · Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love as
- 2003 · Der Fürst und das Mädchen as
- 2002 · Through the Night with... as Self
- 2002 · Fumata blanca as Cardenal Tura
- 2002 · Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften as Fashion Billionaire
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2001 · Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as General Francini
- 2001 · Ulisse - The Pleasure of Discovery as Self
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 2000 · Saint Paul as Gamaliel
- 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 · David as Nathan
- 1997 · David as Natan
- 1997 · Davide as Nathan
- 1997 · Desert of Fire as Marcel Duvivier
- 1996 · The Conquest as Árpád vezér
- 1996 · The Return of Sandokan as Yogi Azim
- 1995 · Viva el lunes as Self
- 1995 · Jonathan of the Bears as Jonathan
- 1995 · Desideria e l'anello del drago as Dragon King
- 1994 · The Dragon Ring as Dragon King
- 1993 · Der Fall Lucona as Enzo Lombardi
- 1991 · Young Catherine as Count Vorontsov
- 1991 · Touch and Die as Aquani
- 1990 · Die Hard 2 as General Ramon Esperanza
- 1989 · I promessi sposi as fra Cristoforo
- 1989 · Blaues Blut as Sandro Castellani
- 1988 · Top Line as Ted Angelo
- 1987 · Django Strikes Again as Django
- 1987 · The Girl as Johan (John) Berg
- 1987 · Sweet Country as Paul
- 1984 · The Last Days of Pompeii as Arbaces
- 1983 · The Hitchhiker as Dr. Peter Milne
- 1982 · Querelle as Lieutenant Seblon
- 1982 · Grog as Nicola Fanelli
- 1982 · Kamikaze '89 as Weiss
- 1982 · Na sowas! as Self
- 1982 · Red Bells Part I: Mexico in Flames as John Reed
- 1981 · The Salamander as Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
- 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 · Hitch Hike as Walter Mancini
- 1976 · Keoma as Keoma
- 1976 · Submission as Armand
- 1975 · Death Rite as Sadry
- 1975 · Cry, Onion! as Onion Stark
- 1974 · Street Law as Carlo Antonelli
- 1974 · Der große Preis as Self
- 1974 · The Last Four Days as Walter Audisio
- 1973 · White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1973 · Redneck as Mosquito
- 1972 · The Monk as Ambrosio
- 1972 · The Harder They Come as Django (archive footage)
- 1971 · Vacation as Osiride
- 1970 · Compañeros as Yodlaf Peterson
- 1970 · The Fifth Day of Peace as Bruno Grauber
- 1970 · Tristana as Horacio
- 1969 · The Battle of Neretva as Capitano Michele Rossi
- 1968 · The Mercenary as Sergei Kowalski, The Polish
- 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
- 1965 · I Knew Her Well as Italo - The garage attendant
- Future · El Sobrino as
- 1985 · The Repenter as Falco
- 1981 · Le rose di Danzica as Il generale Konrad Von Den Berg
- 1975 · How to Kill a Judge as Giacomo Solaris
- 1974 · Challenge to White Fang as Jason Scott
- 1973 · High Crime as Commissario Belli
- 1973 · Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears as Johnny Ears
- 1972 · Pope Joan as Louis
- 1971 · Don't Turn the Other Cheek as Prince Dimitri Vassilovich Vladek Orlowsky
- 1969 · Detective Belli as Commissario Stefano Belli
- Future · Django Lives! as Django
- 2026 · Il Vecchio Terribile as Oste
- 2024 · Compagni d'arte as
- 2024 · The Jester from Transylvania as One-eye
- 2023 · Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black as Valentino's Spirit
- 2023 · Giorni felici as Antonio
- 2023 · The Man Who Drew God as Emanuele
- 2021 · The Duel as
- 2021 · Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto as Self
- 2020 · The Dark Dance as L'Impresario
- 2019 · Ed è subito sera as
- 2018 · Red Land as Professor Ambrosin
- 2017 · Il crimine non va in pensione as il primario
- 2015 · Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man as Himself
- 2013 · The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti as Self
- 2009 · Franco Cristaldi e il suo cinema Paradiso as
- 2008 · Márió, a varázsló as Mario
- 2008 · Bastardi as Rene Iuvara
- 2006 · Amore e libertà - Masaniello as Vicerè
- 2006 · Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern as Self
- 2006 · Hans as Giudice/barbone
- 2005 · Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker as Self
- 2003 · Bad Inclination as Il barbone
- 2003 · The Uncrowned Heart as Bear's Trainer
- 2001 · In the Company of Compañeros as Self
- 2001 · La ragion pura as Marito
- 2001 · Chimera as Imprenditore
- 2000 · Mirka as Il Sindaco
- 1998 · Il tesoro di Damasco as Andrea
- 1995 · Io e il re as Maggiore Ferri
- 1993 · Azzurro profondo as Luca Morinari
- 1989 · A Double Victory as Saverio Pallucca
- 1982 · Sergey Bondarchuk as Self
- 1980 · The Blue-Eyed Bandit as Renzo Dominici
- 1979 · Le rose di Danzica as General Konrad von Der Berg
- 1975 · The Legend of Valentino as Rudolph Valentino
- 1966 · War of the Planets as Lt. Jake Jacowitx
- Future · The Temptation Of Gracie as
- 2020 · Harmonie as
- 2020 · Immortalist as Paolo Spersoni
- 2020 · Entree Des Artists as Henry's Grandfather
- 2019 · Christmas in Rome as Luigi Forlinghetti
- 2017 · Agony as Carlo
- 2016 · Road to Ruin as Self
- 2016 · Along the River as Frank De Ville
- 2015 · Earth as
- 2014 · Figli di Maam as
- 2014 · Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema as Self
- 2014 · Obsessive Rhythms as Carmine
- 2014 · Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres… as Lui-même
- 2013 · Handy as Frank The Black
- 2013 · Memories They Told Me as Paolo
- 2013 · I Tarantiniani as Self
- 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
- 2012 · New Order as Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
- 2010 · Prigioniero di un segreto as Il barbone
- 2009 · Killing Is My Business, Honey as Enrico Puzzo
- 2008 · A Night at the Grand Hotel as Ferran Moreno
- 2008 · Mein Herz in Chile as Carlos Sanchez
- 2008 · La rabbia as Mentore
- 2007 · Mineurs as Michele Acucella
- 2007 · Two Families as Morandi
- 2006 · The Holy Family as Zachary
- 2006 · Giornata Nera as
- 2005 · Forever Blues as Luca
- 2005 · Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show as Judge
- 2004 · Post Coitum as Bakchus
- 2004 · Guardians of the Clouds as Padre
- 2002 · The Last Gunfighter as The pistolero
- 2002 · Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell as Giuseppe Mantaldo
- 2002 · Ultimo stadio as Antonio
- 2001 · La voce del sangue as Antonio Castaldi
- 2001 · Sacra Corona as Bishop Gellért
- 2001 · Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle as Self
- 2001 · The Crusaders as Ibnazul
- 2000 · Winds of Passion as Michele Giangrande
- 2000 · Uninvited as Ralph Barolo
- 1999 · Li chiamarono... briganti! as Caporale Nerza
- 1998 · The Versace Murder as Gianni Versace
- 1997 · Rack Up as Jesus Barro
- 1996 · The Innocent Sleep as Adolfo Cavani
- 1993 · Das Babylon Komplott as Chris Lang
- 1993 · Test of Memory as Paul Herzog
- 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
- 1990 · Breath of Life as Angelo
- 1988 · Magdalene as Janza
- 1988 · Young Toscanini as Claudio Toscanini
- 1988 · Race to Danger as Francis, il marinaio
- 1988 · Run for Your Life as Commissario
- 1986 · Un altare per la madre as -
- 1985 · André schafft sie alle as Andre
- 1985 · Devil's Crude as Nick
- 1984 · Die Försterbuben as Böhme
- 1983 · The Falcon as Banović Strahinja
- 1982 · Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World as John Reed
- 1982 · Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works as Self
- 1981 · Enter the Ninja as Cole
- 1980 · The Man with Bogart's Face as Hakim
- 1980 · Day of the Cobra as Larry Stanziani
- 1979 · The Shark Hunter as Mike di Donato
- 1977 · Sahara Cross as Jean Ballard
- 1976 · 21 Hours at Munich as Issa
- 1976 · Victory March as Captain Asciutto
- 1975 · The Flower in His Mouth as Professore Michele Belcore
- 1975 · Smiling Maniacs as Judge Dani
- 1974 · Blood Brothers as Nicola Bellizzi
- 1973 · The Assassination of Matteotti as Giacomo Matteotti
- 1971 · The Case Is Closed, Forget It as Vanzi
- 1971 · The Fifth Cord as Andrea Bild
- 1971 · Confessions of a Police Captain as Sostituto Procuratore Traini
- 1970 · Dropout as Bruno
- 1970 · The Virgin and the Gypsy as The gypsy
- 1968 · A Quiet Place in the Country as Leonardo Ferri
- 1968 · Sardinia Kidnapped as Gavino
- 1967 · Man, Pride and Vengeance as José
- 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 · The Tramplers as Charley Garvey
- 1965 · La Celestina P… R… as Fabrizio
- 1964 · Italian Engagement as
- 1963 · Un delitto as
- 1962 · Scorched Skin as
- Future · La battaglia di Gorthene as




