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
The Graham Norton Show
2007
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Vivement dimanche
1998
Wetten, dass..?
1981
Beckmann
1999
Sanremo Music Festival
1951
Sanremo Music Festival
1951
Life Is Beautiful
1997
Ulisse - The Pleasure of Discovery
2001
The Oscars
1953
HARDtalk
1997
Filmography
The Graham Norton Show
as Self · 2007
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
as Self - Guest · 1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
· 1992
Vivement dimanche
as Self · 1998
Wetten, dass..?
as Self · 1981
Beckmann
as Self · 1999
Sanremo Music Festival
as Self - Special Guest · 1951
Sanremo Music Festival
as Self - Host · 1951
Life Is Beautiful
as Guido · 1997
Ulisse - The Pleasure of Discovery
as Self · 2001
The Oscars
as Self · 1953
HARDtalk
· 1997
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
as Self · 1996
Asterix and Obelix Take On Caesar
as Lucius Detritus · 1999
To Rome with Love
as Leopoldo · 2012
Coffee and Cigarettes
as Roberto (segment "Strange to Meet You") · 2003
Night on Earth
as Cab Driver Rome · 1991
Pinocchio
as Mister Geppetto · 2019
Luna
as Upholsterer · 1979
Willemsens Woche
as Self · 1995
Son of the Pink Panther
as Gendarme Jacques Gambrelli · 1993
The Tiger and the Snow
as Attilio de Giovanni · 2005
Down by Law
as Roberto · 1986
The Monster
as Loris · 1994
Pinocchio
as Pinocchio · 2002
Onda Libera
as Mario Cioni · 1976
Untouchable
as Self (archive footage) · 2019
Womanlight
as Bartender at Clapsy's · 1979
The Little Devil
as Giuditta · 1988
Johnny Stecchino
as Dante Ceccarini / Johnny Stecchino · 1991
Nothing Left to Do But Cry
as Saverio · 1984
The Voice of the Moon
as Ivo Salvini · 1990
Rockpolitik
as Self · 2005
Cinque mondi
as Self · 2016
The Magic of Fellini
as Self (archive footage) · 2002
The Last Laugh
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 2016
The Biggest Show After the Weekend
· 2011
Telepatria international ovvero niente paura siamo italiani
as Dante Alighieri · 1981
Cesare Zavattini
as Self · 2003
Caterina in the Big City
as Self · 2003
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
as Self · 2003
Morto Troisi, viva Troisi!
as The anonymous childhood friend / Self · 1982
Tigers in Lipstick
as The Principal · 1979
Seeking Asylum
as Roberto · 1979
We Are Cinema
as Self (archive footage) · 2021
Collezione di risate
· 2006
In the Pope's Eye
as self · 1980
The Singing Priest
as Dr. John · 2025
Close Up
as Self (archive footage) · 2012
You Upset Me
as Benigno · 1983
I magnifici 4 della risata
· 2022
Farewell to Enrico Berlinguer
as Self · 1984
Il resto del Pap'occhio
as self · 1980
Fellini: I'm a Born Liar
as Self - La Voce della Luna · 2003
Berlinguer: I Love You
as Mario Cioni · 1977
FF.SS. cioè '...che mi hai portato a fare sopra a Posillipo se non mi vuoi più bene?'
as Lo sceicco Beige · 1983
Towards the Moon with Fellini
as Himself · 1990
La strana coppia. Incontro con Age e Scarpelli
as Self · 2001
Sanremo 2023. Tra Palco e realtà
as Self · 2023
Coffee and Cigarettes
as Roberto · 1987
Cinématon
as N°801 · 1978
Revisiting Life is Beautiful 15 Years After
as Self - (archival audio) · 2012
Paolo Conte, Come Away with Me
as Self · 2020
Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema
as Self (archive footage) · 2014
La voce di Fantozzi
as Sé stesso · 2017
Isabella Rossellini - Aus dem Leben eines Schmetterlings
as Self · 2010
Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy
as Narrator (voice, Italian version) · 1993
Il comizio
· 1978
Cecchi Gori - Una famiglia italiana
as Self · 2019
The Most Beautiful in the World
as Himself · 2012
Roberto Benigni - Tutto Dante
as Roberto Benigni · 2008
Marco Ferreri: Dangerous But Necessary
as Self · 2017
La commedia di Amos Poe
as Narrator (voice) · 2010
Once Upon a Time: Tonino Delli Colli, Cinematographer
as Himself · 2019
Alida Valli: In Her Own Words
as Self · 2021
The Dream
· 2025
The Soup
as Il maestro · 1981
Pietro - A Man in the Wind
· 2025
The Days Are Numbered
as Il professore · 1979
Evviva Giuseppe
as Himself · 2017
TuttoBenigni 95/96
as Roberto Benigni · 1996
Opinioni di un clown - Roberto Benigni
· 2012
Roberto Benigni: TuttoBenigni
as Himself · 1983
Francesco - The Canticle
as Self - Host · 2022
Il parolaio
as Cliente · 1978
The Ten Commandments
as Himself · 2014
Vita da Cioni
· 1978
Roberto Benigni - Inno Di Mameli
Ladra di sogni
· 1978
The Last Fellini
· 2026