Roberto Benigni

Roberto Benigni
Benigni receiving a prize in Terni, February 2006
Born	Roberto Remigio Benigni (1952-10-27) 27 October 1952 (age 64) Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Occupation	Film director screenwriter actor comedian
Years active	1970–2012
Spouse(s)	Nicoletta Braschi (m. 1991)
Awards	Academy Award for Best Actor (1998) Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1998)

Roberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto beˈniɲɲi]; born 27 October 1952) is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. He co-wrote, directed and acted in the 1997 film Life Is Beautiful, which garnered him the Academy Award for Best Actor and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He also portrayed Inspector Clouseau's son in Son of the Pink Panther (1993) and has collaborated with filmmaker Jim Jarmusch in three of his films: Down by Law (1986), Night on Earth (1991) and Coffee and Cigarettes (2003).

Benigni was born in Manciano La Misericordia (a frazione of Castiglion Fiorentino), the son of Isolina Papini, a fabric maker, and Luigi Benigni, a bricklayer, carpenter, and farmer. He was raised Catholic and served as an altar boy; he still considers himself a believer. His first experiences as a theatre actor took place in 1971, in Prato. During that autumn he moved to Rome where he took part in some experimental theatre shows, some of which he also directed. In 1975, Benigni had his first theatrical success with Cioni Mario di Gaspare fu Giulia, written by Giuseppe Bertolucci.