Diego Abatantuono (born 20 May 1955) is an Italian cinema and theatre actor, and screenwriter, three-time winner of the

Nastro d'Argento The Nastro d'Argento, also known by its translated name Silver Ribbon, is an Italian film award awarded each year since 1946 by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (Italian: ''Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italian ...

Biography and career

Abatantuono was born in Milan to a father of Apulian origin and a mother from

Como Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label= Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and '' comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps ...

. The latter worked as wardrober in a Milanese

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

and later cabaret club, ''Derby'', whose owner was Abatantuono's uncle. He started to work at ''Derby'' first in lighting, then as artistic director and later as an actor. His first approach to cinema took place thanks to the comedic group , who brought him with them to audition. Here he was noticed by director

Romolo Guerrieri Romolo Guerrieri, aka ''Romolo Girolami'' (born 5 December 1931) is an Italian film director and screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of scree ...

, who offered him a part in the film ''

Young, Violent, Dangerous ''Young, Violent, Dangerous'' ( it, Liberi armati pericolosi), is a 1976 Italian "poliziottesco" film directed by Romolo Guerrieri. It is based on the short stories "Bravi ragazzi bang bang'' and ''In pineta si uccide meglio'', both included in Gio ...

''. He participated in comedies such as "Saxofone", ''

Fantozzi contro tutti ''Fantozzi'' is a 1975 Italian satirical cult film, based on in the saga of the unlucky Italian accountant employee Ugo Fantozzi, written and played by his creator Paolo Villaggio. The film is a parody of middle class workers of the 1970s ...

'', then he returned to work at ''Derby'' where he was discovered by TV showman, film director and talent scout

Renzo Arbore Lorenzo Giovanni "Renzo" Arbore (; born 24 June 1937) is an Italian television host, singer, actor and film director. Career Arbore became nationally recognized as radio anchor man, together with Gianni Boncompagni, in the late 1960s, with ...

, who cast him as "Don Gabriele" in his 1980 controversial film ''

Il Pap'occhio ''In the Pope's Eye'' ( it, Il pap'occhio) is a 1980 Italian comedy film written and directed by Renzo Arbore. It was released in September 1980, and it was heavily attacked by the Catholic press. Three weeks later it was confiscated "for insul ...

''. His first successful recurrent role, co-written with , was that of a poorly cultivated immigrant from southern Italy in Milan ("Terrunciello"), who used to speak a very personal form of slang. The first real starring role is obtained at the insistence of prize-winner actress

Monica Vitti Monica Vitti (born Maria Luisa Ceciarelli; 3 November 1931 – 2 February 2022) was an Italian actress who starred in several award-winning films directed by Michelangelo Antonioni during the 1960s. After working with Antonioni, Vitti changed fo ...

, who wanted him in ''

Il tango della gelosia ''Il tango della gelosia'' (''Tango of Jealousy'') is a 1981 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. Plot Since her husband is distracted by his passion for horse racing, Lucia decides to make him jealous by pretending to be the lover of his bo ...

''. The success he obtained with this role convinced

Carlo Vanzina Carlo Vanzina (13 March 1951 – 8 July 2018) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. Vanzina was born in Rome, the son of Maria Teresa Nati and film director Stefano Vanzina and brother of Enrico Vanzina. In English-speakin ...

to produce '' Eccezzziunale... veramente'', for which Abatantuono had written the screenplay. In this film, he plays three different roles as a fan of Italy's three main

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

teams: A.C. Milan, Internazionale, and

Juventus Juventus Football Club (from la, iuventūs, 'youth'; ), colloquially known as Juve (), is a professional football club based in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, that competes in the Serie A, the top tier of the Italian football league system. Founded in ...

. His performance became iconic and the film turned out to be a cult film in Italy. Twenty years after, he reprised all three roles for the 2006 sequel ''Eccezzziunale...veramente - Capitolo secondo... me'', which featured cameos from then-current Milan players

Paolo Maldini Paolo Cesare Maldini (; born 26 June 1968) is an Italian former professional footballer who played primarily as a left back and centre back for AC Milan and the Italy national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of a ...

, Massimo Ambrosini,

Alessandro Costacurta Alessandro Costacurta (born 24 April 1966) is an Italian football pundit, manager and a former professional defender, who usually played as a centre back. Throughout his club career, Costacurta spent over twenty years with AC Milan between 19 ...

Dida In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Diploma in Digital Applications (DiDA) is an optional information and communication technology (ICT) course, usually studied by Key Stage 4 or equivalent school students (aged 14-16). DiDA was intr ...

Andriy Shevchenko Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko, or Andrii Mykolaiovych Shevchenko ( uk, Андрій Миколайович Шевченко, ; born 29 September 1976) is a Ukrainian football manager, a former professional football player and a former politici ...

, and

Gennaro Gattuso Gennaro Ivan Gattuso (; born 9 January 1978) is an Italian professional football coach and former player, who currently serves as manager of La Liga club Valencia. He was born in Corigliano (Calabria). As a player, he mainly played in the cent ...

in the

2005–06 UEFA Champions League The 2005–06 UEFA Champions League was the 51st season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, the UEFA Champions League and the 14th since it was rebranded from the European Cup in 1992. 74 teams from 50 football associations took p ...

. In the mid-1980s he abandoned the character who had given him success, and for some time he devoted himself to theatrical performances. But it was Pupi Avati who led him into the turning point, having understood his potential as an actor, even a dramatic one. Avati will include him in the diptych ''

Christmas Present A Christmas gift or Christmas present is a gift given in celebration of Christmas. Christmas gifts are often exchanged on Christmas Eve (December 24), Christmas Day itself (December 25) or on the last day of the twelve-day Christmas season, Twel ...

'' (1986). For his performance in this film, Abatantuono won a

for Best supporting Actor. The film had a sequel, '' Christmas Rematch''. In Luigi Comencini's '' A Boy from Calabria'' (1987), he played a poor farmer who wishes his eldest son will graduate from school to get out of his miserable condition, and does not understand the boy's passion for running. After this role, Abatantuono founded his own production company, Colorado Film, thanks to which he reaffirmed himself as one of the most interesting actors of the new Italian cinema, with Giuseppe Bertolucci's I cammelli (1988) and Gabriele Salvatores' film cycle, which consecrated him definitively: ''

Marrakech Express ''Marrakech Express'' is a 1989 Italian film directed by Gabriele Salvatores and starring Diego Abatantuono, Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Cristina Marsillach, Giuseppe Cederna, and Gigio Alberti. A classical road movie, it was the first installment ...

'' (1989), '' Turné'' (1990), the Oscar-winning ''

Mediterraneo ''Mediterraneo'' is a 1991 Italian war comedy-drama film directed by Gabriele Salvatores and written by Enzo Monteleone. The film is set during World War II and concerns a group of Italian soldiers who become stranded on a Greek island in the ...

'' (1991), '' Puerto Escondido'' (1992), ''

Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colomb ...

'' (1997), ''

Amnèsia ''Amnèsia'' is an Italian comedy-drama film directed by Gabriele Salvatores and released in March 8 2002. Plot Several stories unfold simultaneously over three days on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza. A man stumbles upon a risky opportunity t ...

'' (2002), ''

I'm Not Scared ''I'm Not Scared'' ( it, Io non ho paura, ''I Am Not Afraid'') is a 2003 Italian crime mystery thriller film directed by Gabriele Salvatores. Francesa Marciano and Niccolò Ammaniti wrote the script, basing it on Niccolò Ammaniti's successful ...

'' (2003), '' Happy Family'' (2010) and '' Volare'' (2019). Abatantuono is also a popular figure of

Italian television Television in Italy was Timeline of the introduction of television in countries, introduced in 1939, when the first experimental broadcasts began. However, this lasted for a very short time: when fascist Italy entered World War II in 1940 all tra ...

shows. He is well known to be a long-time A.C. Milan fan.

Filmography

Actor

*''

'' (1976) *'' Saxofone'' (1978) *' (1980) *''

Arrivano i gatti ''Arrivano i gatti'' () is a 1980 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Vanzina. Cast *Jerry Calà as Jerry *Franco Oppini as Franco *Nini Salerno as Nini *Umberto Smaila as Umberto *Bruno Lauzi as the supermarket's director *Orchidea De Santis a ...

'' (1980) *'' In the Pope's Eye'' (1980) *''

'' (1980) *'' Prickly Pears'' (1980) *''

Una vacanza bestiale ''Una vacanza bestiale'' () is a 1980 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Vanzina. Cast *Jerry Calà as Guido *Franco Oppini as Livio Zanon *Nini Salerno as Frustalupi *Umberto Smaila as Eros Castiglioni *Diego Abatantuono Diego Abatantuono ...

'' (1981) *''

I fichissimi ''I fichissimi'' (Italian for "The really cool guys", also known as ''Guys and Dolls in the Suburbs'') is a 1981 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Vanzina. The film consists in a story of rival punks in Milan and it is loosely based on the Wil ...

'' (1981) *''

'' (1981) *' (1981) *'' Viuuulentemente mia'' (1982) *'' An Ideal Adventure'' (1982) *'' Eccezzziunale... veramente'' (1982) *'' Scusa se è poco'' (1982) *''

Grand Hotel Excelsior ''Grand Hotel Excelsior'' is a 1982 Italian comedy film directed by Castellano & Pipolo. The film was a commercial success, being the best grossing film in the season 1982/83 at the Italian box office. Plot Four funny characters are working ...

'' (1982) *''

Attila flagello di Dio ''Attila flagello di Dio'' ("Attila Scourge of God") is a 1982 Italian Comedy film written and directed by Castellano e Pipolo. Cast * Diego Abatantuono as Attila * Mauro Di Francesco as Tartufo * Rita Rusic as Uraia * Angelo Infanti as ...

'' (1982) *' (1982) *''

Il ras del quartiere ''Il ras del quartiere'' () is a 1983 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Vanzina. Cast *Diego Abatantuono as Domingo *Isabella Ferrari as Veronica Gatti *Lino Troisi as Tarcisio Gatti *Daniel Stephen as Orson *Antonio Allocca Antonio Alloc ...

'' (1983) *'' Tranches de vie'' (1985) *''

'' (1986) *'' A Boy from Calabria'' (1987) *''

The Last Minute ''The Last Minute'' is a 2001 British-American urban gothic film, written and directed by Stephen Norrington. It shows a struggling man hitting bottom and finding light in unexpected places, and trying a huge alternative as the solution to hi ...

'' (1987) *''

The Strangeness of Life ''Strana la vita'', internationally released as ''The Strangeness of Life'', is a 1987 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Giuseppe Bertolucci. It is based on a novel by Giovanni Pascutto. Cast * Diego Abatantuono: Dario * Monica Guerri ...

'' (1987) *'' Kamikazen: Last Night in Milan'' (1987) *'' The Camels'' (1988) *''

'' (1989) *'' On Tour (Turnè)'' (1989) *''

Vacanze di Natale '90 ''Vacanze di Natale '90'' (aka ''Christmas Vacation '90'') is a 1990 Italian comedy film directed by Enrico Oldoini. Plot In residence in the mountains of St Moritz, intertwine the stories of five characters. Nick, a poor waiter, wins a bet on ...

'' (1990) *''

'' (1991) *'' Puerto Escondido'' (1992) *' (1992) *'' The Storm Is Coming'' (1992) *''

For Love, Only for Love ''For Love, Only for Love'' ( it, Per amore, solo per amore) is a 1993 Italian historical drama film directed by Giovanni Veronesi and starring Diego Abatantuono, Penélope Cruz and Alessandro Haber. It depicts the nativity of Mary. Reception Th ...

'' (1993) *'' The Bull'' (1994) *' (1995) *''

Camerieri ''Camerieri'' (''Waiters'') is a 1995 Italian comedy-drama film written and directed by Leone Pompucci. The film won two Silver Ribbons, for best screenplay and best supporting actress (to Regina Bianchi). Plot summary In a lonely restaurant ...

'' (1995) *''

The Barber of Rio ''The Barber of Rio'' (Italian: ''Il barbiere di Rio'') is a 1996 Italian comedy film directed by Giovanni Veronesi. Cast *Diego Abatantuono as Matteo *Zuleika Dos Santos as Giorginha * Rocco Papaleo as Ugo *Giuseppe Oristanio as Rocco *Margaret ...

'' (1996) *''

'' (1997) *'' Bedrooms'' (1997) *''

Children of Hannibal ''Children of Hannibal'' ( it, Figli di Annibale) is a 1998 Italian comedy film written and directed by Davide Ferrario. Cast * Diego Abatantuono as Tommaso * Silvio Orlando as Domenico * Valentina Cervi as Rita * Flavio Insinna Flavio ...

'' (1998) *''

Paparazzi Paparazzi (, ; ; singular: masculine paparazzo or feminine paparazza) are independent photographers who take pictures of high-profile people; such as actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, and other celebrities, typically while subjects ...

'' (1998) *''

Marriages Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

'' (1998) *'' The Best Man'' (1998) *''

Tifosi Tifosi () is a group of supporters of a sports team, especially those that make up a tifo. Etymology It is erroneously claimed that "In Italian, literally means those infected by typhus disease, a reference to someone acting in a fevered man ...

'' (1999) *'' Nightwatchman'' (2000) *''

Unfair Competition Unfair may refer to: * Double Taz and Double LeBron James in multiverses ''fair''; unfairness or injustice Injustice is a quality relating to unfairness or undeserved outcomes. The term may be applied in reference to a particular event or situ ...

'' (2000) *'' Our Tropical Island'' (2000) *''

'' (2001) *'' Momo'' (2001) *'' Christmas Rematch'' (2003) *''

'' (2003) *'' Really SSSupercool: Chapter Two'' (2006) *'' A Dinner for Them to Meet '' (2007) *'' 2061: An Exceptional Year'' (2007) *' (2007) *''

I mostri oggi ''I mostri oggi'' () is a 2009 Italian sketch comedy film directed by Enrico Oldoini. The film is a tribute to Dino Risi's classic comedies ''I mostri'' and ''I nuovi mostri ''I nuovi mostri'' (English-language version: ''Viva l'Italia!''; meani ...

'' (2009) *'' The Friends at the Margherita Cafe'' (2009) *'' Things from Another World'' (2011) *'' Buona giornata'' (2012) *' (2012) *''

The Worst Christmas of My Life ''The Worst Christmas of My Life'' ( it, Il peggior Natale della mia vita) is a 2012 Italian comedy film directed by Alessandro Genovesi and starring Fabio De Luigi and Cristiana Capotondi. It is the sequel of '' The Worst Week of My Life''. It w ...

'' (2012) *''

Indovina chi viene a Natale? ''Indovina chi viene a Natale?'' ( ''Guess who's coming for Christmas?'') is a 2013 Italian comedy film produced, co-written and directed by Fausto Brizzi. Plot The Sereni family meets in the grandparents' house for Christmas holidays: Chiara is ...

'' (2013) *''

People Who Are Well ''People Who Are Well'' ( it, La gente che sta bene) is a 2014 Italian comedy-drama film written and directed by Francesco Patierno. It is loosely based on the novel ''La gente che sta bene'' by Federico Baccomo. Plot Umberto is apparently a su ...

'' (2014) *''

Soap Opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...

'' (2014) *'' Belli di papà'' (2015) *'' Mr. Happiness'' (2017) * My Big Fat Italian Wedding (2018) *'' Volare'' (2019) *'' La mia banda suona il pop'' (2020) *'' When Mom Is Away... With the Family'' (2020)

Screenwriter

*'' Eccezzziunale... veramente'' (1982) *''

'' (1983) *'' Puerto escondido'' (1992) *'' In barca a vela contromano'' (1997) *'' Figli di Annibale'' (1998)

Awards

David di Donatello The David di Donatello Awards, named after Donatello's ''David'', a symbolic statue of the Italian Renaissance, are film awards given out each year by the ''Accademia del Cinema Italiano'' (The Academy of Italian Cinema). There are 26 award cat ...

* 1987 Nomination for

David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor The David di Donatello Award for Best Supporting Actor ( it, David di Donatello per il migliore attore non protagonista) is a film award presented by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize the outstandi ...

for

* 1991 Nomination for David di Donatello for Best Actor for

* 1994 Nomination for David di Donatello for Best Actor for

* 1997 Nomination for

for

* 2004 Nomination for

for

* 2021 David Special Award

Nastro d'argento The Nastro d'Argento, also known by its translated name Silver Ribbon, is an Italian film award awarded each year since 1946 by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (Italian: ''Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italian ...

* 1987 Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actor for

* 1991 Nomination for Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor for Turné * 1992 Nomination for Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor for

* 1993 Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor for Puerto Escondido * 2001 Nomination for Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor for

* 2004 Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actor for

* 2007 Nomination for Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor for A Dinner for Them to Meet

Globo d'oro The Globo d'oro (internationally known as Italian Golden Globe) is an Italian annual film award. It was established in 1960 and it has as jury the Rome Foreign Press Association. The first awards ceremony took place in 1960 and was won by the film ...

* 2001 Nomination for Italian Golden Globe for Best Actor for

Ciak d'oro ''Ciak'' is a popular Italian film magazine published in Milan, Italy. It is the most popular film magazine in Italy. The title is the Italian word (also spelled ''ciac'', for a film clapperboard. History and profile ''Ciak'' was established in 1 ...

* 1991 Ciak d'oro for Best Actor for

* 2003 Ciak d'oro for Best Supporting Actor for

aprile 2020 CIAK D’ORO 2003: 4 PREMI A OZPETEK E SALVATORES
/ref>

References

External links

*
Page with links to main films
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abatantuono, Diego 1955 births Male actors from Milan Living people 20th-century Italian comedians 20th-century Italian screenwriters Italian male screenwriters People of Apulian descent Ciak d'oro winners Nastro d'Argento winners