Rocco Siffredi
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Rocco Antonio Tano (born 4 May 1964), known professionally as Rocco Siffredi, is an Italian
pornographic actor A pornographic film actor or actress, pornographic performer, adult entertainer, or porn star is a person who performs sex acts on video that is usually characterized as a pornographic film. Such videos tend to be made in a number of distinct ...
, director, and producer. Known as the "Italian Stallion", Siffredi has starred in more than 1,300 pornographic films since 1986. Siffredi is known for his rough style of pornography, often involving anal sex, spitting, slapping and choking, his collaboration with the pornographic studio Evil Angel, as well as his own productions.


Pornography career

Siffredi first got to the idea to work in the porn business after discovering a pornographic magazine as a teenager. He moved to
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
in his early twenties and attended different
sex clubs Sex clubs, also known as swinger clubs or lifestyle clubs, are formal or informal groups that organize sex-related activities, or establishments where patrons can engage in sex acts with other patrons. A sex club or swinger club differs from a br ...
where he was eventually discovered by French porn actor and director Gabriel Pontello, who introduced him to other producers. Siffredi made his pornographic debut in the 1986 film ''Sodopunition pour dépravées sexuelles''. He chose his stage name in reference to the characters Roch Siffredi (''
Borsalino Borsalino Giuseppe e Fratello S.p.A. is the oldest Italian company specializing in the manufacture of luxury hats. Since 1857, the manufacturer has been based in Alessandria, Piedmont. The founder, Giuseppe Borsalino, is remembered for creating ...
'' and ''Borsalino & Co'') and Rocco Parondi ( ''Rocco and His brothers''), both played by
Alain Delon Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; 8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024) was a French actor, film producer, screenwriter, singer, and businessman. Acknowledged as a cultural and cinematic leading man of the 20th century, Delon emerged as one of ...
. Siffredi briefly stepped away from porn in the late 1980s and worked as a
fashion model A model is a person with a role either to display commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as an artist's model. Modelling ("modeling" in American English) entails using one's body to represent someone ...
, but returned to the business with the help of porn actress
Teresa Orlowski Teresa Orlowski (born 29 July 1953) is a former Polish-German performer in and a current producer of adult films in Germany. She was one of the biggest European porn-stars of the 80s. Early life She was born as Teresa Orłowska in Wrocław, Pol ...
. Siffredi went on to perform in both plot-based and gonzo-style pornography, with styles of sex ranging from ordinary to extreme. Siffredi's performances involving anal sex and
anilingus Anilingus (also spelled analingus) is an oral sex, oral and anal sex act (anal–oral contact or anal–oral sex) in which one person stimulates the human anus, anus of another by using their tongue or lips. The anus has a relatively high conc ...
, as well as rough sex and his psychological intensity and athleticism, earned him recognition and ultimately a cult following. Through his collaboration with
John Stagliano John Stagliano (born November 29, 1951), also known as Buttman, is an American entrepreneur, former pornographic film actor, producer and director who founded and owns the Evil Angel pornographic film studio. Early life and career Stagliano gr ...
's Evil Angel studio and his own
Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
-based Rocco Siffredi Produzioni as both a performer and director, Siffredi became one of the most influential and recognizable personalities in pornography. "Rocco has far more power in this industry than any actress", Stagliano commented in 2001. Siffredi has credited Stagliano with being his mentor through all 30 years of his career. Actress
Bobbi Starr Bobbi Starr (born 1983) is an American pornographic film actress. She won the AVN Award for Female Performer of the Year in 2012. Early life and education Born in Santa Clara, California and raised in an upper-middle-class family, Starr was h ...
noted of Siffredi, "Any girl in the industry who has been with him... will tell you that they have done things with him that they
ould Ould is an English surname as well as an element of many Arabic names. In Arabic contexts it is a transliteration of the word wikt:ولد, ولد, meaning "son". Notable people with this surname include: English surname * Edward Ould (1852–190 ...
never do with anyone else." Speaking of his female partners, Siffredi says, "I want to see emotion... fear... excitement... the eyes going up from being surprised."


Retirements and comebacks

In June 2004, Siffredi declared that he would retire from performing in porn for the sake of his children, and instead focus on direction and production. "My children are growing up", he said, "and I can no longer just say 'Dad is going to work to make money for the family'. They want to know more." Regarding Siffredi's long career,
Axel Braun Axel Braun (born September 22, 1966) is an Italian Americans, Italian-American adult film producer and director known for his productions of Pornographic parody film, pornographic parodies. He is the most awarded director in the history of adult ...
commented, "The problem is that he's been trying for years to find an 'heir to the throne', but it's no easy task. He thought he found him in
Nacho Vidal Ignacio Jordà González (born 30 December 1973), better known as Nacho Vidal, is a Spanish pornographic actor and director. Early life Ignacio Jordà González was born in Mataró (Barcelona) in Catalonia. His nickname Nacho is the common nic ...
, but then Nacho went his own way." Siffredi, while continuing to direct, was largely absent as an on-screen performer for nearly five years. However,
sexual frustration Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing organism produces male or female gametes. Sex, SEX or sexual may also refer to: *Sexual intercourse, a sexual activity Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Sex'' (1920 ...
and disappointment as a director with his male talent and the state of the porn industry overall led Siffredi to return as a performer in 2009. Despite renewed success, Siffredi announced his retirement once again in 2015, shortly after appearing on the Italian
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
show ''
L'isola dei famosi ''L'isola dei famosi'' (; Italian for ''The Celebrity Island'' or ''The island of the famous'') is an Italian Reality television, reality show, first aired on Rai 2 in 2003, before moving to Canale 5 in 2015. This program is the Italian ''Survivor ...
'' (''The Celebrity Island''), which saw him stranded naked and alone on a beach for one week. He was reported to have told a friend, "I never felt so naked as I did then. I was all alone and it gave me a lot of time to think about what is important. And I realised I don't want to lose my wife." In 2015, he told the press, "More than a year ago I started to get uncomfortable in the front of the camera...Something inside of me has changed." Siffredi would later continue to perform in various pornographic films and his own casting series''.'' In 2020, his cousin and long-time collaborator Gabriel Zero died. Siffredi subsequently announced the possibility of collaborating with his son Lorenzo on productions. In late 2022, Siffredi announced that he had stopped performing in scenes, but stated that he had not retired and noted "I don't say 'I'm retiring' anymore" due to previous retirements and comebacks. He returned to performing for his ''4 Cams POV'' series in 2023.


In mainstream media

Siffredi is one of a few porn actors to enjoy crossover appeal and success with respect to other segments of the adult film industry, as well as some in mainstream media. In 1999, he appeared in the controversial
Catherine Breillat Catherine Breillat (; born 13 July 1948) is a French filmmaker, novelist and professor of auteur cinema at the European Graduate School. Life and career Breillat was born in Bressuire, Deux-Sèvres, but grew up in Niort. She decided to becom ...
film ''
Romance Romance may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings ** Romantic orientation, the classification of the sex or gender with which a pers ...
''. His performance in this role was followed by a part specifically written for him by the same director in her 2003 film ''
Anatomie de L'enfer ''Anatomy'' () is a 2000 German horror film written and directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky that stars Franka Potente. The film became the highest-grossing German-language movie in 2000.Foroohar, Rana; Seno, Alexandra; Theil, Stefan. "Hurray for Glo ...
'' (''Anatomy of Hell''), in which he played a gay man who became sexually involved with a woman. Both films featured unsimulated sexual scenes involving Siffredi, although it is disputed whether he actually had intercourse with co-star
Caroline Ducey Caroline Ducey (born Caroline Trousselard, 12 December 1976) is a French actress who has appeared in 34 films since 1994. Outside of her home country, she is best known for her controversial role in Catherine Breillat's 1999 film '' Romance'', a ...
in ''Romance'' (she said no, Siffredi said yes). In 2012, he made a cameo as himself in the successful French comedy '' Porn in the Hood''. Siffredi is also visible in non-pornographic roles on Italian television, including television commercials for Amica Chips, a snack food, which have spawned considerable controversy and have at one point been taken off the air, a Cielo show, ''Ci pensa Rocco'', and a
La5 La5 is an Italian entertainment television channel, launched on 12 May 2010, operated by the media company Mediaset and owned by MFE - MediaForEurope. It is broadcast in Italy on DTT channel 30 on mux ''Mediaset 4 ''and digital satellite telev ...
docu-reality series, ''Casa Siffredi''. In 1997, Italian band Elio e le Storie Tese dedicated a song and a video, "Rocco e Le Storie Tese", to Siffredi. Siffredi directed the video, in addition to appearing in it. He later sang a duet with the band on the song "Un bacio piccolissimo" at the 63rd edition of the
Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival ( ), officially the Italian Song Festival (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria, organized and broadcast by (RAI). It is the longest-running ...
in 2013. Siffredi appeared as himself in a cameo in the 2018 Italian comedy film '' Natale a cinque stelle''. In June 2023, Siffredi featured in the Spring-Summer 2024 runway show of Milan-based fashion brand
Dsquared² Dean and Dan Caten (née Catenacci; born December 19, 1964) are Canadian fashion designers, radio personalities, and businessmen. They are identical twin brothers and the founders and owners of Dsquared², an Italian luxury fashion house based i ...
, playing the role of a pornographic movie director.


Personal life

Siffredi is married to Rosa Caracciolo (born Rózsa Tassi), a Hungarian model whom he met in 1993 in Cannes and with whom he performed two years later in ''Tarzan X: Shame of Jane.'' Together they have two sons, Lorenzo and Leonardo. During his initial retirement starting in 2004, Siffredi battled
sex addiction Sexual addiction is a state characterized by compulsive participation or engagement in sexual activity, particularly sexual intercourse, despite negative consequences. The concept is contentious; sexual addiction is not a clinical diagnosis in ...
, disappearing from home for days to have sex, including with trans women, seniors and men. Upon his decision to return to on-screen pornographic performance in 2009, Siffredi recounted, "I spoke with my wife and she said it's my problem only, it doesn't belong to her and the boys. And she said, 'You decided to stop; we never asked you. So if you want to go back, just go back. However, after a long period of intensive performing, with much time away from his home in Italy, Siffredi announced his retirement again in 2015 for the sake of his marriage. "Today I can see, my wife, she is the top priority", he said in a press statement. "She deserves to have what she wanted from day one, to be with only me without sharing with other girls." Caracciolo told the press, "I know him very well and I love him for who and what he is. Let's see what the new version of him will be like." Siffredi discussed his personal life in 2015 on the reality television show ''
L'isola dei famosi ''L'isola dei famosi'' (; Italian for ''The Celebrity Island'' or ''The island of the famous'') is an Italian Reality television, reality show, first aired on Rai 2 in 2003, before moving to Canale 5 in 2015. This program is the Italian ''Survivor ...
'' (''The Celebrity Island''). Speaking of his sexuality, Siffredi discussed his sex addiction as emerging from "some kind of devil in me" and spoke of himself, " tsometimes sends me out of my mind." He discussed asking God for intervention from the spirit of his mother, whose photograph he always carries. He considers himself "a believer in God".


In popular culture

* Siffredi was featured in the biographical documentary ''
Rocco Rocco or Rocko is both a given name and a surname. Rocco is a masculine name of Italian origin. It is thought to derive from the Old German word "hrok", which means to rest or repose. The name is associated with a fourteenth-century Catholic saint, ...
'' directed by
Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai Thierry is a French male given name, derived from the Germanic "Theodoric". It is the cognate of German "Dietrich" and " Dieter", Italian Teodorico, Derek and Derrick, and of various forms in other European languages. It is also a surname. Peo ...
, which premiered at the
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...
. *Siffredi is referenced in the songs "Most People Are DJs" by the American band
The Hold Steady The Hold Steady is an American rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), Franz Nicolay (keyboards) and Steve Selvidge (g ...
, "Roko na Sterydach" ("Rocco on
Steroids A steroid is an organic compound with four fused rings (designated A, B, C, and D) arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter mem ...
") by the Polish punk band
Anti Dread Anti Dread is a Polish punk rock band playing since 2003. According to band's members the name means simply that none of them wear dreadlocks. Style Anti Dread play melodic punk rock music, similar in style to that originating from the 1970s. The ...
, "Kundel Bury" and "Wina Satana" by the Polish band Arka Satana, "Rocco Siffredi" by the German rapper SSIO, "Padre Siffredi" by the Danish hardcore band Barcode. * Mark Holcomb and
Matt Halpern Matt Halpern (born June 21, 1983) is an American drummer best known for his work with progressive metal band Periphery. Biography Born in Baltimore, Halpern took an interest in music at a young age and got his first kids drum set aged 3, befo ...
, of progressive metal band
Periphery Periphery or peripheral may refer to: Music *Periphery (band), American progressive metal band * ''Periphery'' (album), released in 2010 by Periphery *"Periphery", a song from Fiona Apple's album '' The Idler Wheel...'' Gaming and entertainme ...
, are avid fans of Siffredi's work and often quote lines from him on-stage. * Underground filmmaker
Carlos Atanes Carlos Atanes (born November 8, 1971) is a Spanish film director, writer and playwright. He was born in Barcelona, and is a member of The Film-Makers' Cooperative, founded by Jonas Mekas, Shirley Clarke, Ken Jacobs, Andy Warhol, Jack Smith (fil ...
stated that
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American filmmaker and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Stanley Kubrick filmography, his films were nearly all adaptations of novels or sho ...
,
David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, widely considered one of the most important figures of Cinema of the United Kingdom, British cinema. He directed the large-scale epi ...
and Rocco Siffredi were his main film references, and said of Siffredi's work that "Agnes' scene in ''Rocco invades Poland'' or Gabriella Kerez' pool scene from ''True Anal Stories 9'' are deeper than any
Theo Angelopoulos Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (; (27 April 1935 – 24 January 2012) was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer. He dominated the Greek art film industry from 1975 on, and Angelopoulos was one of the most influential and widely respect ...
' movie and show us the human inside more accurately than any
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as "profoun ...
's film". * In the episode "Mère et patrie" of the French crime drama ''
Braquo ''Braquo'' is a French crime drama television series created by Olivier Marchal. It was produced by Capa Drama with the participation of Canal+ in association with Marathon Group, Be-Films and RTBF. Braquo was first broadcast in France from 12 Oc ...
'', Internal Affairs Inspector Roland Vogel jokes that his "tool" would make Rocco Siffredi "hide in shame". * Siffredi's line "It's only smells" from his scene with Helena White in ''Rocco's POV 5'' became a viral meme in the early 2010s. * British band The Singing Pictures released a secret track named "Siffredi it" in reference to his porn acting style. * In
Dave Hutchinson Dave Hutchinson is a science fiction writer who was born in Sheffield in England in 1960 and read American Studies at the University of Nottingham. He subsequently moved into journalism, writing for '' The Weekly News'' and '' The Courier'' fo ...
's 2014 spy novel ''Europe in Autumn'', Siffredi's name is used as a cover name for an agent. * Siffredi is mentioned in the journal article "Pharmaco-pornographic Politics: Towards a New Gender Ecology" by Paul B. Preciado. * Actor Alessandro Borghi portrays Siffredi in the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
series '' Supersex''.


Filmography


Select pornographic

* ''Buttman's Ultimate Workout'' (1990)'''' * ''Curse of the Cat Woman'' (1991) * ''Buttman's European Vacation'' (1991)'''' * ''New Wave Hookers 3'' (1993) * ''Bend Over Brazilian Babes 2'' (1994) * ''Buttman's Big Tit Adventure 3'' (1995) * ''Buttman & Rocco's Brazilian Butt Fest'' (2000) * ''Buttman and Rocco Go to Montreal'' (2001) * ''
Fashionistas Fashionistas may refer to: * ''Fashionistas'' (film), a 2002 American pornographic film * ''Fashionistas'', a 2004-2008 live show produced by John Stagliano at the Harmon Theater (aka Krave Nightclub) at the Mandalay Bay casino, Las Vegas Strip, ...
'' (2002) * ''Rocco Smashes Tunes Back Doors In'' (2005)


Non-pornographic


Awards and nominations


AVN Awards

;Won ;Nominated


Hot d'Or Awards


NightMoves Awards


Ninfa Awards


Venus Awards


XBIZ Awards

;Won ;Nominated


XRCO Awards

;Won ;Nominated


Erotic Lounge Awards


See also

*
List of pornographic actors who appeared in mainstream films Since the 1970s, there have been a number of adult film actors who have appeared in mainstream films with varying degrees of success. Adult film actors Marilyn Chambers and Linda Lovelace tried crossing over to mainstream careers in the 1970s, bu ...


References


Further reading

* *


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Siffredi, Rocco Italian male film actors Italian male pornographic film actors Italian pornographic film directors Italian pornographic film producers 1964 births Living people People from Ortona People of Sicilian descent Playgirl Men of the Month Participants in Italian reality television series Italian Christians Male actors from Abruzzo Male Performer of the Year AVN Award winners Male Foreign Performer of the Year AVN Award winners