Giancarlo Giannini

Giancarlo Giannini, born on August 1, 1942, is a renowned Italian actor, voice actor, film director, and screenwriter. He holds prestigious accolades such as the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in Love and Anarchy (1973) and an Academy Award nomination for Seven Beauties (1975). He is a four-time recipient of the David di Donatello Award for Best Actor. Giannini began his artistic journey on stage, starring in Franco Zeffirelli's productions of Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, before transitioning to television in the early 1960s. His breakout lead role in a film came with Rita the Mosquito (1965), marking the first of many collaborations with filmmaker Lina Wertmüller. Subsequently, he rose to international fame with Wertmüller's films such as The Seduction of Mimi (1972), Love and Anarchy (1973), and Seven Beauties (1975).

Well-versed in voice dubbing, Giannini has contributed to Italian-language versions of numerous films since the 1960s. He has been the official Italian voice-over for Al Pacino since 1975 and has also vigorously lended his voice for Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, and Helmut Berger. His English expertise has brought him many roles in Hollywood productions, including as Inspector Pazzi in Hannibal. His filmography also includes Man on Fire (2004), A Walk in the Clouds (1995), and the James Bond films Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008). Beyond his acting career, Giannini has pioneered in inventing gadgets and written a memoir in collaboration with Gabriella Greison, published by Longanesi in 2014.