Pierfrancesco Favino

Pierfrancesco Favino is an Italian actor and film producer born on 24 August 1969 in Rome, Italy. His parents were Apulian natives from Candela, a comune in the province of Foggia. He began his performing career on stage before transitioning into television and film during the 1990s, eventually establishing a career across both European and American cinema.

Favino has appeared in more than 40 European films and television series since the early 1990s. His early work included Paolo Poeti's television series Amico mio and the 1999 HBO film Excellent Cadavers, an adaptation of Alexander Stille's novel. He also appeared in European films such as Gabriele Muccino's The Last Kiss and Gianni Amelio's The Keys to the House. Favino achieved a major career breakthrough with his role in the critically acclaimed film El Alamein: The Line of Fire, which earned him widespread praise in Italy.

Following his breakthrough, Favino took on prominent roles in Italian cinema. He starred in Michele Placido's crime film Romanzo Criminale (2005), which led to a David di Donatello award in 2006. He was cast in Giuseppe Tornatore's The Unknown Woman (2006) and Ferzan Özpetek's Saturn in Opposition. His reputation grew with performances such as the riot control policeman Cobra in Stefano Sollima's ACAB – All Cops Are Bastards (2012), the anarchist Giuseppe Pinelli in Marco Tullio Giordana's Piazza Fontana, and a main role in the nationally acclaimed film Suburra (2015).

In 2019, Favino portrayed mafia boss Tommaso Buscetta in The Traitor. He followed this with a starring role in Padrenostro (2020), which earned him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 77th Venice International Film Festival. His later projects include Comandante (2023) and Naples to New York (2024). Over his career, his awards have included three David di Donatello awards, six Nastri d'argento, two Globi d'oro, three Ciak d'oro, and a Volpi Cup.

Favino has also maintained a prominent presence in American film projects. He portrayed Christopher Columbus in 20th Century Fox's Night at the Museum (2006), partisan leader Peppi Grotta in Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna (2008), and General Glozelle in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). He collaborated twice with director Ron Howard, playing Inspector Ernesto Olivetti in Angels & Demons (2009) and Formula One driver Clay Regazzoni in Rush (2013). Additionally, he appeared as a W.H.O. doctor in Marc Forster's 2013 apocalyptic-horror film World War Z.

Beyond acting in film and television, Favino co-hosted the 68th edition of the Sanremo Music Festival in February 2018 alongside Claudio Baglioni and Michelle Hunziker. He also participated in the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics held at Milan's San Siro stadium. Favino has been in a relationship with Italian actress Anna Ferzetti since 2003, and the couple has two daughters, born in 2006 and 2012.