Elio Germano
Elio Germano (born 25 September 1980) is an Italian actor.[1] He is the recipient of many accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and a Silver Bear for Best Actor.
Elio Germano | |
|---|---|
 Germano in April 2008 | |
| Born | 25 September 1980 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1992–present |
Life and career
Born in Rome to a Molisan family from Duronia, Province of Campobasso, Germano debuted aged twelve in Castellano e Pipolo's movie Ci hai rotto papà (1992). During his studies at scientific lyceum, he received acting training at Teatro Azione in Rome. In 1999, he abandoned an opportunity to work in theatre with Giancarlo Cobelli in order to play in Carlo Vanzina's film Il cielo in una stanza, which launched Germano as one of the most popular Italian actors. His big break came in 2007, when he was cast as the lead in the successful movies Fallen Heroes and My Brother is an Only Child by Daniele Luchetti. The following year he first received international recognition by winning the Shooting Stars Award at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival.[2]
Germano worked with numerous directors such as Ettore Scola (Concorrenza sleale), Emanuele Crialese (Respiro), Gianluca Maria Tavarelli (Liberi), Giovanni Veronesi (Che ne sarà di noi), Michele Placido (Romanzo criminale), Gabriele Salvatores (Quo Vadis, Baby?, Come Dio comanda), Paolo Virzì (Napoleon and Me, Tutta la vita davanti), Francesco Patierno (The Early Bird Catches the Worm), Daniele Vicari (Il passato è una terra straniera) and Ferzan Özpetek (Magnifica Presenza).
For his role in the movie My Brother is an Only Child (2007), he won his first David di Donatello as best actor in a leading role. In 2010, he won the Best Actor Award, ex-aequo with Javier Bardem, at the Cannes Film Festival, for his interpretation in La Nostra Vita. Later that year, he played the son of Italian journalist Tiziano Terzani in The End Is My Beginning. For his portrait of 19th century poet Giacomo Leopardi in Mario Martone's film Leopardi, Germano was praised at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.[3]
Personal life
At an early age Germano liked creating comics and thought about becoming a cartoonist. When he was not accepted into the school of graphic arts, he then opted for acting.[4] In his spare time, Germano makes rap for a music band called Bestierare, which sings about "unemployment, homelessness, precariousness, prisons and Fascist violence."[5]
Filmography
Film
It's All About Karma (Questione di karma) Mario Pitagora
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Padre Pio: Miracle Man | Young Pio of Pietrelcina | TV film |
| 2000 | Un medico in famiglia | Roberto Palombi | Rai 1 series (5 episodes, season 2) |
| 2001 | Via Zanardi 33 | Ivan | Italia 1 series |
| 2002 | Fathers | Giacomo | TV film by Riccardo Donna |
| 2002 | Il sequestro Soffiantini | Paolo Soffiantini | TV film |
| 2003 | Ferrari | Young Enzo Ferrari | TV film |
| 2004 | Paolo Borsellino | Manfredi Borsellino | TV film |
| 2004 | Do You Like Hitchcock? | Giulio | TV film by Dario Argento |
| 2012 | Faccia d'angelo | Il Toso | La7 Miniseries |
Music videos
| Year | Song | Artist | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Stanotte cosa succederà | Teho Teardo feat Elio Germano | Dandaddy |
| 2013 | Il confine fra me e te | Meg | Umberto Nicoletti |
| 2013 | Ecco che | Elisa | Giovanni Veronesi |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Regia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Hippolytus | Hippolytus | Ivano De Matteo |
| 1999–2000 | Ground & Ground | Elio Germano | |
| 2002 | The Rules of Attraction | Sean | Luca Guadagnino |
| 2004 | I racconti dell'Iliade | Narrator | Alessandro Baricco |
| 2008 | Verona Caput Fasci | Elio Germano | |
| 2010–2012 | Thom Pain (based on nothing) | Thom Pain | Elio Germano |
| 2011–2016 | Journey to the End of the Night | Ferdinand Bardamu | Elio Germano |
Awards
References
- Lyman, Eric (February 12, 2008). "Shooting Star profile: Elio Germano". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- Barcaro, Gabriele (February 8, 2008). "Elio Germano: Shooting Star 2008 - Italia". Cineuropa (in Spanish). Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- Mc Cafferty, Hugo (September 2, 2014). "Young and Romantic Leopardi conquers Venice". Swide. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- Telese, Luca (October 1, 2010). "Elio Germano". lucatelese.it (in Italian). Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- Di Simone, Marialuisa (March 21, 2012). "Elio Germano: Benedette Donne". Grazia Italia (in Italian). Retrieved January 2, 2015.
