CASTELLITO, SERGIO

(1953-)

Actor and director. One of the most prominent of the new generation of actors who emerged in Italy in the 1980s, Castellito studied at the Academy of Dramatic Art in Rome and worked extensively in the theater before moving to films with a small part in Luciano Tovoli'sIl generale dell'armata morta(The General of the Dead Army, 1982). He played his first lead in Felice Farina'sSembra morto ma e solo svenuto(He Looks Dead but He Just Fainted, 1986) before also appearing inEttore Scola'sLa famiglia(The Family, 1987) andRicky Tognazzi'sPiccoli equivoci(Little Misunderstandings, 1989).After being the piano player afflicted with priapism inMarco Ferreri'sLa carne(The Flesh, 1991), he played the young psychiatrist inFrancesca Archibugi'sIl grande cocomero(1993) and the affable photographer and con man inGiuseppe Tornatore'sL'uomo dalle stelle(The Star Maker, 1995). In the same year he also scored a huge success as the legendary Italian cycling champion Fausto Coppi in the television miniseriesIl grande Fausto(The Price of Victory, 1995), a popularity repeated four years later with his portrayal of the recently canonized priest in the two-part telemoviePadre Pio(1999). Continuing to display a remarkable versatility, he presented a very nuanced portrayal of a Jewish shopkeeper in Scola'sConcorrenza sleale(Unfair Competition, 2001) before playing Caterina's foolishly self-centered father inPaolo Virzi'sCaterina va in citta(Caterina in the Big City, 2003) and a much more psychologically complex father (and son) inMarco Bellocchio'sL'ora di religione, il sorriso di mia madre(The Religion Hour—My Mother's Smile, 2003).

Well known outside of Italy for his appearance in films such as Luc Besson'sLe grand bleu(The Big Blue, 1988), Jacques Rivette'sVa savoir(Who Knows?2001), and Sandra Nettelbeck'sBella Martha(Mostly Martha, 2001), for which he won the European Film Award, he has also directed himself inLibero Burro(1999) and, more recently, inNon ti muovere(Don't Move, 2004), for which he received his thirdDavid di Donatello.