Background
Benigni was born in Manciano La Misericordia.
Benigni was born in Manciano La Misericordia.
Benigni became famous in Italy in the 1970s for a shocking TV series called Onda Libera, on RAI2, by Renzo Arbore. Afterwards, he appeared during a public political demonstration by the Italian Communist Party, with which he was a sympathiser, and on this occasion he lifted and cradled the national leader Enrico Berlinguer, a very serious figure. His popularity increased with L'altra domenica (1976/9), another TV show by Arbore in which Benigni portrays a lazy film critic who never watches the films he's asked to review. Benigni's first film as director was Tu mi turbi (You Upset Me, 1983). In 1984, he played in Non ci resta che piangere ("Nothing Left To Do But Cry") with the very popular comic actor Massimo Troisi. Beginning in 1986, Benigni starred in three films by American director Jim Jarmusch. In 1990, he was a member of the Jury at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival. Benigni is probably best known outside Italy for his 1997 tragicomedy Life Is Beautiful. During 2006 and 2007, Benigni had a lot of success touring Italy with his 90-minute "one man show" TuttoDante ("Everything About Dante"). Roberto Benigni is also a singer-songwriter. Among his recorded performances are versions of Paolo Conte's songs.
In 1980 he met Cesenate actress Nicoletta Braschi, who was to become his wife and who has starred in most of the films he directed.