Sergio Castellitto

1.1. Birth and Background

Sergio Castellitto was born on 18 August 1953, in Rome, Italy. His parents originated from the regions of Molise and Abruzzo in Southern Italy.

1.2. Education and Theatre Career

Castellitto pursued his formal education in dramatic arts, graduating from the Silvio D'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Art in 1978. Following his graduation, he embarked on a distinguished theatrical career within the Italian public theatre scene. His early notable roles included performances in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure at the Teatro di Roma, and other significant plays such as Brecht's La Madre, The Merchant of Venice, and Giordano Bruno's Candelaio. At the Teatro di Genova, he took on the roles of Tuzenbach in Chekhov's Three Sisters and Jean in Strindberg's Miss Julie, both under the direction of Otomar Krejča. In subsequent years, he also featured in theatrical productions like L'infelicità senza desideri and Piccoli equivoci at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto. He also appeared in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. During his formative years in theatre, Castellitto collaborated with many renowned actors and directors, including Luigi Squarzina, Aldo Trionfo, and Enzo Muzii.

1.3. Entry into Film and Television

Castellitto transitioned into his film career in 1983, making his debut alongside cinematic legends Marcello Mastroianni and Michel Piccoli in Luciano Tovoli's The General of the Dead Army. His early film appearances included Sembra morto...ma è solo svenuto directed by Felice Farina, Piccoli equivoci by Ricky Tognazzi, and Stasera a casa di Alice by Carlo Verdone. He achieved broader recognition through his roles in Francesca Archibugi's The Great Pumpkin and Giuseppe Tornatore's The Star Maker. In the late 1980s, Castellitto also began appearing in Italian television miniseries, such as Un siciliano in Sicilia (1987), Cinque storie inquietanti (1987), Piazza Navona (1988), Cinéma (1988), and Come stanno bene insieme (1989). He also appeared in the miniseries Victoire, ou la douleur des femmes in 2000.

2.1. Acting Career

Castellitto's acting career saw significant success with his roles in films such as La famiglia, L'ultimo bacio, Caterina in the Big City, My Mother's Smile, and Mostly Martha. A particularly defining role in his career was his portrayal of Padre Pio in Padre Pio: Miracle Man. He also gained widespread acclaim for his performance in Don't Move, a film notably written by his wife, Margaret Mazzantini. Other significant films in which he acted include Marco Bellocchio's Il regista di matrimoni and Gianni Amelio's La stella che non c'è (also known as The Missing Star).

Internationally, Castellitto played the male lead opposite Jeanne Balibar in Jacques Rivette's French film Va savoir (2001). He also took on the role of the antagonist, King Miraz, in the fantasy film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). More recently, he appeared in the television series In Treatment as Giovanni Mari. In 2024, Castellitto portrayed the archconservative Cardinal Tedesco in the film Conclave, a performance that garnered significant critical praise.

2.2. Directing Career

Sergio Castellitto made his directorial debut with the film Libero Burro (1999). He then directed Don't Move (2004), which was based on a novel by his wife, Margaret Mazzantini. His other directorial works include Love & Slaps (2010), Twice Born (2012), You Can't Save Yourself Alone (2015), and Lucky (2017). His film Twice Born was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012, though it received a mixed reception from much of the English-speaking press.

2.3. Television Work

Beyond his extensive film career, Castellitto has also been active in television. In the late 1980s, he appeared in several Italian miniseries, including Un siciliano in Sicilia (1987), Cinque storie inquietanti (1987), Piazza Navona (1988), Cinéma (1988), and Come stanno bene insieme (1989). He also featured in the miniseries Victoire, ou la douleur des femmes (2000). From 2013 to 2015, he starred in 37 episodes of the Italian television series In Treatment, playing the role of Giovanni Mari. He also appeared in several TV movies, such as Un cane sciolto (1990), Un cane sciolto 2 (1991), Un cane sciolto 3 (1992), Il grande Fausto (1995), Pronto (1997), Don Milani: Il priore di Barbiana (1997), Padre Pio: Miracle Man (2000), Ferrari (2003), Maigret: La trappola (2004), Maigret: L'ombra cinese (2004), and Fuga per la libertà: L'aviatore (2008).

5.1. Actor

5.2. Director