Cast & creator
Franco Nero
Best known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Django Unchained, Django Unchained
Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born November 23, 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor, producer, and director. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film Django (1966), which made him a pop culture icon and launched an international career that includes over 200 leading and supporting roles in a wide variety of films and television programmes. During the 1960s and 1970s, Nero was actively involved in many popular Italian "genre trends", including poliziotteschi, gialli, and Spaghetti Westerns. His best-known films include The Bible: In the Beginning... (1966), Camelot (1967), The Day of the Owl (1968), The Mercenary (1968), Battle of Neretva (1969), Tristana (1970), Compañeros (1970), Confessions of a Police Captain (1971), The Fifth Cord (1971), High Crime (1973), Street Law (1974), Keoma (1976), Hitch-Hike (1977), Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Enter the Ninja (1981), Die Hard 2 (1990), Letters to Juliet (2010), Cars 2 (2011), and John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). Nero has had a long relationship with Vanessa Redgrave, which began during the filming of Camelot. They were married in 2006, and are the parents of the actor Carlo Gabriel Nero.
Also known as: Frank Black, Frank Nero, Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero
243
film credits
32
television credits
257
1962–2026 · acting roles
6.0
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (275)
Showing 275 of 275 credits
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Roberto Distasio
1999
Django Unchained
Amerigo Vessepi
2012Django Unchained
Thanks
2012
The Hitchhiker
Dr. Peter Milne
1983
Cars 2
Uncle Topolino (voice)
2011
John Wick: Chapter 2
Julius
2017
Through the Night with...
Self
2002
Die Hard 2
General Ramon Esperanza
1990Der große Preis
Self
1974
The Lost City of Z
Baron de Gondoriz
2017
The Pope's Exorcist
The Pope
2023Na sowas!
Self
1982
Letters to Juliet
Lorenzo
2010
Delicious
Joe Benelli
2016
Emigratis
Self
2016Viva el lunes
Self
1995
In the Hand of Dante
Don Lecco (86)
2026
Der Fürst und das Mädchen
2003
The Bible: In the Beginning...
Abel
1966The Bible: In the Beginning...
Still Photographer
1966
Django
Reverend
2023
Django
Django
1966
I promessi sposi
fra Cristoforo
1989
The Collini Case
Fabrizio Collini
2019
Saint Paul
Gamaliel
2000
Force 10 from Navarone
Lescovar
1978
The Pirate
Baydr Al Fay
1977
Rosamunde Pilcher's Four Seasons
Max Freeman
2008
The Last Days of Pompeii
Arbaces
1984
Saint Paul
Gamaliel
2000
The Return of Sandokan
Yogi Azim
1996
The Mercenary
Sergei Kowalski, The Polish
1968
The Final Inquiry
Caifa
2007
David
Natan
1997
Querelle
Lieutenant Seblon
1982
L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII
Caifa
2007
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
Self - Actor
2014
The Battle of Neretva
Capitano Michele Rossi
1969
The Estate
2025The Estate
Executive Producer
2025Blaues Blut
Sandro Castellani
1989
I Knew Her Well
Italo - The garage attendant
1965
Desideria e l'anello del drago
Dragon King
1995
Bella Mafia
Mario Domino
1997
Rosamunde Pilcher - Magic of Love
2005
Bathory: Countess of Blood
King Mathias
2008
Father
Enrico
2011
The Harder They Come
Django (archive footage)
1972
Red Bells Part I: Mexico in Flames
John Reed
1982
Camelot
Lancelot Du Lac
1967
Killer Mermaid
Niko
2014
Compañeros
Yodlaf Peterson
1970
The Crusaders
Ibnazul
2001
Painted Lady
Robert Tassi
1997
Hitch Hike
Walter Mancini
1977
Augustine: The Decline of the Roman Empire
Augustine of Hippo
2010
The Fifth Cord
Andrea Bild
1971
The Man from Rome
The Pope
2022
Tristana
Horacio
1970
Keoma
Keoma
1976
The Match
Old Branko
2021
How to Kill a Judge
Giacomo Solaris
1975
Istintobrass
Self
2013
The Dragon Ring
Dragon King
1994
White Fang
Jason Scott
1973
Off the Rails
Giovanni
2021
Recon
Angelo
2019
High Crime
Commissario Belli
1973
Desert of Fire
Marcel Duvivier
1997
Challenge to White Fang
Jason Scott
1974
Day of the Cobra
Larry Stanziani
1980
Iceman
Ditob
2017
The Day of the Owl
Captain Bellodi
1968
The Visitor
Jesus Christ
1979
Django & Django: Sergio Corbucci Unchained
Self - Actor
2021
21 Hours at Munich
Issa
1976
Don't Turn the Other Cheek
Prince Dimitri Vassilovich Vladek Orlowsky
1971
Submission
Armand
1976
David
Nathan
1997
The Man Who Drew God
Emanuele
2023The Man Who Drew God
Director
2023
Le rose di Danzica
Il generale Konrad Von Den Berg
1981
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
General Francini
2001
The Monk
Ambrosio
1972
The Last Four Days
Walter Audisio
1974
Young Catherine
Count Vorontsov
1991
Django Strikes Again
Django
1987
Mein Herz in Chile
Carlos Sanchez
2008
Massacre Time
Tom Corbett
1966
The Neighborhood
Guglielmo
2017
The Fifth Day of Peace
Bruno Grauber
1970
Death Rite
Sadry
1975
Il sangue e la rosa
Conte Uberto Mancini
2008
The Time of Their Lives
Alberto
2017
Mimi
Guido
1979
We Are Cinema
Self (archive footage)
2021
A Quiet Place in the Country
Leonardo Ferri
1968
The Case Is Closed, Forget It
Vanzi
1971
The Girl
Johan (John) Berg
1987
Liebe, Lügen, Leidenschaften
Fashion Billionaire
2002
The Salamander
Carabinieri Colonel Dante Matucci
1981
Christmas in Rome
Luigi Forlinghetti
2019
The Wild, Wild Planet
Lt. Jake
1966
The Tramplers
Charley Garvey
1965
The Hired Killer
Tony Lo Bello
1966
The Shark Hunter
Mike di Donato
1979The Shark Hunter
Co-Producer
1979
Confessions of a Police Captain
Sostituto Procuratore Traini
1971
Obsessive Rhythms
Carmine
2014
The Legend of Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
1975
Django Lives!
Django
Street Law
Carlo Antonelli
1974
A Rose in Winter
Rainer Praeger
2019
The Conquest
Árpád vezér
1996
Talk of Angels
Dr. Vicente Areavaga
1998El Sobrino
Roma elastica
The Old Filmmaker
2026
Sardinia Kidnapped
Gavino
1968
Grog
Nicola Fanelli
1982
La voce del sangue
Antonio Castaldi
2001
The Broken Key
Hiram Abif
2017
The Spaghetti West
Self
2005
Pope Joan
Louis
1972
Victory March
Captain Asciutto
1976
La Celestina P… R…
Fabrizio
1965
Killing Is My Business, Honey
Enrico Puzzo
2009
The Mystery of Dante
Executive Producer
2014
The Virgin and the Gypsy
The gypsy
1970
Memories They Told Me
Paolo
2013
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s
Self
2012
War of the Planets
Lt. Jake Jacowitx
1966
Elio Petri: Notes About a Filmmaker
Self
2005
Man, Pride and Vengeance
José
1967
A Double Victory
Saverio Pallucca
1989
Fumata blanca
Cardenal Tura
2002
Redneck
Mosquito
1973
Cry, Onion!
Onion Stark
1975
Top Line
Ted Angelo
1988
A Night at the Grand Hotel
Ferran Moreno
2008
Restless Heart: The Confessions of Augustine
Augustinus (age 76)
2010Die achte Todsünde: Das Toskana-Karussell
Giuseppe Mantaldo
2002
The Man with Bogart's Face
Hakim
1980
Sweet Country
Paul
1987
On Our Way
2023
Buon Lavoro
2022
Texas, Adios
Burt Sullivan
1966
Winds of Passion
Michele Giangrande
2000
Franco Cristaldi e il suo cinema Paradiso
2009
Detective Belli
Commissario Stefano Belli
1969
The Crusaders
Ibnazul
2001
Silent Life: The Story of the Lady in Black
Valentino's Spirit
2023
From Time to Time
Leonard De Vinci
1992
Io e il re
Maggiore Ferri
1995
Vacation
Osiride
1971Vacation
Producer
1971
Rasputin
Narratore
2010
Mein Herz in Chile
Carlos Sanchez
2008
Italian Engagement
1964
Sacra Corona
Bishop Gellért
2001
The Jester from Transylvania
One-eye
2024
Touch and Die
Aquani
1991
The Blue-Eyed Bandit
Renzo Dominici
1980
Earth
2015
Jonathan of the Bears
Jonathan
1995Jonathan of the Bears
Story
1995Jonathan of the Bears
Producer
1995
Il crimine non va in pensione
il primario
2017
Run for Your Life
Commissario
1988
Le rose di Danzica
General Konrad von Der Berg
1979
Handy
Frank The Black
2013
Kamikaze '89
Weiss
1982
La rabbia
Mentore
2008La rabbia
Executive Producer
2008La rabbia
Producer
2008
Der Fall Lucona
Enzo Lombardi
1993
Race to Danger
Francis, il marinaio
1988
The Innocent Sleep
Adolfo Cavani
1996
Sergio Corbucci: The Smiling Man
Himself
2015Desert of Fire
Marcel Duvivier
1997
Smiling Maniacs
Judge Dani
1975
André schafft sie alle
Andre
1985
Il tesoro di Damasco
Andrea
1998
Red Chairs - Parma and the Cinema
Self
2014
The Versace Murder
Gianni Versace
1998
Love Island
Marquis Polesini
2014
The Outsider: The Cinema of Antonio Margheriti
Self
2013
Enter the Ninja
Cole
1981
Brothers and Sisters
Franco
1992
The Falcon
Banović Strahinja
1983
Rack Up
Jesus Barro
1997
The Repenter
Falco
1985
Red Land
Professor Ambrosin
2018
L'ANIME CHE OGNI OBESO HA BISOGNO
Epk Camera Operator
2026
Ed è subito sera
2019
Giorni felici
Antonio
2023
Crazy Dog
Alvaro Genta
2012
In the Company of Compañeros
Self
2001
The Assassination of Matteotti
Giacomo Matteotti
1973
Young Toscanini
Claudio Toscanini
1988
Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears
Johnny Ears
1973Sergey Bondarchuk
Self
1982
Marina Cicogna - La vita e tutto il resto
Self
2021
Amore e libertà - Masaniello
Vicerè
2006
Compagni d'arte
2024Un delitto
1963
Devil's Crude
Nick
1985
Amelia Lópes O'Neill
Fernando
1992
Dropout
Bruno
1970Dropout
Co-Producer
1970
New Order
Dr. Cornelius Van Morgen
2012
Mirka
Il Sindaco
2000
Blood Brothers
Nicola Bellizzi
1974
The Medal
Ing. Ferrero
1997
Prigioniero di un segreto
Il barbone
2010
Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Last Works
Self
1982
I Tarantiniani
Self
2013
Azzurro profondo
Luca Morinari
1993
The Third Eye
Mino Alberti (as Frank Nero)
1966
Agony
Carlo
2017
Havana Kyrie
Vittorio Arditi De Bellis
2019
Sahara Cross
Jean Ballard
1977Nemici intimi
Lorenzo Stradella
1994
Denn sie kennen kein Erbarmen - Der Italowestern
Self
2006
Django, Sartana, Trinita' et les autres…
Lui-même
2014
Aurora
Bertoldo
2026
Márió, a varázsló
Mario
2008Márió, a varázsló
Co-Producer
2008
The Flower in His Mouth
Professore Michele Belcore
1975Giornata Nera
2006
Summer Solstice
Lorenzo
2005The Uncrowned Heart
Bear's Trainer
2003
Two Men Alone
Himself
2021
Two Families
Morandi
2007
Titanus 1904
Self
2024
Chimera
Imprenditore
2001Un altare per la madre
-
1986
Bad Inclination
Il barbone
2003
Test of Memory
Paul Herzog
1993
Road to Capri
Guido
2015
Il Vecchio Terribile
Oste
2026
Red Bells Part II: I Saw the Birth of a New World
John Reed
1982
The Dark Dance
L'Impresario
2020
Guardians of the Clouds
Padre
2004Entree Des Artists
Henry's Grandfather
2020
The Holy Family
Zachary
2006
The Last Alchemist
Felix the Alchemist
2012
Gold
Gabriele da Poppi
1992
Scorched Skin
1962
Post Coitum
Bakchus
2004
Vasco Rossi - È solo un rock'n'roll show
Judge
2005
Franco Nero: Back in the Saddle
Self
2001
Magdalene
Janza
1988
Ultimo stadio
Antonio
2002
Li chiamarono... briganti!
Caporale Nerza
1999
Bastardi
René Iuvara
2008La battaglia di Gorthene
Breath of Life
Angelo
1990
Die Försterbuben
Böhme
1984
The Duel
2021
Forever Blues
Luca
2005Forever Blues
Director
2005Forever Blues
Writer
2005Forever Blues
Producer
2005
La ragion pura
Marito
2001
Uninvited
Ralph Barolo
2000Uninvited
Producer
2000
The Last Gunfighter
The pistolero
2002
Das Babylon Komplott
Chris Lang
1993
Mineurs
Michele Acucella
2007
Immortalist
Paolo Spersoni
2020Figli di Maam
2014
Hans
Giudice/barbone
2006Along the River
Frank De Ville
2016Road to Ruin
Self
2016