Luca Zingaretti (Italian pronunciation: [ˈluːka ddziŋɡaˈretti]; born 11 November 1961) is an Italian actor and film director, known for playing Salvo Montalbano in the Inspector Montalbano mystery series based on the character and novels created by Andrea Camilleri. Zingaretti is a native of Rome, and the older brother of politician Nicola Zingaretti.

Luca Zingaretti
Luca Zingaretti in 2010
Born (1961-11-11) 11 November 1961 (age 63)
Rome, Italy
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film director
Years active1984–present
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Spouses
Margherita D'Amico
(m. 1997; div. 2008)
(m. 2012)
Children2

Life and career

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Of Jewish origins on his maternal side, at the age of 17 he joined Rimini Football Club, but abandoned his career as a footballer after a few months in order to attend the National Academy of Dramatic Art Silvio D' Amico.

In 2004 he separated from his first wife, the journalist and writer Margherita D'Amico, niece of Suso Cecchi D'Amico; they divorced in 2008. In 2005 he became romantically linked with the actress Luisa Ranieri, whom he met on the set of the television mini-series Cefalonia, and with whom he has two daughters, born in 2011 and 2015 respectively. The couple married on 23 June 2012 in a civil ceremony at the Donnafugata castle in Sicily.

Zingaretti graduated from the National Academy of Dramatic Art Silvio D' Amico in 1984 and began his acting career in the theatre, often working with director Luca Ronconi, appearing in such diverse plays as Chekhov's Three Sisters, Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, and Martin Sherman's Bent.

Zingaretti made his film debut in 1987 with a minor role in Gli occhiali d'oro ("The Gold-Rimmed Glasses") — directed by Giuliano Montaldo — and in the same year first appeared on television in Il Giudice Istruttore ("The Investigating Magistrate)", directed by Florestano Vancini and Gianluigi Calderone. He first gained critical attention with his role as the ferocious "Ottorino" in Marco Risi's 1994 film Il branco ("The Wolf Pack"). In 1996 he starred with Sabrina Ferilli in the film Vite strozzate ("Strangled Lives"), directed by Ricky Tognazzi.

However, stardom arrived with his leading role as Commissario Salvo Montalbano, in the Inspector Montalbano series of TV films, initially shown on RAI Two, and then RAI One, as well as many other European TV channels and SBS in Australia. The series, which started running from 1999 and is still ongoing, consists of 36 films through 2020.

After his success he became one of the most in-demand dramatic actors in Italy appearing in such films as:

  • Prima dammi un bacio ("First Give Me a Kiss") (2003), dir. Ambrogio Lo Giudice
  • I giorni dell'abbandono ("Days of Abandonment") (2005), dir. Roberto Faenza
  • Tutte le donne della mia vita ("All The Women Of My Life") (2007), dir. Simona Izzo

On TV he appeared in :

In 2008 he appeared in four new Montalbano films, and in the same period adapted and directed the play La Sirena, from a story by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.

In 2009 he continued to appear in the theatre and also worked on the film We Believed, directed by Mario Martone, and set during the reunification of Italy in which he played Francesco Crispi. He also appeared in the film Il figlio più piccolo ("The Younger Son"), directed by Pupi Avati and co-starring Christian De Sica.

In 2010 four new Montalbano episodes were produced, broadcast by RAI One on 14 March 2011 and the three following Mondays.

Between 2011 and 2012 he was in the cast of the comedies Immaturi - Il viaggio, dir. Paolo Genovese and Il comandante e la cicogna (Garibaldi's Lovers), dir. Silvio Soldini. He was among the stars of the international production Asterix & Obelix in the service of His Majesty, dir. Laurent Tirard in which he played a Roman general, and participated in a minor role in Romanzo di una strage – (Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy), dir. Marco Tullio Giordana. Also in 2012, he starred in two television films about two characters from twentieth century Italian history. First was Paolo Borsellino - I 57 giorni – (Paolo Borsellino - the 57 Days), dir. Alberto Negrin, made on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the death of Giovanni Falcone, while the latter told the life of the industrialist Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno – (Adriano Olivetti - the Strength of a Dream), dir. Michele Soavi. In 2014 he starred in the film in Maldamore, dir. Angelo Longoni, with his wife, Luisa Ranieri, Alessio Boni, Claudia Gerini and Ambra Angiolini, and in Perez., dir. Edoardo De Angelis, together with Marco D'Amore; moreover the same year he returned to TV with the mini-series Il giudice meschino – (The Indolent Judge), dir. Carlo Carlei, with his wife.

In 2013 another four episodes of Montalbano were broadcast by RAI One, and two more each year from 2016 through 2020.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 One Hundred Days in Palermo Police officer Cameo appearance
1987 The Gold Rimmed Glasses Molon
1993 E quando morì lei fu lutto nazionale Raffaele
Abissinia Marco
1994 Il branco Ottorino
No Skin Luca
1995 L'anno prossimo vado a letto alle dieci Police officer Cameo appearance
Castle Freak Forte
1996 Strangled Lives Sergio
1997 I colori del diavolo Marc Lauzon
Artemisia Cosimo Quorli
1998 Rewind Joseph Valko
You Laugh Gino Migliori
1999 L'anniversario Michele
Oltremare - Non è l'America Nicola
2002 The Good War Luigi Manin
Sei come sei Bryant Segment: "Una specie di appuntamento"
2003 Kiss Me First Loris
Finding Nemo Marlin (voice) Italian dub; voice role
2005 Alla luce del sole Giuseppe Puglisi
I giorni dell'abbandono Mario
2006 Don't Make Any Plans for Tonight Andrea
Our Country Ugo
2007 Tutte le donne della mia vita Marco Ferrero
My Brother Is an Only Child Mario Nastri
2008 Wild Blood Osvaldo Valenti
2010 The Youngest Son Sergio Bollino
Noi credevamo Francesco Crispi
La nostra vita Ari
2011 Kryptonite! Antonio Sansone
Mozzarella Stories Giulio Ricci
2012 The Immature: The Trip Carlo
Garibaldi's Lovers Avvocato Malaffanno
Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia Général
Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy Doctor Tribunale
2014 Maldamore Marco
Perez. Demetrio Perez
Andrea Camilleri - Il maestro senza regole Himself Documentary
Nicholas on Holiday Massimo Massini
2015 Partly Cloudy with Sunny Spells Giacomo
2016 Finding Dory Marlin (voice) Italian dub; voice role
2018 Il vegetale Armando
Boys Cry Angelo
2019 Tuttapposto Ruggero Lipari
Thanks! Annalisa
2020 Rose Island Giovanni Leone
2021 Encanto Bruno Madrigal (voice) Italian dub

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 Poliziotti Agent Buffi Television movie
1991 A Private Affair Sceriff Television movie
Un bambino in fuga - Tre anni dopo Corrado Episode: "Episode 2"
1993 I ragazzi del muretto Father Vittorio Episode: "I ragazzi di S.O.S. casa"
1994 L'ombra della sera Policeman Television movie
1996 Dio vede e provvede Italo Main role (season 1); 7 episodes
1997 La piovra 8 - Lo scandalo Pietro Favignana Miniseries
1998 Kidnapping - La sfida Tonino Sanna Television movie
1999 Jesus Saint Peter Television movie
1999–present Inspector Montalbano Inspector Salvo Montalbano Lead role
2000 Operazione Odissea Paolo "Omero" Cecchini Miniseries
Il furto del tesoro Giovanni Marotta Miniseries
2002 Perlasca – Un eroe Italiano Giorgio Perlasca Miniseries
Incompreso Edoardo Quaratesi Television movie
2003 Doppio agguato NOCS Commander Valerio Attico Miniseries
2005 Cefalonia Saverio Blasco Miniseries
2012 Paolo Borsellino – I 57 giorni Paolo Borsellino Television movie
2013 Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Adriano Olivetti Miniseries
2014 Il giudice meschino Alberto Lenzi Miniseries
2019 1994 Paolo Mieli Episode: "Episode Six"
2022 Il re Bruno Testori Lead role

Others

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Gulu Director Docoumentary film
2019 Raro Director, Producer Short film
2020–2021 Inspector Montalbano Director Episodes: "Salvo amato, Livia mia", "La rete di protezione", "Il metodo Catalanotti"
2021–present Le indagini di Lolita Lobosco Producer TV series

Director

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  • (2000) Gulu - Documentary
  • (2007) Passa una vela... spingendo la notte più in là - Play
  • (2007) Conversazioni con Suso - Documentary
  • (2008) La Sirena - Play
  • (2013) La torre d'avorio - Play
  • (2015) The Pride - Play
  • (2018) The Deep Blue Sea - Play

Voiceovers

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Theatre

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Awards

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- In 2003 Zingaretti was made a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic.[2]

References

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  1. ^ http://cultura.studionews24.com/la-torre-d-avorio-colpevole-innocenza/ News article. Retrieved March 10, 2013 (Italian)
  2. ^ http://www.vigata.org/ufficiale/ufficiale.shtml la Repubblica, 11.02.2003 (in Italian)
  3. ^ Platania, Angela (2012). "Nastri D'argento 2010". guide.supereva.it (in Italian). Retrieved 8 February 2012.
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