16 Best Italian American Actors 

Sampling the best Italian actors to grace the silver screen. 

To say that Italians have made a rich contribution to the film industry is an understatement. Films like The Godfather, Goodfellas, and My Cousin Vinny have had lasting impacts on American culture and stood the test of time, all thanks to the Italian actors that brought these stories to life. 

Earlier this summer, Growing Up Italian hosted a bracket elimination-style poll of the top greatest Italian actors. When the votes were in, GUI followers crowned the legendary Robert De Niro as the “Best Italian Actor.” Here, we look at all 16 Italian actors considered in the poll. Each has had a remarkable career that’s earned them a place in history as some of the greatest actors of our time.

Sophia Loren 

Born Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone in Rome, Italy, Sophia Loren got her start in pageantry as a teenager. At a young age, she enrolled in Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, the national film school of Italy. Loren made her breakthrough in 1954, starring in The Gold of Naples. From then on, she became a leading lady in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Today, she is hailed as one of the greatest actresses to come out of that time. Her latest role was 2020’s The Life Ahead.

Anna Magnani

Known for the striking authenticity she brought to her characters, Anna Magnani was born in Rome, Italy in 1908. In her early days, she sang in nightclubs and participated in avant-garde plays. Then, in 1933, she was discovered by  Goffredo Alessandrini, the prominent Italian filmmaker. Her best roles include 1954’s Rome, Open City, 1955’s The Rose Tattoo, and 1960’s The Fugitive Kind. 

Monica Bellucci 

Before launching her career as an actress, Monica Bellucci modeled for Dolce & Gabbana and Dior. Bellucci, who was born in Umbria, Italy, starred in Italian films before entering the American and French Film scenes. Her roles have been diverse: In 2004, she played Mary Magdalene in The Passion of the Christ. In 2005, she starred in the James Bond film Spectre. Bellucci was 50 at the time, making her the oldest Bond girl in the history of the franchise. 

Gina Lollobrigida

In the 1950s and 1960s, Gina Lollobrigida was a world-renowned sex symbol. Born in Subiaco, Italy, Lollobrigida first gained national attention by competing in the Miss Italia pageant. Her fame only grew. Lollobrigida starred in Italian films (Woman of Rome) and American films (Beat the Devil). In the 1970s, she launched a second career as a photojournalist. Today, 95-year-old Lollobrigida is an active supporter of the National Italian American Foundation. 

Marcelo Mastroianni

Born in Fontana Liri, Italy, Marcelo Mastroianni went on to become one of the most legendary Italian actors of the 20th century. During this time, received several high-profile awards, including awards from both the Venice and Cannes film festivals. On the silver screen, he could often be seen alongside Sophia Loren – they starred in eight films together, including 1964’s Marriage, Italian Style. Later in life, he was knighted by his country for his accomplishments. 

Adriano Celentano 

Adriano Celentano has enjoyed a fruitful career in both music and films. Musically, Celentano has drawn great inspiration from Elvis Presley. On-screen, he took part in many Italian TV shows and comedies. However, he’s earned recognition from around the world, too; The Milan-born actor played Satan in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. 

Roberto Benigni

Born Roberto Remigio Benigni Cavaliere di Gran Croce, Roberto Benigni has received acclaim for his talents as a comedian, screenwriter, director, and actor. He made his debut as an actor in 1977, starring in Berlinguer, I Love You, a film he also happened to have written. More recently, Benigni starred in the 2019 adaptation of Pinnochio.

Toto

Regarded as one of the most beloved Italian performers of all time, Toto enjoyed a robust career from the early 1920s to the late 1960s. Hailed for his comedic performances, Toto was also a skilled poet and musician. He also flourished in dramatic roles; he could not be contained in one genre and thus left a wide-ranging legacy in Italian culture. 

Robert De Niro

Two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro is widely regarded as one of the best actors of our time. Born in Greenwich Village, New York, De Niro’s father had Italian roots. Over the course of his career, De Niro has played countless unforgettable characters, like Vito Corleone in The Godfather II. He collaborated with Martin Scorsese nine times in must-see films like The Taxi Driver and The Raging Bull. De Niro was recognized for his exceptional contributions to American culture in 2016 by President Barack Obama. 

Leonardo DiCaprio

Known around the world for his successes as a leading man and an environmental activist, Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most influential Italian Americans of our time. His roles in Romeo + Juliet, The Titanic, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood solidified his status as both a critic and commercial favorite across the years. Today, DiCaprio continues to work on high-profile projects while also serving as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. 

Joe Pesci

Joe Pesci may be retired from acting, but that doesn’t mean that the Italian-American actor has faded from relevance. Pesci’s iconic collaborations with Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese in Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, and The Irishman are certified classics. His comedic roles in Home Alone and My Cousin Vinney were equally successful. It’s no wonder that Pesci was nominated for many awards over the course of his career. 

James Gandolfini 

James Gandolfini may have grown up in New Jersey, but he – and his family – maintained a deep connection with their Italian roots. His strong connection with his Italian identity served him well in his career; Gandolfini portrayed mob-boss Tony Soprano in the hit HBO series. His work in The Sopranos is widely hailed as one of the greatest TV performances of all time. Gandolfini’s untimely death at age 51 sparked mourning across the state of New Jersey – and the country. 

Sylvester Stallone

Once upon a time, Sylvester Stallone was just a struggling actor trying to make a name for himself. He found most of his work as an extra or minor character until his big breakthrough. In 1967, Rocky Balboa was introduced to the world – and has never since left pop culture. Stallone wrote and starred in Rocky and all of its sequels. To this day, Rocky Balboa remains one of the most important Italian American fictional characters. 

Tony Sirico

Tony Sirico was born in New York City to an Italian American family. Before he took up acting, Sirico was involved in a life of crime, and even served time in the Sing Sing maximum security prison. He played a number of gangster roles in films like Goodfellas and Love and Money. However, his most famous role was portraying Paulie Gualtieri in The Sopranos. Sirico died in July just shy of his 80th birthday. 

Al Pacino 

Born in East Harlem to his Italian American parents, Al Pacino is a highly decorated actor. Over the course of his career, he’s won multiple Academy Awards, Tony Awards, and Primetime Emmy Awards. His breakthrough – and career-defining role – came in 1972 when he first played Micheal Corleone in The Godfather. In addition to the Godfather franchise, Pacino has starred in noteworthy films like Scarface, Heat, and The Irishmen. 

Marisa Tomei

Of Tuscan descent, Marisa Tomei grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She began her acting career working on the TV show As The World Turns. From there, she landed a series of small roles until she was cast in the role that would launch her career: playing  Mona Lisa Vito in 1992’s My Cousin Vinny. Her more recent roles include portraying May Parker in a number of Marvel Cinematic Universe films