Abatantuono Diego

Diego Abatantuono (born 20 May 1955 in Milan) is an Italian actor, screenwriter, comedian and television host, among the most versatile and popular in show business. During his career, he has won the Nastro d’argento three times for best leading and supporting actor and, in 2021, received the David di Donatello for lifetime achievement.

He grew up in a show business environment thanks to his mother Rosa, costume designer at the famous Derby Club in Milan, and took his first steps as a lighting technician and later as a comedian. Thanks to his aunt and uncle, owners of the Derby Club, Abatantuono was immersed from a young age in Milanese cabaret, where he began to frequent artists such as Enzo Jannacci, Massimo Boldi, Giorgio Faletti and others, creating the Repellent Group. This environment kick-started his career in show business.

His film debut came in the movie Liberi armati pericolosi (1976) thanks to an audition with the Gatti di Vicolo Miracoli. His real success came in 1981 with the comedy Il tango della gelosia, alongside Monica Vitti, where he created the character of the ‘terrunciello’, a comic stereotype of the southern immigrant in Milan. This role consecrated him with films such as Eccezzziunale… veramente (1982) and I fichissimi.

After his success as a comedian, Abatantuono temporarily moved away from this genre to devote himself to more dramatic roles. The turning point came with Pupi Avati, who directed him in films such as Regalo di Natale (1986) and La rivincita di Natale (2004), revealing his talent also in more serious contexts. He continued in dramatic roles in films such as Un ragazzo di Calabria (1987) by Luigi Comencini.

In the 1990s, he collaborated with Gabriele Salvatores, becoming a key figure in his cinema. Participating in films such as Marrakech Express (1989), Turné (1990), and especially Mediterraneo (1991), winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, Abatantuono established himself as one of the most talented actors in Italian cinema.

In the 2000s, he founded the production company Colorado Film, with which he produced numerous films, while continuing his acting career in successful comedies and dramas. His most recent roles include performances in films by Francesco Patierno, Fausto Brizzi and Alessandro Genovesi, as well as participation in Gabriele Salvatores’ film cycle.

In addition to cinema, Abatantuono is also a leading figure in Italian television. In 2003, he devised and hosted the popular comedy programme Colorado Café, which was a great success and ran for several editions. He has participated in various television programmes and in 2020 he hosted Enjoy – Ridere fa bene on Italia 1. Since 2024, he has been one of the regular guests on the programme Che tempo che fa on Channel Nove.

Away from the big screen, Abatantuono also started a restaurant in Milan, The Meatball Family, in 2013, helping to reinvent the traditional meatball.