# Raoul Bova

Raoul Bova (Italian pronunciation:; born 14 August 1971) is an Italian actor. Bova's European film breakthrough was in the 1993 film Piccolo grande amore, and he's played romantic male leads in the following years. His American film credits include Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), Alien vs. Predator (2004) and The Tourist (2010).

## Life and career

Bova was born in Rome to a father from Roccella Ionica in Calabria and mother from Acerra in Campania. At the age of 16 Bova became a local champion in the 100 meter backstroke. At the age of 21 he joined the Italian Army and performed his military duty in the Bersaglieri (sharpshooters) corps. He enrolled in the ISEF, the Italian Institute of Physical Education, but dropped out to pursue a career in acting. He studied at the school of Beatrice Bracco in Rome and also studied acting with Michael Margotta.
After making his Italian television debut, Bova starred as a hunky watersports instructor in the 1993 romantic comedy film Pretty Princess. The following years, Bova played many leading roles in Italian romantic films. In 2002, he made his American film debut appearing in the crime comedy Avenging Angelo. The following year, Bova played Diane Lane's love interest in the comedy-drama film Under the Tuscan Sun. In 2004, he co-starred opposite Sanaa Lathan in the science fiction film Alien vs. Predator. His other notable American film credits include The Tourist (2010), and All Roads Lead to Rome opposite Sarah Jessica Parker.
On television, Bova had a recurring role in the ABC comedy-drama What About Brian from 2006 to 2007, and in 2018 starred as Pope Sixtus IV in the British-Italian period drama Medici. In 2019, he starred opposite Kate del Castillo in the Telemundo/Netflix crime drama series La Reina del Sur.

## Personal life

In March 2000, he married Chiara Giordano. In 2013, Bova and Giordano separated. That same year he started dating actress Rocío Muñoz Morales, after the two met on the film set of Immaturi – Il viaggio (2012). They had their first child in December 2015, the same month their film All Roads Lead to Rome was released.
On 15 October 2010, Bova was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Bova is Roman Catholic.

## In the Media

Bova is known as one of Italy's handsomest men. He was dubbed "Sexiest Actor Alive" by Glamour Magazine. He was ranked #13 in the "World's Sexiest Men" list in 2008.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
| 1992 | Crazy Underwear | Rocco | Roberto D'Agostino | |
| 1992 | When We Were Repressed | Unknown | Pino Quartullo | Uncredited |
| 1993 | Cominciò tutto per caso | Romolo | Umberto Marino | |
| 1993 | Pretty Princess | Marco | Carlo Vanzina | |
| 1995 | Palermo - Milan One Way | Nino Di Venanzio | Claudio Fragasso | Flaiano Prizes for Best Actor Nominated — David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1996 | The Nymph | Pietro | Lina Wertmüller | |
| 1996 | The Border | Emidio Olrich | Franco Giraldi | |
| 1996 | La lupa | Nanni Lasca | Gabriele Lavia | |
| 1997 | Hercules | Hercules (voice) | Ron Clements, John Musker | Italian dub |
| 1997 | The Mayor | Rafiluccio | Ugo Fabrizio Giordani | |
| 1998 | Coppia omicida | Dario | Claudio Fragasso | |
| 1998 | Rewind | Paul Mansart | Sergio Gobbi | |
| 1999 | Terra bruciata | Francesco Loreano/ Tom Grasso | Fabio Segatori | |
| 2001 | The Knights of the Quest | Giacomo | Pupi Avati | |
| 2002 | Avenging Angelo | Marcello/ Gianni Carboni | Martyn Burke | |
| 2003 | Facing Windows | Lorenzo | Ferzan Özpetek | |
| 2003 | Under the Tuscan Sun | Marcello | Audrey Wells | |
| 2004 | Alien vs. Predator | Sebastian De Rosa | Paul W. S. Anderson | |
| 2005 | Stasera lo faccio | Professor | Alessio Gelsini Torresi | |
| 2006 | Ice on Fire | Fabrizio | Umberto Marino | |
| 2007 | I, the Other | Giuseppe | Mohsen Melliti | Italian Golden Globe Award for Best Actor |
| 2007 | Milano - Palermo: Il ritorno | Nino di Venanzio | Claudio Fragasso | |
| 2008 | Scusa ma ti chiamo amore | Alex Belli | Federico Moccia | |
| 2008 | Bolt | Bolt (voice) | Chris Williams, Byron Howard | Italian dub |
| 2008 | Aspettando il sole | Enea | Ago Panini | |
| 2009 | Sbirri | Matteo Gatti | Roberto Burchielli | Nastro d'Argento Special Silver Ribbon |
| 2009 | Baarìa | Journalist | Giuseppe Tornatore | Cameo appearance |
| 2010 | La bella società | Romolo | Gian Paolo Cugno | |
| 2010 | Sorry If I Want to Marry You | Alex Belli | Federico Moccia | |
| 2010 | La nostra vita | Piero | Daniele Luchetti | Nominated — David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2010 | Ti presento un amico | Marco Ferretti | Carlo Vanzina | |
| 2010 | The Tourist | Filippo Gaggia | Florian Henckel von Donnersmark | |
| 2011 | The Immature | Giorgio Romanini | Paolo Genovese | |
| 2011 | Escort in Love | Giulio | Massimiliano Bruno | Italian Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Nominated — Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor |
| 2012 | The Immature: The Trip | Giorgio Romanini | Paolo Genovese | |
| 2012 | Viva l'Italia | Riccardo Spagnolo | Massimiliano Bruno | |
| 2013 | Out of the Blue | Andrea | Edoardo Leo | Nominated — Nastro d'Argento for Best Actor |
| 2013 | Indovina chi viene a Natale? | Francesco | Fausto Brizzi | |
| 2014 | Unique Brothers | Pietro | Alessio Maria Federici | |
| 2014 | Do You See Me? | Francesco | Riccardo Milani | |
| 2015 | Ever Been to the Moon? | Renzo | Paolo Genovese | |
| 2015 | The Choice | Giorgio | Michele Placido | |
| 2015 | Torno indietro e cambio vita | Marco Damiani | Carlo Vanzina | |
| 2016 | All Roads Lead to Rome | Luca | Ella Lemhagen | |
| 2019 | The Addams Family | Uncle Fester (voice) | Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon | Italian dub |
| 2022 | The Christmas Show | Pierre | Alberto Ferrari | |
| 2022 | Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers | Chip (voice) | Akiva Schaffer | Italian dub |
| 2024 | Still Fabulous | Donato | Michela Andreozzi | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Una storia italiana | Giuliano Amitrano | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 1995–1998 | La piovra | Gianni Breda | Main role (season 7-9) |
| 1998 | Il quarto re | Alazhar | Television film |
| 1998 | Ultimo | Roberto "Ultimo" Di Stefano | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Ultimo – La sfida | Roberto "Ultimo" Di Stefano | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Distretto di Polizia | Ferdinando | Episode: "L'agguato" |
| 2001 | Il testimone | Marco Basile | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Francesca e Nunziata | Federico Montorsi | Television film |
| 2002 | St. Francis | Francesco | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Scherzi a parte | Himself | Episode: "Episode 1" |
| 2003 | Ultimo – L'infiltrato | Roberto "Ultimo" | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Karol: A Man Who Became Pope | Tomasz Zaleski | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Attacco allo Stato | Diego Marra | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | What About Brian | Angelo | Recurring role; 7 episodes |
| 2007 | Nassiryia – Per non dimenticare | Stefano Carboni | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2007 | The Company | Roberto Escalona | Episode: "Episode 3" |
| 2008 | I Cesaroni | Himself | Episode: "La posta del cuore" |
| 2008 | 15 Seconds | Actor | Short film; also producer |
| 2009 | Intelligence: Servizi & segreti | Marco Tancredi | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2011 | Treasure Guards | Angelo | Television film |
| 2011–2013 | Come un delfino | Alessandro Dominici | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2013 | Ultimo – L'occhio del falco | Roberto "Ultimo" | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Family Guy | Mafia leader (voice) | Episode: "Boopa-dee Bappa-dee" |
| 2014 | Angeli – Una storia d'amora | Claudio | Television film |
| 2016 | Fuoco Amico TF45 – Eroe per amore | Enea De Santis | Main role; 8 episodes, also producer |
| 2018 | Medici | Pope Sixtus IV | Main role (season 2); 6 episodes |
| 2018 | Ultimo – Caccia ai Narcos | Roberto "Ultimo" | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 2019 | La Reina del Sur | Francesco Belmondo | Main role; 58 episodes |
| 2021–2023 | Buongiorno mamma | Guido Borghi | Lead role; 24 episodes |
| 2022–present | Don Matteo | Father Massimo | Main role (seasons 13–present) |
| 2024 | Emily in Paris | Giancarlo | Episode: "All Roads Lead to Rome" |