Luca Zingaretti
Luca Zingaretti (; 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. Life and career. 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: 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 Noi credevamo", 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. Awards. - In 2003 Zingaretti was made a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic.