Roberto Benigni was born in Misericordia (Arezzo, Tuscany) on October 1952 but very soon his family moved to Vergaio (Prato, Tuscany) where he grew up. Until he was a teenager Benigni was a very introvert boy, he studied at the Jesuits Seminary at Florence, and he almost became a priest! He was “saved” by the 1966 flood that forced him to go back home where he went on with his studies. Roberto finished his school studies at the Economy Institute at Prato.
In the meantime he worked as a bartender in the ” Casa del Popolo” of his hometown (communist party meeting place). Benigni´s first experience in front of an audience came with the Modin Circus performing in the town squares and after that he took part at the Festa dell´ Unitá ( communist party art shows and concerts ).
In September 1972 he decided to try his luck as an actor and together with his friends, Aldo Buti, Carlo Nonni and Silvano Ambrogi he went to Rome where he got his very first part in the Satiri Theater.
Since his theater debut he did several television appearances until when in 1977 he got his first role in the movie Berlinguer Ti Volgio Bene. After that his acting career went in crescendo with Chiaro di Luna (1979), I Giorni Contati (1979), Letti Selvaggi (1979), La Luna (1979), Chiedo Asilo (1980), Il Pap´occhio (1980), Il Minestrone ( 1981).
The year of 1983 will be the year of his first movie direction with the motion picture Tu Mi Turbi.In 1984 Benigni directed his second movie, Non Ci Resta Che Piangere, together with his friend and unforgettable actor and director Massimo Troisi( Il Postino).