Valeria Golino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Valeria Golino
Golino in 2016
Born	(1965-10-22) 22 October 1965 (age 59) Naples, Italy
Nationality	Italian, Greek
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1983–present
Partner(s)	Peter Del Monte (1985–1987) Benicio del Toro (1988–1992) Fabrizio Bentivoglio (1993–2001) Andrea Di Stefano (2002–2005) Riccardo Scamarcio (2006–2016)
Awards	Volpi Cup for best actress – Venice Film Festival 1985: Storia d'amore 2015: For your love

Valeria Golino (born 22 October 1965) is a talented Italian actress and film director. She is well-known to audiences for her roles in movies like Rain Man, Big Top Pee-wee, and Hot Shots!. Valeria has won many important awards, including the David di Donatello and Nastro d'Argento. She is also one of only four actresses to have won the Best Actress award twice at the famous Venice Film Festival.

Valeria Golino's Early Life and Education

Valeria Golino was born in Naples, Italy. Her father was a scholar who studied German, and her mother, Lalla, was a painter. Her family was very artistic. After her parents separated, Valeria grew up spending time in both Athens, Greece, and Sorrento, near Naples. Her grandmother was Egyptian-French.

Valeria's mother often took her to the cinema when she was young. This made her very interested in films. However, she didn't plan to become an actress at first. She actually wanted to be a heart doctor.

Overcoming Challenges and Learning English

When Valeria was 11, she was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition where the spine curves. She had to have a steel rod placed in her back for five years. She spent six months in Chicago for her treatment. This is where she learned to speak English.

At 14, Valeria started working as a fashion model. She modeled in cities like Athens, Milan, London, and Los Angeles. She appeared in TV commercials for various products. Valeria wasn't very focused on school and left high school after acting in her first movie.

Valeria Golino's Acting Career

Valeria Golino never went to acting school. Her career began by chance. Her uncle received a call from director Lina Wertmüller, who was looking for a young girl for a movie. Valeria met Wertmüller and got the part.

Starting Out in Italian Films (1983–1987)

Valeria's first film was A Joke of Destiny (1983). She acted alongside Ugo Tognazzi. Even though her parents had some worries, she loved the experience. She decided to become an actress and stopped modeling. She then started taking classes to improve her speaking and acting skills.

She appeared in several independent films. These included My Dearest Son and Little Flames, both released in 1985. Little Flames was her first main role. For these films, she won a Golden Globe award for Best Breakthrough Actress.

In 1986, Valeria got a very important role in Storia d'amore (A Tale of Love). She played a lively cleaning lady who falls in love with two different men. Her performance was highly praised. She won two awards at the 1986 Venice Film Festival: the Best Actress award (now called Volpi Cup) and the Golden Ciak award. She also won the Silver Ribbon award for Best Actress, which is a very old and respected Italian film award.

Moving to Hollywood (1988–2000)

In 1988, Valeria moved to Los Angeles. She started her Hollywood career with the movie Big Top Pee-wee (1988). She then starred as Susanna, the girlfriend of Tom Cruise's character, in Rain Man (1988). She also appeared in the comedy films Hot Shots! (1991) and Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993). In Hot Shots!, she was known for a funny scene involving an olive.

Even though she was known for serious roles in Italy, Hollywood often offered her parts in comedies. Her character in Rain Man was changed to Italian-American to fit her accent.

Valeria auditioned for big roles in Pretty Woman and Flatliners. She was very close to getting these parts, but Julia Roberts was chosen instead. Valeria later said that Julia Roberts was "perfect" for Pretty Woman. She also turned down a role in the film Hidden Agenda, which she later regretted.

Returning to Italy and Directing (2000–Present)

In 2000, Valeria returned to Italy. She had a supporting role in the French thriller 36, Quai des Orfèvres (2004). She also played a main role in Cash (2008). The director Ferzan Ozpetek wrote the role of Irene in Sacred Heart (2004) specifically for her. However, she had to leave the project for personal reasons.

In 2010, Valeria directed a short film called Armandino e il Madre. She also wrote the script for it. Her first full-length movie as a director was Honey (2013). This film was shown at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and received special recognition.

She played Armida Miserere, a high-security prison warden, in Like the Wind (2013). Critics praised her performance in this challenging role.

Valeria has also sung in some of her films, including Hot Shots! and Big Top Pee-wee. She recorded two songs in 1987 and 2009. The song 'Piangi Roma' won her a Silver Ribbon award for Best Song.

In 2016, she was a judge at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. In 2018, she directed another film called Euforia. This film was also shown at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Her recent TV series, L’Arte della Gioia, was screened at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

Valeria Golino's Personal Life

From 2005 to 2016, Valeria Golino was in a relationship with Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio. Since 2018, she has been dating a lawyer named Fabio Palombi. Valeria Golino does not have children.

Filmography

Films

Television

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

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  Valeria Golino in 2016

See also

In Spanish: Valeria Golino para niños

• List of female film and television directors