- Italy chose Benigni's PINOCCHIO on Tuesday as its candidate for best foreign language film at next year's Academy Awards. (November 13, 2002)
- With Benigni in the title role, the classic 19th-century fairy tale PINOCCHIO hits a record number of screens across Italy on Friday and anticipation and national pride have reached fever pitch. (October 8, 2002)
- Benigni has now put his puckish, high-energy stamp on a figure dear to Italians - Pinocchio; while boldness has been his trademark -- the Holocaust story LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL employed whimsy and comic touches -- Benigni apparently decided to play it safe with PINOCCHIO. (October 5, 2002)
- Benigni's retelling of the classic fairy tale PINOCCHIO will open Oct. 11 in Italy on a record 860 screens, nearly 30 percent of the country's 3,000 screens.
- Inspired by Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Peter Sellers, Benigni first gained fame in his native country with his own must-see TV series, sustaining his vast following with several hilarious movie appearances.
- LA VITA È BELLA. (1997) marks the sixth time one person has received an Oscar nomination for both Best Actor and Best Director.
- Guido's wife, Dora, in LA VITA È BELLA. (1997) is played by his real-life wife, Nicoletta Braschi.
- Playing as the Roman taxi driver in NIGHT ON EARTH has an 8-ball as a gearstick knob. In DOWN BY LAW. (1986), Benigni played a character who killed a man using an 8-ball.
- After his movie LA VITA E' BELLA received seven Academy Award nominations, he met the italian president Oscar L. Scalfaro and, after shaking his hand, said Now I have the Oscar in my hand!
- On the day the L'Ulivo party won the elections, Benigni jumped on the stage and kissed Veltroni, one of the party components.
- His father was a prisoner in a Nazi labor camp for two years.
- Used his father's stories as the basis for his film LA VITA E' BELLA (1997).
- Dropped out when flood damaged school.
- He and Laurence Olivier are the only two actors to have directed themselves in Oscar winning performances.
- The first actor to win a Best Actor Oscar for a non-English speaking role.
- Only the fifth actor in history to win the Oscar for Best Actor in a comedy after Clark Gable in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT. (1934), James Stewart in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY. (1940), Lee Marvin in CAT BALLOU. (1965) and Richard Dreyfuss in THE GOODBYE GIRL (1977).
- Benigni met wife Nicoletta Braschi on the set of TU MI TURBI (1983).
- First film ever seen: BEN HUR
- First film he's been in: BERLINGUER TI VOGLIO BENE (1977)
- Directorial debut: TU MI TURBI (1983)
- Nominated for Best Screenplay - Original at BAFTA Film Award for LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. (1999)
- Nominated for Best Film not in the English Language at BAFTA Film Award for LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. (1999)
- Nominated for Best Director at Academy Awards for LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. (1998)
- Nominated for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen at Academy Awards for LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. (1998)
Quotes- It's a sign of mediocrity when you demonstrate gratitude with moderation.
- On winning the Best Actor Academy Award for LA VITA È BELLA (1997) after already accepting the Best Foreign Language Film award as its director: "Thank you. This is a terrible mistake, because I used up all my English!"
- "Charlie Chaplin used his ass better than any other actor. In all his films his ass is practically the protagonist. For a comic, the ass has incredible importance."
- fter winning the Best Actor category for LA VITA È BELLA (1997): "I'm so happy that every organ in my body is moving in a very bad way.
Awards- Razzie Awards: Worst Actor, PINOCCHIO (2003)
- European Film Awards: Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema (2000)
- American Comedy Award: Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1999)
- Australian Film Institute: Best Foreign Film Award, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1999)
- British Academy Award: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, LA VITA E BELLA (1999)
- César Awards: Best Foreign Film, Life Is Beautiful (1999)
- Chicago Film Critics Association Awards: Best Foreign Language Film, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1999)
- French Syndicate of Cinema Critics: Best Foreign Film, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1999)
- German Film Awards: Best Foreign Film, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1999)
- Guild of German Art House Cinemas: Best Foreign Film, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1999)
- Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: Sierra Award - Best Director, LA VITA È UNA SOLA (1999)
- Lumiere de Paris: Best Foreign Film, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1999)
- Academy Awards: Best Actor, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- AFI Fest: Best Feature Film, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Athens International Film Festival: Audience Award, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Cannes Film Festival: Grand Prize of the Jury for LA VITA E BELLA (1998)
- David di Donatello Awards: Best Actor, IL PICCOLO DIAVOLO (1989)
- David di Donatello Awards: Scholars Jury David, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- European Film Academy Award: Best Actor, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- European Film Academy Award: Best Picture, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival: Critic's Choice Award - Best Actor, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival: Critic's Choice Award - Best Director, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival: Critic's Choice Award - Best Film, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Silver Ribbon - Best Actor, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Silver Ribbon - Best Director, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Silver Ribbon - Best Original Story, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Silver Ribbon - Best Screenplay, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Montréal World Film Festival: People's Choice Award, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- National Board of Review Award: Special Achievement in Filmmaking, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1998)
- Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: Sierra Award - Best Actor, LA VITA È UNA SOLA (1998)
- Mystfest: Career Award (1993)
- Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Silver Ribbon - Best Actor, JOHNNY STECCHINO (1992)
- Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Silver Ribbon - Best Actor, DOWN BY LAW (1987)
- Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association: Best Foreign Language Film, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
- David di Donatello Prize: Best Actor, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
- David di Donatello Prize: Best Director, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
- David di Donatello Prize: Best Screenplay, LA VITA E BELLA/LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (shared with Vincenzo Cerami)
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