Valeria Golino is a multifaceted Italian actress and film director, renowned for her versatility in playing a wide range of roles in various languages and film industries. Born to an Italian germanist mother and a Greek painter father, Golino spent her early years in Naples, where she was exposed to the city's rich cultural heritage. Her parents' separation led to a period of time spent in Athens with her mother and then in Naples with her father, before she began her career as a model.
Golino's early life was marked by a strong desire to pursue a career in the arts, and she left high school after her first film role. Despite not studying performing arts formally, she went on to secure leading roles in several films, including Peter Del Monte's "Little Flames" and "Storia d'amore," which earned her the Best Actress Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1986.
Golino's subsequent work in European co-productions, such as "Dernier été à Tanger," "The Gold Rimmed Glasses," and "Three Sisters," led to her breakthrough in Hollywood with roles in "Big Top Pee-wee" and "Rain Man." Her subsequent success in the US and Europe saw her take on prominent roles in films like "Hot Shots!," "Hot Shots! Part Deux," "Clean Slate," and "An Occasional Hell."
In addition to her work in the US and Europe, Golino has also collaborated with young Italian directors on projects such as "Come due coccodrilli," "Le acrobate," and "L'albero delle pere." Her versatility has also led her to produce and act in films like "Slaughter of the Cock," directed by Greek filmmaker Andreas Pantzis.
Golino's voice work has been particularly praised in Hollywood, where she underwent speech therapy to refine her skills. In contrast, she is sometimes dubbed in Italian productions. A polyglot, Golino speaks four languages: Italian, Greek, French, and English. Her family background is also notable, with her brother being a musician and her uncle Enzo Golino being a renowned journalist.
