Franco Nero Receives Hollywood Walk of Fame Star at 83

Franco Nero, the 83-year-old Italian actor famous for his role in Django, receives the 2,835th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today at 11:30 a.m. PT. The event takes place in front of The Montalban Theatre at 1611 Vine Street in Hollywood. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honors him in the Motion Pictures category for a career that includes more than 200 films and collaborations with top directors.

Background

Franco Nero was born in 1942 in Parma, Italy. He started acting in the early 1960s and quickly became known in spaghetti westerns. His breakout role came in 1966 as the title character in Django, directed by Sergio Corbucci. The film showed Nero as a drifter with a coffin dragging behind him, pulling in crowds across Europe and the U.S.

Over the years, Nero worked with major directors. Luis Buñuel cast him in The Monk in 1972. Later, Quentin Tarantino brought him back in a cameo in Django Unchained in 2012, where Nero played a role that nodded to his original fame. Nero also appeared in films like Camelot in 1967, where he met Vanessa Redgrave, his longtime partner. She won an Oscar, and they have worked together on several projects.

Nero's career goes beyond movies. He has done television shows and theater work. In recent years, he starred in Silent Life, a film about Rudolph Valentino, where he played the silent film star. That movie won awards at film festivals. Nero has lived between Italy and the U.S., keeping busy with roles in English and Italian productions.

Italy has celebrated him too. Festivals have shown his films, and he joins Carlo Rambaldi as one of two Italians picked for 2026 Walk of Fame stars. Rambaldi, known for effects in Alien and E.T., gets his honor for work in special effects.

Key Details

The ceremony today follows a pattern of recent Walk of Fame events. It starts at 11:30 a.m. PT and lasts about an hour. Guests often include family, friends, and fellow actors. Nero's star is the 2,835th overall.

Nero's Recent Work

Nero directed a film called The Man with Harrison Ford, where he worked with Kevin Spacey. Spacey faced legal issues years ago, but Nero chose to cast him. Nero has said he supports second chances for people.

“I believe that everyone deserves a second chance.” – Franco Nero

This view comes from his own experiences in a tough industry. Nero has spoken about how actors face ups and downs, and he values forgiveness.

Four days after the star event, on February 16, Nero attends a screening of Silent Life at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. He introduces the film and joins a Q&A with critic Leonard Maltin. The event marks the 100th anniversary of Rudolph Valentino, who is buried there. Nero first played Valentino in a 1975 TV movie.

Silent Life mixes documentary and fantasy. It stars Terry Moore as the Lady in Black, a figure linked to Valentino's grave. Moore was 94 during filming, setting a record as the oldest leading actress. The film won Best Indie-Spirit at Sedona International Film Festival and other prizes.

Career Highlights

Nero's film list is long. Key ones include:

• Django (1966)
• Companeros (1970)
• Keoma (1976)
• Die Hard 2 (1990)
• Letters to Juliet (2010)

He has roles in TV series like Alias and 24. His partnership with Redgrave produced a son, Carlo Gabriel Nero, who works in film. The family has stayed close through decades.

What This Means

This star puts Nero alongside legends like Tarantino and Redgrave on the Walk of Fame. It draws attention to Italian cinema's impact on Hollywood, especially spaghetti westerns that shaped the genre. Fans from Europe and the U.S. will visit the spot at 1611 Vine Street to see his name.

For Nero, it caps a career without a U.S. star until now. At 83, he keeps working, showing actors can thrive late in life. The event boosts interest in his films, with Django still popular.

The honor links past and present Hollywood. Nero's work with Valentino stories ties to early silent era stars. Events like the Silent Life screening extend the celebration, letting fans meet him.

Hollywood's Class of 2026 includes others, but Nero stands out for his international reach. His story encourages new actors facing career hurdles. The Walk of Fame now better reflects global talent in film.

Nero's second-chance stance sparks talk in an industry dealing with comebacks. His directing choice shows personal principles guide his work. As he steps onto his star today, it marks not just one man's path but a bridge between film eras.