Mikele Plachido Actor Date of Birth: 19.05.1972 Country: France

1. Biography of Michele Placido
2. Films
3. “Octopus”
4. Directing
5. Work in Russia
6. Personal Life
7. Michele Placido Today
8. Filmography

Biography of Michele Placido

Actor Michele Placido is an Italian actor who gained international popularity after playing the lead role in the series "Octopus". He was born into a very poor, large family in the town of Ascoli-Satriano in southern Italy on May 19, 1946. From childhood, Michele dreamed of the theater, but his parents wanted him to pursue a technical profession. He received his primary education at a school in a local monastery. After serving in the army, he joined the ranks of the Rome police force where he worked for several years. During this time, he made the decision to enter the Roman Theater Academy, which he completed by the end of the 1960s. While working in theater groups under directors such as Luca Ronconi and Giorgio Strehler, Michele often sent all his savings back home: besides him, there were eight other children in his family.

Films

In his youth, Michele Placido truly valued only the art of theater and did not recognize cinema. However, his small theater earnings barely made ends meet, so he began accepting invitations from film directors. Filmmakers saw in the young, promising actor, who stood at a height of 177 cm, an interesting type for creating the image of a romantic hero. His first roles that brought Placido fame in his homeland were in romantic comedies such as "Popular Love" with actress Ornella Muti in the lead role, and "Oh, how low I have fallen!", in which Michele played alongside the seductive Laura Antonelli. Gradually, the artist became more involved in filmmaking, and by the early 1980s, he consciously tried to change the womanizer image that had become associated with him. Michele rejected the filmmakers' offers to appear in lighthearted comedies with romantic plots. Instead, he tried himself in genres that were unusual for him. One after another, he appeared in the war drama "Annoyed Goes to Death", the crime thriller "Corleone", the psychological film "Leap Into the Void", and the crime drama "Connection Through a Pizzeria". By this time, the artist had honed his skills, established important connections, and become recognized throughout the country.

“Octopus”

Michele Placido achieved true worldwide fame after the release of the series "Octopus", in which he played the role of Commissioner Cattani for 4 seasons. This character significantly influenced the actor's life and changed his biography. The series had particularly great success in the USSR. Michele Placido was recognized on the streets and called by the name of the main character of the TV series, Corrado Cattani. Such fame somewhat tired the actor, and in addition, after 4 seasons, he simply became tired of the character that he had created with the meticulousness of a master sculptor. Soon, Michele insisted on the death of his character. He had long been unable to come to an agreement on this issue with the film's producers, but they finally listened to him. After the disappearance of Commissioner Cattani, "Octopus" barely lasted a couple more seasons, but without its former glory.

Directing

At the age of 44, Michele Placido tried his hand at directing for the first time. His debut was the drama "Pomodoro", followed by several quite successful works such as "Blood Sisters" and "Ordinary Hero", among others. His authorial work in 2005, "Crime Novel", was awarded the national film award "David di Donatello" for best screenplay, which was created by Placido himself.

Work in Russia

Due to his great popularity in Russia, Michele Placido became a frequent guest in the country. He was warmly received not only as the performer of the main role of Commissioner Cattani but also invited to collaborate on joint projects. In 1991, Michele played the role of a Russian officer defending the honor of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. The war drama "Afghan Breakdown" was directed by Vladimir Bortko on the border of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan during a turbulent time. In addition to Placido, the film also starred Russian stars such as Tatiana Dogileva, Nina Ruslanova, Philippe Yankovsky, and Mikhail Zhigalov. The film crew found themselves in a difficult situation during the coup in Dushanbe, leading to the death of one of their employees. Michele Placido saved the situation: after his negotiations with angry Tajiks, the killers changed their anger to mercy and released the Russians. Thus, the image of Commissioner Cattani helped save more than one human life in real conditions. In addition to the Russian project, Michele Placido starred alongside Russian actress Ksenia Rappoport in Giuseppe Tornatore's thriller "The Unknown Woman".

Personal Life

Michele Placido was always considered a favorite among women, and his personal life was tumultuous. Besides his three official marriages, the passionate Italian had affairs on the side. The first official wife of the actor, during the early days of his theatrical career, was a girl named Ilaria Lecce, whose relative worked as a translator of Russian literature and poetry. The first marriage did not last long, and soon Michele fell in love with the young and attractive actress Simonetta Stefanelli, who played the role of the main character's deceased lover in the film "The Godfather". The beauty appeared not only in feature films but also frequently appeared in men's magazines in a naked form. After obtaining an official divorce from his first wife, Michele started a family with Simonetta, with whom he had three children. Their eldest daughter, Violante, followed in her parents' footsteps and pursued an acting career. Like her mother, she was not shy about explicit scenes in films and provocative photo shoots. In addition, unlike her father, she managed to conquer the American public. Fourteen years after the birth of their daughter, the couple had two sons, Michelangelo and Marco Brenno. By this time, the relationship between the spouses had already developed cracks due to Michele's infidelity, which resulted in the birth of an illegitimate child from actress Virginia Alexandri in 1988. The boy was named Inigo. In 1994, the union between Michele and Simonetta fell apart. For a long time, the actor did not make any attempts to improve his relationship with the opposite sex. But in the early 2000s, he met the young actress Federica Vincenti, who was 37 years younger than him. This did not stop the old womanizer, and he entered into a long-term relationship with his beloved. In the new union, the couple had a son, Gabriele, and when the boy turned six, his parents got married in a small provincial church of St. Nicholas. The wedding ceremony was especially solemn, and the famous song "Ave Maria", under which the newlyweds exchanged rings, was performed by Michele's old friend Al Bano. The five-star hotel where the event took place was decorated with orchids, Federica's favorite flowers. Today, the spouses live happily in their cozy mansion in southern Italy.

Michele Placido Today

In 2011, Michele Placido starred in the film "Love: An Instruction Manual". His co-stars on the set were legends of world cinema Monica Bellucci and Robert De Niro. The film consists of three novellas about love, characterizing the high feeling that can come during youth, maturity, and even old age.

In early 2016, at the invitation of Russian television, Michele Placido came to Moscow for filming on the shows "Let Them Talk" in the episode "All the Secrets of Commissioner Cattani. Thirty Years Later" and "Good Morning".

In the same year, together with such stars as Dolph Lundgren, Mark Dacascos, and Emir Kusturica, the famous Italian was invited to the International Motivational Film Festival "Bridge of Arts", which was held in Rostov-on-Don for the second time. There, Michele Placido received an award for best directorial work in the new film "The Choice".

Russia does not forget its Italian idol. In mid-February 2017, the improved color version of the TV series "Octopus" was released on the "Mir 24" channel, allowing viewers to enjoy the performances of their favorite actors once again.

Filmography

• "Oh, How Low I Have Fallen!" - (1974)
• "Popular Love" - (1974)
• "Ernesto" - (1979)
• "Three Brothers" - (1981)
• "Octopus" - (1984)
• "Octopus 2" - (1985)
• "Connection Through a Pizzeria" - (1985)
• "Octopus 3" - (1987)
• "Big Business" - (1988)
• "Octopus 4" - (1989)
• "Mary Forever" - (1989)
• "Afghan Breakdown" - (1991)
• "Giovanni Falcone" - (1993)
• "Ordinary Hero" - (1995)
• "The Unknown Woman" - (2006)
• "Love: An Instruction Manual" - (2011)