3 Minutes
Remo Girone, a commanding presence of stage and screen
Remo Girone, the Italian actor who became synonymous with measured menace and aristocratic villainy, has died at 76. Best known to television audiences as Gaetano “Tano” Cariddi in the landmark RAI mafia drama La Piovra and to global cinema-goers for his portrayal of Enzo Ferrari in James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari, Girone passed away at his home in Monte Carlo after a battle with bladder cancer.
Born in Eritrea on December 1, 1948, to Italian parents, Girone trained at Rome’s prestigious Silvio d’Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts and built a steady career on the stage before moving into film and television in the mid-1970s. Across five decades he crafted a particular screen persona: elegant, controlled, and often morally compromised — qualities that made him a perfect fit for mafia dramas and period pieces alike.
Career highlights and international roles
Girone’s breakout TV role came when he joined La Piovra in 1987 for its third season. His crooked banker Tano Cariddi—reportedly inspired by real figures from Italy’s shadowy financial-mafia nexus—became one of the series’ most memorable antagonists, returning in multiple seasons through 2001. La Piovra (literally “The Octopus”) helped define the modern Italian crime drama and anticipated later hits like Gomorrah in its unflinching look at organized crime and its tentacles through society.
On the international stage, Girone’s film appearances included a notable turn as Maso Pescatore in Ben Affleck’s Live by Night (2016) and a supporting role in The Equalizer 3 (2023), where his quiet gravitas grounded a brief but pivotal scene. In Ford v Ferrari he portrayed Enzo Ferrari as a proud, imperious figure — a portrayal praised for its restrained ferocity and class-conscious authority.
Legacy and recognition
Girone remained primarily based in Italy but enjoyed continued recognition abroad. In 2021 he received lifetime achievement awards from both the Venice International Film Festival and the Flaiano Film Festival, honors that acknowledged both his theatrical roots and his enduring screen presence.
Beyond awards, Girone’s career is a study in typecasting turned art: he repeatedly played men of power — bankers, bosses, industrialists — yet managed to invest each with individuality and human complexity. Fans remember him for the slow burn of his performances; critics noted his ability to convey menace without melodrama.
Survivors include his wife, actress Victoria Zinny, whom he married in 1982, and his stepchildren Veronica and Karl. For many viewers, Girone’s characters were the embodiment of a particularly Italian blend of civility and corruption — an on-screen legacy that will continue to influence European crime drama for years to come.
A quiet, influential actor, Remo Girone leaves behind a body of work that rewarded patience and subtlety—qualities increasingly rare in contemporary crime storytelling.
Source: hollywoodreporter
Leave a Comment