My mother brought me magicians and witches, because I was very ugly, really revolting. So she thought somebody had put a spell on me - this is the truth - so she made me drink some horrible terrifying potions, for year.

Benigni's father had spent three years in a concentration camp in Bergen-Belsen and La vita è bella is based in part on his father's experiences. During 2006 and 2007 Benigni had a lot of success touring Italy with his 90-minute "one man show" show TuttoDante ("Everything About Dante"). 2008 – Honorary Doctorate in Letters from the University of Malta.

Roberto Remigio Benigni Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto beˈniɲɲi]; born 27 October 1952) is an Italian actor comedian screenwriter and director of film theatre and television.