Monica Guerritore (born 5 January 1958) is an Italian film, theatre, and television actress.
Biography Guerritore was born in Rome to a Neapolitan father and a Calabrian mother. She had her first small part in Vittorio De Sica's Una breve vacanza, at the early age of 13. After her official debut at just sixteen years of age under the direction of Giorgio Strehler in The Cherry Orchard, she tied herself romantically and artistically to film and theatre director Gabriele Lavia, acting in his theatrical performances mostly strong female characters like Jocasta, Lady Macbeth and Ophelia. Miss Julie in Strindberg's drama. The couple separated in 2001, during the rehearsals of Ingmar Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage in which she played Marianne. Guerritore continued her work with other directors, like Giancarlo Sepe, in Madame Bovary, Carmen, and The Lady of the Camellias.
Beside the stage career, Guerritore works on television and film, starting in 1976 along Marcello Mastroianni in Signore e signori, buonanotte. In 1977, she plays the title role in first RAI colour TV play Manon Lescaut; significant performances were in Salvatore Samperi's The Dark Side of Love (1985) and in Mauro Bolognini's The Venetian Woman (1986). She stayed far away from television for 17 years and came back on screen RAI in 1997 with the title role in Costanza, and in 1999 in Mario Caiano's L'amore oltre la vita. In 2004, she played Ambra Leonardi in Amanti e segreti, and in 2006 she played Ada Sereni in Gianluigi Calderone's Exodus.
Lavia directed her in many movies, often erotically toned, including Scandalous Gilda (1985), Evil Senses (1986) and a Sicilian film by Giovanni Verga, La lupa (1996). In theatre, she also wrote and directed Giovanna d'Arco (2004–2006), and Dall'Inferno all'Infinito (2008). In 2007, she played a part in Ferzan Özpetek's A Perfect Day (Un giorno perfetto), and in 2008 she took part to Ivano De Matteo's La bella gente. She has performed Saint Monica in Christian Duguay's Sant'Agostino.
Guerritore portrayed Anna Di Gastoni in the 2018 film My Big Gay Italian Wedding. In 2024, she starred as Gabriella de Rosa in the Netflix Italian series Deceitful Love. Guerritore's first feature film as a director, , about Anna Magnani premiered at the Rome Film Festival on 9 October 2025, and was released in Italy on 6 November 2025.
Filmography
Films Year Title Role Notes1973A Brief VacationMaria 1974Lovers and Other RelativesRosy1975The First Time on the GrassLotte1976Goodnight, Ladies and GentlemenPaolo's assistantCameo appearance1977AnnabellaSegment: "Secondo episodio"Man in a HurryMarie de Bois-Rosé1978Break UpSilvia1979Together?Giulia1980Men or Not MenBerthaOmbreMonica1981Forest of LoveAgnolella1982Più bello di così si muoreAmeliaIo con te non ci sto piùClara1983Principe di HomburgNatalia1984The Dark Side of Love1985Scandalous GildaGilda1986The Venetian WomanValeriaEvil SensesVittoria1988The Strangeness of LifeAnna1992Crazy UnderwearAmalia1996La lupaGnà Pina "La Lupa"1998FemminaSilvia2000Scene da un matrimonioMarianne2007Liberarsi - Figli di una rivoluzione minoreTeresa2008Sandrine in the RainCarolinaA Perfect DayMara SolariLa fabbrica dei tedeschiMotherThe Seed of DiscordAndrologistCameo appearance 2009La bella genteSusanna2011The Worst Week of My LifeClara2012Tell No OneAurora2018My Big Gay Italian Wedding2019Tuttapposto2020AgonyAngelica2022Femminile singolareSimona2023Marie D'Amico2025Anna Magnani
Television Year Title Role Notes1980La tela del ragnoClarissa Hailsham-BrownTelevision film1989Gioco senza fineSilviaTelevision film1996Uno di noiMonicaEpisode: "Una madre indegna"1998CostanzaCostanzaTelevision film1999L'amore oltre la vitaFrancaTelevision film2004–2005Amanti e SegretiAmbra CastelliMain role2007Exodus - Il sogno di AdaAda SereniTelevision filmFuga con MarleneMarleneTelevision film2010Restless Heart: The Confessions of Saint AugustineSaint Monica2011RossellaOlimpiaMain role (season 1)2012Sabato, domenica e lunedìRosa PrioreTelevision film2013Trilussa - Storia d'amore e di poesiaRosa TomeiTelevision film2015–2016Thou Shalt Not KillLucia FerroMain role2021Speravo de morì primaFiorella Totti2 episodes2021–2025Vita da CarloSandraMain role2023The Good MothersDalia2 episodes2024Deceitful LoveGabriella De RosaMain role
References
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