Checco Zalone
Checco Zalone (Italian pronunciation: [ˌkekko dzaˈloːne], modeled on the Apulian insult "Che cozzalone!", lit. 'What a rough!'), art name of Luca Pasquale Medici[1] (born 3 June 1977), is an Italian actor, musician, singer-songwriter, imitator, comedian and screenwriter. He co-wrote and starred in the three highest-grossing Italian films in Italy headed by Quo Vado?.
Checco Zalone | |
---|---|
Born | Luca Pasquale Medici 3 June 1977 Capurso, Italy |
Occupation | Actor |
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
Biography and career
Born in Capurso, after being a regular in many editions of the Canale 5 variety show Zelig, he became famous in 2006 thanks to the song "Siamo una squadra fortissimi", celebrating the Italian team just before the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[1]
In 2009 he co-wrote and starred in Cado dalle nubi, co-written by Gennaro Nunziante, who also directed.
In 2011 he again co-wrote and starred in Che bella giornata also co-written and directed by Nunziante. It opened with a record Italian opening weekend of $9.4 million[2] and became the highest-grossing Italian film of all-time in Italy, grossing €43.4 million,[3] surpassing Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful.[4] Life Is Beautiful retained the worldwide record for an Italian film with $70 million worldwide.[4]
In 2013, he and Nunziante followed it up with Sole a catinelle which surpassed it with an opening record of €19.2 million and a total gross of €51.9 million.[3][5][6]
In January 2016, his and Nunziate's next film Quo Vado? set another opening weekend record grossing over €22m (£16.5m) over the three-day holiday weekend[5][7][8] and went on to become the highest-grossing Italian film of all-time[9] with €65.3 million, second only to Avatar in Italy with €65.7 million.[9]
His and Nunziate's films are currently the second, third and fifth highest-grossing films in Italy.
Filmography
- Cado dalle nubi (2009)
- Che bella giornata (2011)
- Sole a catinelle (2013)
- Quo Vado? (2016)
- Tolo Tolo (2020)
References
- Zalone, Checco, in Treccani, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana. 15 March 2011.
- "Beautiful Day' now Italy's most successful film (Reuters)". 17 January 2011.
- "Annuario Cinetel 2014" (PDF). Cinetel. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- Lyman, Eric J. (4 November 2013). "Italian Comedy 'Sun in Buckets' Sets New Opening Weekend Sales Record". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
- Anderson, Ariston (4 January 2016). "Italy Box Office: Local Hit 'Quo Vado?' Sets Opening Records". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- Lyman, Eric J. (4 November 2013). "Italian Comedy 'Sun in Buckets' Sets New Opening Weekend Sales Record". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- Hoad, Phil. "Backward-looking The Force Awakens might pay the price beyond the west". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
- "Quo Vado? has beaten Star Wars at the box office". The Independent. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
- Niola, Gabriele (14 January 2016). "Italy box office: 'Quo Vado?' becomes biggest ever local film". Screen Daily. Retrieved 3 October 2019.