Fine Line Features | For Roseanna

Return to Cast and Crew listing.
Jean Reno · Marcello
Arguably France's hottest contemporary actor, Jean Reno sealed his success there when he starred in Jean-Marie Poire's recording-breaking smash comedy Les Visiteurs in 1993. Since then, Reno has become one of the cinema's most sought-after European actors by international directors, following his acclaimed performances in Lawrence Kasdan's French Kiss, opposite Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline, Luc Besson's The Professional (aka Leon) with Gary Oldman, and, most recently, Brian de Palma's Mission Impossible, alongside Tom Cruise.

Born in Casablanca to Spanish parents, Reno arrived in France after serving his military service in Germany, and immediately began to pursue his dream of acting. Settling in Paris, he linked up with stage director Didier Flamand in a traveling theater company that took him around the country.

His first screen break came with Costa Gravas' Claire de Femme in 1979, but it was his turn in Luc Besson's Le Dernier Combat in 1982 that made audiences and critics sit up and take notice. Reno acted in the subsequent Besson films Subway (1985), starring Isabelle Adjani and Christopher Lambert, The Big Blue (1987) with Rosanna Arquette, the acclaimed thriller La Femme Nikita (1989) and The Professional (1994).

Reno's screen credits include the Michelangelo Antonioni/Wim Wender's collaboration Pardela les Nuages, Francis Veber's Le Jaguar (1996), Christian Le Jale's Loulou Graffiti (1991), Jean-Marie Poire's L'Operation Corned Beef (1990), Eric Duret's L'Homme au Masque D'Or (1990), Marco Ferreri's I Love You (1986), Bertrand Blier's Notre Histoire (1984) and Jacques Monnet's Signes Exterieurs de Richesse.

Mercedes Ruehl · Roseanna
Mercedes Ruehl shot to international prominence when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Terry Gilliam's The Fisher King. The award confirmed Ruehl as one of America's most gifted actors after a string of acclaimed performances in Jonathan Demme's Married To The Mob, and Penny Marshall's Big. Her film credits include HBO's Indictment, John McTiernan's Last Action Hero, David Jones' 84 Charing Cross Road, Mike Nichols' Heartburn and Woody Allen's Radio Days.

Ruehl has also established herself as one of America's leading stage talents. Her performance in Neil Simon's "Lost In Yonkers" won her the Tony Award for Best Actress, and she reprised the role in Martha Coolidge's film version of the play. Ruehl also won raves for her performances in "The Rose Tattoo," "Shadowbox," "Blue Light," "Other People's Money," "I'm Not Rappaport," "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" and "Coming of Age in Soho." Ruehl also has a recurring role on the hit television series "Frasier," and is currently developing her own television show with NBC.

Polly Walker · Cecilia
Polly Walker has become one of Britain's busiest and brightest acting talents, thanks to the international success of Mike Newell's Academy Award-nominated Enchanted April in which she played the cynical Lady Caroline. Walker was recently featured in Douglas McGrath's Emma, with Gwyneth Paltrow, and will soon be seen with Michael Gambon in Karoly Mack's upcoming film, The Gambler. Among Walker's other film credits are Patriot Games, Sliver and Restoration, as well as the European films Woodlanders, Talk of Angels, The Trial and A Dangerous Man. On stage, she has appeared in "Hess Is Dead," directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) and "As You Like It" at the Old Vic. She has acted in several British television productions, including "Lorna Doone" and "The Kremlin Farewell."

Mark Frankel · Antonio
Mark Frankel was recognized as one of the growing number of young British actors who made a mark both in their home country and in the U.S. He first showed his considerable on-screen charisma in Vadim Jean and Gary Sinyor's Leon The Pig Farmer, which won the Critics' Award at the Venice Film Festival and the Charlie Chaplin Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Film Festival, as well as the coveted Evening Standard Award. He then starred in Gary Sinyor's Solitaire for 2 opposite Amanda Pays.

Frankel had a highly successful television career, which began when he played Michelangelo in the Turner Network biopic "A Season of Giants." He also starred in "Young Catherine" and "Fortune Hunter," both produced by the Turner Network, Fox Television's "The Kindred," NBC's "Sisters" and Granada TV's "Vanities Die Hard." Mark was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident in September 1996.

Giuseppe Cederna · Father Bramilla
Giuseppe Cederna is perhaps best known in Italy and abroad for his performance in Gabriele Salvatores' Academy Award-winning comedy Mediterraneo. An actor who moves easily between screen and stage, he has also starred in Salvatores' acclaimed Marrakech Express, Ettore Scola's La Famiglia and Felice Farina's Bidoni. Cederna has also written and directed several plays, many of which have toured Italy and Europe. Most recently, he toured with a production of Chekov's "The Cherry Orchard," helmed by Italy's top stage director Gabriele Lavia.

Renato Scarpa · Doctor Benvenuto
Renato Scarpa has starred in some of Italy's most successful films, including the multiple Academy Award-nominated Il Postino, directed by Michael Radford. He starred in comic auteur Maurizio Nichetti's Volere Volare and Ladri Di Saponette, and was also featured in Massimo Troisi's Ricomincio da Tre, Luciano De Crescenzo's Cosi parlo Bellavista, Mario Monicelli's Un Borghese Piccolo Piccolo, and Nicolas Roeg's classic chiller Don't Look Now.

Luigi Diberti · Capestro
One of Italy's leading stage and screen actors, Luigi Diberti enjoys a busy career both in his home country and in France. His film credits include Lina Wertmuller's Tutto a Posto Niente in Ordine, Francesco Maselli's Storia d'Amore, Luigi Magni's Nemici d'Infanzia, Mauro Bolognini's Matello, Elio Petri's La Classe Operaio va in Paradiso, Mauro Bolognini's Imputazione d'Omcidio per uno Studente and Libera Amor Mio, Michelangelo Antonioni's Il Mistero di Oberwald, Pupi Avati's Magnificat, Bernard Rose's Immortal Beloved, Christina Comencini's Follow Your Heart and Dario Argento's The Stendhal Syndrome.

Roberto Della Casa · Rossi
Roberto Della Casa is among Italy's leading comedy actors. He has starred in Maurizio Nichetti's Snowball, Giuliano Ferrara's Giovanni Falcone, Neri Parenti's Le Comiche 2, Dino Risi's Il Commissario lo Gatto, Mario Monicelli's Camere d'Albergo, Luigi Comencini's L'Ingorgo, Alberto Sordi's Il Tassinaro, and several films with box office hitmakers Carlo and Enrico Vanzina.

Trevor Peacock · Iaccoponi
Trevor Peacock's distinguished career encompasses film, television and theatre. He has acted in several television film productions for the BBC, including Thin Blue Line, Sweet Nothings and Antonia and Jane, which enjoyed a successful theatrical release in the U.S. Additional feature film credits include David Jones' The Trial and Franco Zefferelli's Hamlet. Among Peacock's performances for the Royal Shakespeare Company are roles in "Mother Courage," "The Time of Your Life" and "Measure for Measure;" his other stage credits include "Death of a Salesman" at the Royal Exchange, and "Volpone" at the National. On British television, Peacock has been a series regular on such programs as "Growing Pains," "Young Merlin" and was the series lead on "Wish Me Luck III."

Fay Ripley · Francesca
Fay Ripley's film credits include Mute Witness. She has acted in the television productions "The Prince," "One For The Road," "Frontiers" and "Cold Feet." Ripley trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and her stage experience encompasses roles in "Richard III," "On the Twentieth Century," "Romeo & Juliet" and "Medea."

Return to Cast and Crew listing.