Paola Cortellesi
Paola Cortellesi is an Italian actress, comedian, film director, screenwriter and producer. She has starred in about 20 movies as well as a number of theatrical, television and radio shows. In 2023, she made her directorial debut with the black-and-white feminist comedy-drama There's Still Tomorrow, which received critical acclaim and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time in Italy.
Biography
Cortellesi debuted in the show business at the age of 13, as a singer for Cacao meravigliao, the jingle of the popular RAI TV show Indietro tutta! by Renzo Arbore. At 19 she began studying as an actress at the "Teatro Blu" in Rome.She began her career in television with the show Macao, presented by Alba Parietti, but eventually reached nationwide popularity as a comic actress in the TV show Mai dire Gol by the Gialappa's Band, which, in particular, showcased her skills at parodying famous people, a genre where she collected some of her most appreciated performances.
After Mai dire Gol, Cortellesi has collaborated in several other TV Show of the Mai dire... franchise by Gialappa's Band. Other major performances of Cortellesi on television include the 2004 edition of the Sanremo Music Festival and the leading role in the TV movie Maria Montessori: Una vita per i bambini, a biography of Maria Montessori, for which Cortellesi received the "Maximo Award" at the Roma Fiction Fest.
Her career in cinema includes several appreciated performances in comedies and comic movies, including a leading role in Tu la conosci Claudia?, a very popular production starring the comic trio Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo. In 2008, she was nominated for the David di Donatello award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie Piano, solo by Riccardo Milani. In 2011 she won the David di Donatello for Best Actress for her leading role in Escort in Love.
One of her most appreciated theatrical performances was Gli ultimi saranno gli ultimi by Massimiliano Bruno, which has been staged 189 times from 2005 to 2007 in over 50 theatres, and for which Cortellesi has collected a number of awards.
As a singer, Cortellesi has been described by Mina as "one of the best Italian voices" and has cooperated with several notable Italian musicians, including Elio e le Storie Tese, Renato Zero, Claudio Baglioni, Frankie Hi-NRG MC, and Neri per Caso. In 2019 she was filmed in the title role of Petra for the four-part Italian TV crime drama, broadcast from September 2020.
In 2023 her directorial debut There's Still Tomorrow was a major hit. It was the most successful film at the Italian box office in 2023, and the 10th highest-grossing film in the country's history. It was the opening film at the 18th Rome Film Festival, at the 69th David di Donatello it brought Cortellesi 6 awards, including the Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay.
In 2025, Cortellesi was appointed the jury president of the Progressive Cinema Competition at the 20th Rome Film Festival.
Personal life
Cortellesi married director Riccardo Milani on 1 October 2011, after being engaged for nine years. The couple have a daughter, Laura, born in 2013.Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | Italian voice-over |
| 2000 | Ask Me If I'm Happy | Dalia | Feature film debut |
| 2001 | Un altr'anno e poi cresco | Alessia | |
| 2001 | Se fossi in te | Caterina | |
| 2002 | A cavallo della tigre | Antonella | |
| 2002 | Bell'amico | Damiana | Cameo appearance |
| 2002 | Stuart Little 2 | Margalo the Bird | Italian voice-over |
| 2003 | Past Perfect | Claudia | |
| 2003 | The Soul's Place | Nina | |
| 2004 | Do You Know Claudia? | Claudia | |
| 2006 | Don't Make Any Plans for Tonight | Cinzia | |
| 2007 | Piano, solo | Baba | |
| 2007 | Persepolis | Marjane Satrapi | Italian voice-over |
| 2009 | Turtle: The Incredible Journey | Narrator | Italian voice-over |
| 2009 | The Ladies Get Their Say | Sofia | |
| 2009 | La fisica dell'acqua | Giulia | Direct-to-video film |
| 2010 | Men vs. Women | Chiara | |
| 2011 | Women vs. Men | Chiara | |
| 2011 | Cars 2 | Holley Shiftwell | Italian voice-over |
| 2011 | Escort in Love | Alice Bottini | |
| 2011 | Some Say No | Irma Camuzzo | |
| 2014 | A Boss in the Living Room | Cristina D'Avola/ Carmela Cimmaruta | |
| 2014 | Sotto una buona stella | Luisa Tombolini | |
| 2014 | Do You See Me? | Serena Bruno | |
| 2015 | Wondrous Boccaccio | Usimbalda | |
| 2015 | The Little Prince | Mother | Italian voice-over |
| 2015 | The Last Will Be the Last | Luciana Colacci | |
| 2016 | Qualcosa di nuovo | Lucia | |
| 2017 | Mom or Dad? | Valeria Mozzati | |
| 2017 | Like a Cat on a Highway | Monica | |
| 2018 | The Legend of the Christmas Witch | The Witch | |
| 2018 | Early Man | Goona | Italian voice-over |
| 2019 | Detective per caso | Inspector Bellamore | |
| 2019 | Don't Stop Me Now | Giovanna Salvatori | |
| 2020 | Figli | Sara | |
| 2020 | Soul | 22 | Italian voice-over |
| 2021 | Like a Cat on a Highway 2 | Monica | |
| 2022 | Marcel! | Jewels seller | Cameo appearance |
| 2023 | There's Still Tomorrow | Delia | Also director and co-writer |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Maria Montessori: Una vita per i bambini | Maria Montessori | Miniseries |
| 2010 | Le cose che restano | Nora | 4 episodes |
| 2020–present | Petra | Petra Delicato | Lead role |
| 2023 | Call My Agent - Italia | Herself | Season 1, episode 1 |