Franco Nero Shares the 'Profound Lesson' from Wife Vanessa Redgrave That Shaped His Career

Franco Nero and Vanessa Redgrave on May 31, 2011 Edoardo Fornaciari/Getty

Edoardo Fornaciari/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

  • Franco Nero shared sage advice from wife Vanessa Redgrave that he credits with helping him find success and longevity throughout his acting career

  • Nero and Redgrave first met and fell in love in the late 1960s; they share son Carlo Gabriel Nero, 56, but separated and then reunited as a couple in the 2000s

  • Nero is receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday, Feb. 12

Franco Nero is sharing words of wisdom he received from his wifeVanessa Redgrave.

Nero, 84, reflected on his legendary acting career and more than 20 years of marriage with Redgrave, 89, as he spoke withVarietyon Thursday, Feb. 12 before he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. Nero andOscar winnerRedgrave married in 2006, but their romance dates back to the 1960s. The pair share son Carlo Gabriel Nero, 56.

"I am absolutely convinced that the longevity of my career is also due to a profound lesson I learned from Vanessa: determination. She used to repeat it to me often," Nero toldVariety, while looking back on an acting career that began with Italian movies like 1962'sPelle villa.

"Beyond being the woman of my life, she is the most prestigious living actress — Vanessa is determination personified," he added. "For this reason, my artistic longevity and my relationship with Vanessa, dating back to the time ofCamelotare deeply connected."

Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero circa 2008 Franziska Krug/Getty

Franziska Krug/Getty

Nero and Redgrave first met when they costarred in the 1967 musicalCamelot, which released one year after Nero himself broke out with his iconic role in the 1966 Spaghetti Western movieDjango. Nero portrayed King Arthur's (Richard Harris) friend-turned-enemy Sir Lancelot, while Redgrave played Arthur's wife (and Lancelot's secret lover) Guinevere.

The pair separated some time after welcoming their son Carlo. Redgrave was already a mother to daughters Natasha Richardson, who died in 2009 at 45, and Joely Richardson, 61, with her late ex-husband Tony Richardson. Franco became their stepfather after he and Redgrave married in 2006.

As Nero and Redgravetold PEOPLE in 2010, they revived their friendship in the 1990s and subsequently fell in love again, which Redgrave said "happened naturally."

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Franco Nero and Vanessa Redgrave on Nov. 18, 2018 Karwai Tang/WireImage

Karwai Tang/WireImage

"When you rediscover love, it's even stronger. It's not physical anymore, it's something deep," Nero added at the time.

Following their romantic reunion, Nero and Redgrave costarred in movies like 2010'sLetters to Julietand a 2025 movie directed by Carlo titledThe Estate, which premiered at the Torino Film Festival in Nero's native Italy in November. Redgrave also starred in their son Carlo's 2004 movieThe Feveralongside Joely. It is unclear whenThe Estatemay release in U.S. theaters.

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