Omero Antonutti, a renowned Italian actor and voice actor, was celebrated for his commanding screen presence and distinctive voice. Born in Basiliano, a town in the province of Udine, Italy, he initially pursued a career in shipyards before turning his attention to the world of acting.
Antonutti's performing career began on stage, where he was particularly active at the Teatro Stabile di Trieste and the Teatro Stabile di Genova, often working under the direction of the esteemed Luigi Squarzina. His early film appearances included Le piacevoli notti (1966),a movie that featured an impressive cast, including Vittorio Gassman, Gina Lollobrigida, and Ugo Tognazzi.
However, it was his critically acclaimed performance in the Taviani brothers' Padre Padrone (1977) that brought him international recognition. Antonutti's impressive filmography also includes appearances in Spanish cinema, such as Víctor Erice's El Sur (1983) and Carlos Saura's El Dorado (1988),as well as the biblical epic Genesis: The Creation and the Flood (1994),in which he portrayed the iconic character of Noah.
Beyond his work on screen, Antonutti was a prolific voice actor, providing the Italian voice for numerous prominent actors, including Christopher Lee, with whom he collaborated on major franchises such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Star Wars. He also lent his voice to actors such as John Hurt, Omar Sharif, Michael Gambon, Christopher Plummer, Donald Sutherland, James Cromwell, and Robert Duvall.