Valeria Golino – Biography, Partners She Has Been With, Net Worth

Quick Facts

Italian actress Valeria Golino has made a name for herself not only in her native land but also among English-speaking audiences. She has been active since the early 1980s and is showing no signs of slowing down. Some of her notable films have come to include; Rain Man, Big Top Pee-wee, and Hot Shots! Golino is also a director and has directed a handful of films including the 2018 Italian film, Euphoria. We discuss her career, wealth as well as her romantic life.

Valeria Golino’s Biography

Golino was born on the 22nd of October 1965 in Naples, Italy to an Italian father and a Greek mother named Lalla. Her father was a Germanist scholar while her mother was a painter. Golino as a young child had wanted to become a cardiologist but her artistic side kept pulling her away from that dream. She happens to hail from a family of artists – her brother would end up becoming a musician.

She spent the first few years of her life in Naples but after her parents split, she alternated between Athens, Greece, and Sorrento – a small town in Naples where her father lived. When she was with her mom, she often visited the cinemas and developed a passion for films.

At the age of 11, Golino was diagnosed with scoliosis which is a medical condition whereby a person’s spine has a sideways S or C-shaped curve. In order to correct the defect, Golino spent 6 months in a hospital in Chicago, America, where she had a steel rod implanted into her spine. During that period, she began learning to speak English. She would have the rod in her until she turned 16 years old.

As Golino grew, her artistic side became manifest. She started modeling from the age of 14 and would travel around Milan, London, and Athens for gigs. At the age of 18, Golino was with her uncle, L’Espresso journalist, Enzo Golino, when he received a call from a casting director who was looking for a young girl to fill a role. With no formal education in acting, Valeria quickly jumped on the opportunity and was cast in the film A Joke of Destiny which became her debut.

With that first experience, she dropped out of high school and decided to pursue acting full-time. Valeria Golino didn’t have to struggle for long before earning her big break which came in leading roles in 1985 films; Little Flames and My Dearest Son. Both roles won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Breakthrough Actress.

Her life and career were threatened by a motor accident later in 1985 which left her bedridden for 5 months. Fortunately, she resumed normal service in 1986, solidifying her stardom with her role in A Tale of Love.

She relocated to Los Angeles in the late 1980s and announced herself with performances in Big Top Pee-Wee, Rain Man where she played ‘s girlfriend, as well as Hot Shots! films. Valeria Golino continues to act to this day with her focus on Italian films.

Net Worth

Valeria Golino is a successful actress by many standards. In recent years, her net worth has been estimated at $10 million. One of her most successful projects in recent years is the 2013 film Honey aka Miele which won numerous awards.

Partners She Has Been With

Valeria Golino has been romantically involved with a lot of men many of whom she met on film sets. In ascending order, we take a look at all of her relationships that have made it to the media light.

Peter Del Monte (1985–1987)

Golino and American-born Italian film director and screenwriter, Peter Del Montel worked on a couple of projects together before they began a romantic relationship. He directed her in the 1985 film, Little Flames where she played the lead. Their relationship lasted a couple of years as they split in 1987.

Benicio del Toro (1988–1992)

Golino met the Puerto Rican on the set of Big Top Pee-Wee which was the first film she acted in upon moving to Los Angeles. They went on to act in two other films; The Indian Runner (1991) and Submission (1995).

Fabrizio Bentivoglio (1993–2001)

Fabrizio Bentivoglio is a multi-award winning Italian cinema and theatre actor and a screenwriter. Their relationship lasted for eight years. However, after they broke up, they continued working together occasionally. She featured in his 2006 film, “Lascia perdere, Johnny.”

Andrea Di Stefano (2002–2005)

Andrea Di Stefano is an Italian actor and film director who was born on the 15th of December, 1972. Like Golino, he appeals both to Italian and English-speaking audiences, having studied acting in New York.

Riccardo Scamarcio (2006–2016)

In 2006, Valeria entered a romantic relationship with Italian film actor and film producer, Riccardo Scamarcio who is 15 years younger than she is. They acted as siblings in the 2009 comedy-drama film, The Cézanne Affair. Their relationship lasted for a decade, ending in 2016.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.