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Peppino Mazzotta

Peppino Mazzotta (born 20 May 1971) is an Italian actor, known for playing police officer Giuseppe Fazio in Il commissario Montalbano mystery series based on the character and novels created by Andrea Camilleri. Mazzotta is a native of Domanico (Province of Cosenza).

Career

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Born in the Calabrian town of Domanico in 1971, Mazzotta attended the Faculty of Architecture at the university of Reggio Calabria, then joined a Drama School at Palmi, and discovered his great acting passion. He later founded in Naples the theatre company Rosso Tiziano (Titian Red) together with five colleagues of the Palmi Academy, with whom he continues to collaborate.[1] In 2003 he created a new theatre company, named Teatri del Sud (Southern Theatres), together with playwright and script-writer Francesco Suriano, who produced plays in the Calabrian dialect. The company closed after three years of activity, due to lack of financial support from the Arts, but Mazzotta is still very active in the regional theatre, especially in the production of Greek plays.[2]

Peppino Mazzotta is best known for portraying police detective Giuseppe Fazio, in the renowned Italian television series Inspector Montalbano, produced and broadcast by RAI since 1999, and based on the detective novels of Andrea Camilleri. The protagonist is Commissario Salvo Montalbano, and Mazzotta plays his loyal, hyper-efficient right-hand man in the fictional town of Vigata, Sicily.

In the summer of 2012, during the Positano Theatre Festival, Mazzotta was awarded the Annibale Ruccello Prize for his theatrical production Radio Argo.[3]

Mazzotta's career is currently divided between theatre, cinema and television, in a busy schedule of engagements and guest appearances. He continues to play Inspector Montalbano's assistant in the new episodes of the Italian TV series.[4]

In autumn 2016 Mazzotta played Bruno Corona, a fictional 'Ndrangheta boss in "Solo" a dramatic television series broadcast by Canale 5 and set in Gioia Tauro, Calabria.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Prima del tramonto Matteo
2001 Domenica Peppino
2004 A Children's Story Luca
2005 Che gioia! Michele Conte Short film
2007 Il pugile e la ballerina Carletto
2008 The Speed of Light Mario
2009 Cado dalle nubi Livio
2010 We Believed Carmine Lopresti
2011 Tienimi stretto Don Masini
La misura del confine Peppino
2014 Black Souls Rocco
2016 Gramsci 44 Antonio Gramsci
2018 Forgive Us Our Debts Finance executive Cameo appearance
Aspettando la Bardot Paolo
2021 Bastardi a mano armata Michele
A Classic Horror Story Riccardo
2022 I pionieri Michele Belfiore
La caccia Father

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1999–2021 Inspector Montalbano Detective Giuseppe Fazio Main role
2002 Saint Anthony: The Miracle Worker of Padua Nuno Television movie
2004 Paolo Borsellino Captain Pellegrini Television movie
2005 Distretto di Polizia Stefano Renda Episode: "La legge del cuore"
2007 Il capitano Peppino Mazzoleni Main role (season 2)
R.I.S. Delitti Imperfetti Pasquale Esposito Episode: "A presto, Capitano"
2008 Per una notte d'amore Marco Television movie
2010 Crimini Michele Fallà Episode: "Niente di personale"
Squadra antimafia Raffaele Cannizzaro 5 episodes
2013 La mia bella famiglia italiana Totò Television movie
2016 Lampedusa - Dall'orizzonte in poi Lieutenant Ragusa Docuseries
2016–2018 Solo Bruno Corona Main role
2021 Cacciatore: The Hunter Nicola Callipari Episode: "Ciao nemico"

Stage credits

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Notes

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  1. ^ Biography on Il Corriere della Sera (in Italian)
  2. ^ Cf. Interview with Mazzotta of June 9, 2011 (in Italian)
  3. ^ Cf. News Announcement, on La Repubblica of August 7, 2012. (in Italian)
  4. ^ Filmography (in Italian)
  5. ^ News article March 10, 2013
  6. ^ News October 19, 2011 Archived January 25, 2013, at archive.today
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