Franco Merli — Acting | Biography, Movies & Career

Biography

Franco Merli was an Italian actor born in Rome, Italy, on the 31st of October, 1956.

Much of Merli's earlier life is unknown, but whilst working as a petrol station attendant at 16, he was discovered by the Italian poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, and was cast in Pasolini's Arabian Nights as Nur Ed Din thanks to his lean figure and dark complexion.

Later, Merli would go on to play one of the male victims in Pasolini's last film, Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. He became the face of the film, the picture of him with a gun to his head being one of the most famous images from Salò. He was cast in Salò as Pasolini found him easy to work with, and he already knew Merli was comfortable with doing nude scenes, however during filming when the gun was brought to his head, he began to panic and had to be calmed down. Rumours arised on set that he was homosexual, which also caused him anxiety whilst filming the movie. He also went on to play Fernando, the transvestite prostitute and son of the main character, in Ettore Scola's Ugly, Dirty And Bad (1976) [also titled Down & Dirty].

After Pasolini's death, Merli struggled to find further work in the industry as his usual roles were unconventional, and thanks to him being the "image" of the controversial Salò. Due to this he stopped acting altogether. He died in Rome on the 17th of May in 2025 after a long period of illness.