Massimo Lopez (born 11 January 1952) is an Italian actor, comedian, impressionist, voice actor, and television personality.[1]
Massimo Lopez | |
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Born | Ascoli Piceno, Italy | 11 January 1952
Occupations |
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Years active | 1975–present |
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
Relatives | Giorgio Lopez (brother) |
Together with fellow actors Anna Marchesini and Tullio Solenghi, he has been a member of the comic group known as Il Trio (The Trio).[2]
Lopez was born to parents from Naples who were temporarily working in Ascoli Piceno.[3] He started his acting career in 1975, was first cast as a voice actor in 1980, and founded Il Trio in 1982 with Tullio Solenghi and Anna Marchesini: the Trio debuted on Rai Radio 2 with the Hellzapoppin radio show.[4]
Following the great success of Hellzapoppin, the Trio participated in various television programs like Domenica in and the 1986 edition of Fantastico and took part to the Sanremo Music Festival editions of 1986, 1987 and 1989.[5]
In 1990, the Trio reached the peak of success with the parody of Alessandro Manzoni's The Betrothed, which was broadcast on Rai 1 in 5 episodes.[6] Together with Solenghi and Marchesini, Lopez brought on stage two theatrical shows: Allacciare le cinture di sicurezza (Fasten your seat belts) in 1987 and In principio era il trio (In the Beginning, there was the Trio) in 1990.
The Trio dissolved in 1994, due to the will of all three actors to work as soloists,[7] but reunited for one last time in 2008 to celebrate its 25th anniversary with the TV-program Non esiste più la mezza stagione.[4]
In 1998, Lopez made an appearance as a guest star in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful and in 2005 he hosted together with Solenghi Striscia la notizia.[8] From 2005 to 2011 Lopez acted and sang in the theatre one-man-show Ciao Frankie (Goodbye, Frankie), also performed at the Colony Theatre in Miami, directed by his brother Giorgio Lopez and dedicated to Frank Sinatra, featuring songs, gags and impressions.
As a voice actor, Lopez is known for dubbing voices, such as Robin Williams' in the live action adaption of Popeye, Mike Myers in the second installment of the Austin Powers movies, and Stephen Fry in The Hobbit. In his animated roles, he has been providing the current Italian voice of Homer Simpson in The Simpsons since the death of Tonino Accolla in 2013[9] and has performed the Italian voice of Grand Pabbie in Frozen, Ramon in Happy Feet, Mr. Peabody in Mr. Peabody & Sherman and Lionheart in Zootopia.
On 27 March 2017 Lopez suffered a heart attack while he was performing on stage; he quickly underwent an angioplasty and was transferred to a cardiological rehabilitation center, where he recovered completely and came back on stage two months later.[10]
Lopez is the younger brother of the late actor, voice actor and theatre director Giorgio Lopez, who was the official Italian dubbing artist for Danny DeVito until his death in 2021. He is also the uncle of voice actors Gabriele and Andrea Lopez.
Year | Title | Role(s) |
---|---|---|
1982 | Odd Squad | Pasquale Cutolo |
1984 | Ladies & Gentlemen | Fella |
2012 | Lightning Strike | Pope Benedict XVI (voice) |
2021 | Una famiglia mostruosa | Sirio (voice) |
2023 | La quattordicesima domenica del tempo ordinario | Samuele Nascetti |
Year | Title | Role(s) |
---|---|---|
2001 | Aida of the Trees | Ramfis |
2006 | Happy Feet | Ramon |
2009 | A Town Called Panic | Horse |
2011 | Happy Feet Two | Ramon |
2013 | Turbo | Bobby |
Justin and the Knights of Valour | Blucher | |
Frozen | Grand Pabbie | |
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return | Cowardly Lion | |
2014 | The Boxtrolls | Archiebald Snatcher |
Mr. Peabody & Sherman | Mr. Peabody | |
Rio 2 | Eduardo | |
2015 | Strange Magic | Stuff |
2016 | Zootopia | Mayor Lionheart |
Ratchet & Clank | Captain Qwark | |
2017 | Smurfs: The Lost Village | Papa Smurf |
2019 | Frozen II | Grand Pabbie |
2021 | Plusaversary | Homer Simpson |
Vivo | Andrés | |
The Boss Baby: Family Business | Erwin Armstrong |
Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | The Venetian Twins | Florindo | Special |
1981 | La donna serpente | Togrul | Special |
1984 | I veleni dei Gonzaga | Charles V | Television film |
1990 | The Betrothed | Don Rodrigo / Fra Cristoforo | Main role |
1998 | Professione fantasma | Inspector Max Ventura | Lead role |
1998 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Guest star | |
2001 | Compagni di scuola | Felice Salina | Lead role |
2002 | Max & Tux | Max | Lead role |
2012 | Le mille e una notte - Aladino e Sherazade | The Genie | Miniseries |
Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1980–1982 | The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show | Droopy | Main cast |
Fisherman Sanpei | Gyoshin Ayukawa | Main cast | |
1981 | Supercar Gattiger | Joe Kabuki | Main cast |
1981–1982 | Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds | Aramis | Main cast |
2004–present | Peppa Pig | Dr. Bear | Recurring role |
2004–2009 | Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends | Spiderus Reeves | Main cast |
2012 | Futurama | Ben | Episode: "The Bots and the Bees" |
Larvae Levin | Episode: "The Thief of Baghead" | ||
2012–present | The Simpsons | Homer Simpson, various characters | Main cast (season 24–present) |
2013–2014 | Strange Hill High | Mr. Abercrombie | Main cast |
2013–2016 | Doc McStuffins | Chilly | Main cast (season 2-4) |
2014 | Family Guy | Homer Simpson | Episode: "The Simpsons Guy" |
BoJack Horseman | Quentin Tarantulino | 2 episodes | |
2015–2020 | New Looney Tunes | Cecil Turtle | Recurring role |
2016–2018 | Skylanders Academy | Master Eon | Main cast |
2022 | Little Demon | Satan | Lead role |
2023 | Digman! | Quail Eegan | Main cast |
Media related to Massimo Lopez at Wikimedia Commons