13 Things About Raoul Bova

Welcome one and all to this week's Thursday Thirteen:
13 Things about Raoul Bova.

Why Raoul? Because the ladies love him, that's why. And I have pics to share. Those are all the reasons I need, thanks.

Raoul, all bundled up, in Predator vs. Alien. This is the last time you'll see so many clothes on him, here. I promise.

Besides, he provides quite a bit of, erm... Inspiration, for the writers I know. So, let's jump on in!

1) He was born August 14, 1971. (Which makes him one month younger than me... So he has to do what I tell him to, right? Heh, heh...)

2) At the age of 16 he won the Italian swimming championship of the 100 meters backstroke competing for the team S.S. Lazio, the oldest and most important sport club in Europe.

Splish, splash!

Mmmm... Backstroke...

3) At the age of 21, he performed his military duty in the Italian army's "Bersaglieri" (sharpshooters) corps. (Now there's an image, eh?)

Imagine these eyes sighting down a gun... I hate violence, I deplore guns, but still...!

4) He studied at the Italian Institute of Physical Education. (I could say so many things here...)

5) He was born in Rome. Naturally, he considers himself Roman and feels that he couldn't live anywhere else (a common Italian trait, of course). However, his parents are from southern Italy - his father is from Reggio Calabria and his mother is from Napoli.

Mamma's baby is alllll grown up...

6) He lost 14 kilos (31 lbs!) to portray Saint Francis in Francesco (2002) and named his second son, Francesco, after the Saint.

7) Before becoming an actor, he took an exam to enter in the "Carabinieri", the Italian military police but was refused. (Thank goodness! Though he'd have looked damn good in those uniforms...)

Well, he looks good in white, also...

8) He occasionally plays soccer with the "Nazionale Italiana attori" in charity matches.

9) Raoul made a nude artistic calendar in 2000 for the Italian magazine Max. (Oh, yes, indeed... And verily, we are thankful...)

10) His favorite writers are Paulo Coelho and Luis Sepúlveda. (Wow! They're two of my favorites, too! Good taste, there, Raoul.)

11) He is good friends with actors George Clooney and Alessandro Gassman.

(I personally enjoy this little factoid. Why? I like to picture Raoul hanging out with this:

and this:

and all the fun that could follow, if only in my head. Yes, I know. I'm a sick, sick woman... But y'all can thank me later... Heh, heh.)

12) Raoul, coming from Radulf, derives from the Germanic elements rad meaning "counsel" and wulf meaning "wolf".

Rawr.

13) He has been known to say that had he not gone into acting, he would have opened his own sports club and been a physical education instructor. (Imagine that... having this -

- as your trainer... Yeah, I'm winded just contemplating it.)

And, oh, heck, here's one last one!

Do what you will with it, ladies (and gents...you know who you are)!


Ciao!