Trivia

Nearly drowned in the sea as a child. To get over this trauma, he started to follow swimming lessons and became a champion at 16.

Made a nude artistic calendar in 2000 for the Italian magazine Max.

The first movie he ever watched was "Some like it hot".

He was born in Rome and considers himself a real Roman that couldn't live somewhere else, but his parents are from southern Italy, his father is from Reggio Calabria and his mother from Naples.

Married his girlfriend three months after the birth of their first son Alessandro, and the child was baptized on the same day of the marriage, near Perugia, in Italy.

At age 16 he won the Italian swimming championship of the 100 meters backstroke competing for the team S.S. Lazio.

Has been the face of "Giorgio Armani eyewear" and of "Gap".

Good friend with designer Giorgio Armani, actors George Clooney, Alessandro Gassman and Maria-Grazia Cucinotta.

Appeared with Madonna in a 1999 Max Factor commercial, directed by Alek Keshishian, starring make-up artist Sarah Monzani.

Before becoming an actor, he took an exam to enter in the "Carabinieri", the Italian military police but was refused. Ironically, he portrays a carabiniere in the TV movie Ultimo (1998) .

Has two dogs: Jackie and Ofelia.

Father, with Chiara, of two boys named Alessandro Leon (born on the 29th January 2000) at 7.18 AM, Francesco (born in 2001) and a girl named Sophia.

Loves to collect Bonzai trees.

Was included in the "2008 World's Sexiest Men" list according to E! Entertainment, (ranked #13).

Favorite actors are Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Daniel Day-Lewis, Dustin Hoffman, Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Paul Newman and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Ex-boyfriend of actress Romina Mondello.

His wife, Chiara Giordano, is a veterinarian.

His father is an employee of Alitalia Airlines and his mother is an housewife.

Favorite singers are Laura Pausini, Jovanotti and Pino Daniele.

Militates against the death penalty, and took part to a short movie called "15 seconds", where he plays the last moments of a man on the death row.

Was named Raoul after his great grandfather.

Sometimes plays soccer with the "Nazionale Italiana attori" in charity matches.

He's a supporter of the charity project "Vento e sole" (wind and sun) with the Nobel award-winner, Rigoberta Menchú. The project's goal is to develop an ecological system of electrification for the third-world countries, especially in Guatemala.

He was a swimming champion with S.S. Lazio team of Rome, the oldest and most important sport club in Europe.

Living with his girlfriend, actress Rocío Muñoz, who he met on the set of Immaturi - Il viaggio (2012). They have two daughters, Luna (b. 2 December 2015) and Alma (b. 4 November 2018). (2014)

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

Performed his military duty in the "Bersaglieri".

He collects ethnic wood-carved sculptures.

He studied at the Italian Institute of Physical Education.

Bova is a typical surname from Calabria.

Has 2 sisters: Tiziana and Daniela.

Mother is Rosa and father is Giuseppe.

Son-in-law of lawyer (and author) Annamaria Bernardini De Pace, one of the most famous divorce lawyers in Italy.

Admits often that if he had not been an actor he would have opened a sports club and be a physical education instructor.

Friends with Italian politician Emma Bonino, who he met through her association "Hands off Cain", against the death penalty through the world.

Is good friends with Giorgio Armani.

Studied acting at the school "Beatrice Bracco" in Rome.

Studied acting with Michael Margotta in Rome, Italy.

Performed acting on stage in Rome in 3 plays: "Mexico and clouds", "Macbeth clan" and "Cold blooded animals".

Supporter and face of ecologist organization "ForPlanet".

In Turin, Italy, shooting La fiamma sul ghiaccio (2006) with Angela Finocchiaro, directed by Umberto Marino. (2004)

Los Angeles, working with Alfonzo Arau and Lindsay Lohan for "Dare to Love me" (October 2007)

In Sicily, shooting "Liolà" with Mónica Cruz, Giancarlo Giannini, Bianca Guaccero, Michele Placido e Serena Autieri directed by Gabriele Lavia. (August 2004)

Lost 14 kilos to portray Saint Francis in Francesco (2002) and named his second son, Francesco (b. 2001), after the Saint.

Shares birthday with Romane Bohringer, Emmanuelle Beart, Halle Berry, Wim Wenders, David Hallyday, Steve Martin and Magic Johnson.

Favorite writers are Paulo Coelho and Luis Sepúlveda.

Has 2 little nieces: Flaminia and Beatrice.

Had a dog named Marilou when he was a child.

Prepares for his role in La fiamma sul ghiaccio (2006) by reading the book "Thecurious incident of the dog in the night-time" by Mark Haddon and studying with the Roman psychologist Arturo Mona.