Massimo Troisi began his acting career in the theater and became famous for roles in television series.

He is best known for his roles in his own film Ricomincio da tre (1981), and in Michael Radford's The Postman (Il Postino) (1994).

The filmmaker Ettore Scola has also made him one of his leading performers, with three consecutive works: Splendor, What time is it? and The Voyage of Captain Fracasse.

Heart disease when he had to shoot The Postman. His doctor had advised him not to do the filming to have the operation. He decided to postpone the operation after the shooting, this film being close to his heart.

He died of a heart attack, barely twelve hours after the end of filming.

He was posthumously nominated for two Oscars and two Golden Globes.