Leonardo Pieraccioni (born 17 February 1965 in Florence, Italy) is an Italian actor, film director, producer, writer, and screenwriter. He grew up in Tuscany and began performing in cabaret as a teenager, later forming a comedy trio with Carlo Conti and Giorgio Panariello before moving into television and theatre. Pieraccioni made his first film appearance in the early 1990s and achieved major success with his own work as both director and actor. His breakthrough came with I laureati (1995) followed by the hugely popular Il ciclone (1996), for which he won the Nastri d’Argento Award for Best Actor in 1997. Known for his distinctive blend of comedy and sentiment, Pieraccioni has written, directed, and starred in many Italian comedies over his long career. He has also published humorous prose and continues to be active in Italian cinema.