Although his worldwide fame is linked to music, Domenico Modugno's career began with the ambition of acting, training at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome. Before “Volare,” Modugno was a prolific character actor and star in over forty films, often playing the role of the passionate, dreamy young man from the south. He began with minor roles, such as in De Filippo's Filumena Marturano (1951), before emerging in films such as Questa è la vita (1954, episode La giara) and Lazzarella (1957). Even after his musical success, the cinema continued to seek him out, often in ‘musicarelli’ built around him (Nel blu dipinto di blu, Appuntamento a Ischia). However, his acting career reached its peak thanks to Pier Paolo Pasolini, who wanted him in the episode Che cosa sono le nuvole? (1968), and Luigi Comencini, who entrusted him with the unforgettable role of the unfortunate Righetto in the masterpiece Lo scopone scientifico (1972), demonstrating an authentic dramatic talent unrelated to his singing icon status.