Gian Maria Volonté (Milan, 1933 – Florina, 1994) was a prominent Italian actor, recognized for his versatility and intense stage presence.

He became internationally known for his villainous roles in Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns, such as Ramon Rojo in *A Fistful of Dollars* (1964) and the unforgettable El Indio in *For a Few Dollars More* (1965), which highlighted his unsettling charisma.

Subsequently, Volonté steered his career towards films with a strong social and political commitment. A frequent collaborator of Elio Petri, he delivered masterful performances in the Oscar-winning *Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion* (1970) and *The Working Class Goes to Heaven* (1971).

Among his other iconic roles are those in Francesco Rosi's *Illustrious Corpses* (1976) and the intense portrayal of Aldo Moro in Giuseppe Ferrara's *The Moro Affair* (1986). Renowned for his intensity and moral rigor, Volonté specialized in complex, tormented, or ambiguous characters, always with deep psychological insight and strong social or political relevance.