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Raffaello Degruttola is an Anglo-Italian actor, writer, and director, nominated for a BIFA and co-founder of Contro Vento Films. Born in London to Italian parents from Ariano Irpino, he grew up in North London and Queens, New York. As a teen, he earned a place at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and later trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
Raff established himself as a versatile character actor in American films shot across Europe, collaborating with renowned directors such as Ron Howard ('Rush'), Michael Apted ('Unlocked'), Richard Attenborough ('In Love And War'), and Mike Nichols ('Wit'). In 2019, he made a notable cameo alongside Rebel Wilson in Chris Addison’s 'The Hustle'. His recent roles include Dr. Kagan opposite Dave Batista in the action-comedy 'The Killer's Game' and lead antagonist Ricardo in the road trip comedy 'The Monk, The Mermaid and Molise', starring alongside Sally Phillips and Pink Floyd’s Guy Pratt. On television, he appears as Jamie’s agent in 'Ted Lasso'.
In 2010, Raff wrote and directed 'The Other Side of My Sleep', a 30-minute short inspired by the loss of his father and grandmother, which premiered at the Boston Film Festival. He then directed and starred in his debut feature, 'Flim the Movie', a sharp satire of the indie film scene filmed in a mockumentary style. 'Flim' was nominated for Best British Debut at the Moët British Independent Film Awards after screening at Raindance.
Known for portraying complex, manic characters, Raff wrote and directed his first dramatic feature, 'Transference: A Love Story', a bipolar romance exploring themes of control. The film earned a special mention at SRFF 2020 and gained international recognition after going viral on YouTube, amassing over 27 million views. His latest feature, another intense tale of toxic love titled 'To Love A Narcissist', starring Lyndsey Marshal alongside him, was completed in 2025.
