Although Paolo Seganti was born in a small town in southern Italy, he truly began his acting career while living in Hollywood. His initial roles were fairly forgettable—guest spots on sitcoms like the short-lived Secret Service Guy and Fran Drescher’s The Nanny didn’t exactly set the screen on fire. However, his striking, model-like appearance helped him land a more notable part in Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You, where he played the romantic interest of Natasha Lyonne’s character.
A year after that, Seganti took on a much more significant role as Johnny Stompanato in Curtis Hanson’s acclaimed neo-noir film L.A. Confidential. Stompanato was a real-life gangster, famously killed in 1958 by the daughter of his girlfriend, Lana Turner. This performance helped establish Seganti as a serious actor with dramatic range.
Following that, he continued to take on a variety of supporting roles in films such as Brendan Fraser’s romantic comedy Still Breathing and Franco Zeffirelli’s wartime drama Tea With Mussolini. However, for many American viewers, his most recognizable role came in the long-running soap opera As the World Turns. As the charming and often controversial Damien Grimaldi, Seganti appeared on and off from 1994 to 2006, and then as a full-time cast member during 2009 and 2010.
In addition to his film and daytime television work, Paolo Seganti also gained a loyal following among action-adventure fans. He starred as the title character in the internationally syndicated series Largo Winch, based on the popular comic book series. The show aired for two seasons between 2001 and 2003 and enjoyed a strong cult following around the world.
Paolo Seganti has been part of several films throughout his career, but one of his most acclaimed works is L.A. Confidential (1997), which remains his highest-rated movie to date. On the other hand, Still Breathing (1997) stands out as the film that received the lowest ratings among his filmography. While Paolo Seganti may not have a leading role in every project he’s involved in, these two films from 1997 clearly show the range of his career in terms of critical reception.