Mara Venier

Mara Venier
Mara Venier in 2008
Born	Mara Olga Povoleri (1950-10-20) 20 October 1950 Venice, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupations	Actress television presenter
Years active	1971–present
Spouses	Francesco Ferracini (div.) Jerry Calà ​ ​ (m. 1984; div. 1985)​ Nicola Carraro ​ (m. 2006)​
Partner	Armand Assante
Children	Elisabetta Ferracini Paolo Capponi

Mara Povoleri (born 20 October 1950), better known as Mara Venier (pronounced [ˈmaːra veˈnjɛr]), is an Italian actress and television presenter.

Career

Venier made her debut with a main role in Diario di un italiano, a TV-series based on the novel Wanda written by Vasco Pratolini. She later starred in several films and TV-series, including Nanni Loy's Testa o croce and Pacco, doppio pacco e contropaccotto. She debuted as television hostess at 38, in the musical show Una rotonda sul mare, but her television career was launched in 1993 with the show Domenica in that she hosted until 1996 and again in 2001, 2002 and between 2004 and 2006, in 2013, and once again from 2018.

Filmography

Films

Film performances with year released, title, role played and notes

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1973	Diario di un italiano	Wanda
1974	La badessa di Castro	Giovanni's lover	Cameo appearance
	Abbasso tutti, viva noi	Elisa
1976	Evil Thoughts	Miss Bocconi
1979	Un'emozione in più	Daniela
1980	Zappatore	Nancy Barker
1981	E noi non faremo Karakiri	Serena
1982	Heads I Win, Tails You Lose	Teresa	Segment "La pecorella smarrita"
1983	Al bar dello sport	Rossana
1984	Chewingum	Emanuela Raveggi
1987	Animali metropolitani	Esmeralda
	Sweets from a Stranger	Stella
	Kamikazen: Last Night in Milan	Caterina De Lellis
1988	Delitti e profumi	Sister Melania
1989	Night Club	Luciana
	Il ritorno del grande amico	Alessandra
1993	Pacco, doppio pacco e contro paccotto	Mrs. Scarano
1998	Paparazzi	Herself	Cameo appearance
2008	Torno a vivere da solo	Herself	Cameo appearance
2011	Vacanze di Natale a Cortina	Herself	Cameo appearance
2015	Burning Love	Herself	Cameo appearance
2024	Diamanti †		Completed

Television

Television performances with year released, title, role played and notes

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1973	Door into Darkness	Daniela Moreschi	Episode: "La bambola"
1975	Diagnosi	Lucia	Episode: "Colpo basso"
1982	Un gusto molto particolare	Mara	Television film
1986	Atelier	Valerie Valle	Episode: "Vanità"
1987–1990	Candid Camera Show	Herself/ Co-host	Comedy show (seasons 2–5)
1987	Portami la luna	Fleur	Television film
	Professione vacanze	Olimpia	Recurring role; 4 episodes
	La famiglia Brandacci	Maria Antonia	Television film
1988	Troppo forti	Herself/ Host	Variety show
1989	Tutti in palestra	Mara	Miniseries
1990	Una rotonda sul mare	Herself/ Host	Musical show (season 2)
1991	...E compagnia bella...	Herself/ Host	Talk show
1991–1992	Cantagiro	Herself/ Co-host	Annual music festival
1992	Ora di punta	Herself/ Host	Talk show
1993	1993 Giffoni Film Festival	Herself/ Host	Annual ceremony
1993–present	Domenica In	Herself/ Host	Talk show (seasons 18–21, 26–27, 29–30, 38, 43–present)
1994	Vota la voce	Herself/ Guest host	Musical show (season 21)
1994–1997	Luna Park	Herself/ Host	Daily game show (Venier hosted only wednesday episodes)
1995	La voce del cuore	Stefania	Main role; 4 episodes
	Telegatto 1995	Herself/ Host	Annual ceremony
1995–1996	La Zingara	Herself/ Host	Daily game show (season 1)
1996	Il goal del Martin pescatore	Francesca	Television film
1996, 2011	La partita del cuore	Herself/ Co-host	Annual sports event
1997	Donna sotto le stelle	Herself/ Co-host	Fashion show (season 12)
	Ciao Mara	Herself/ Host	Talk show
1998	Ritornare a volare	Eleonora	Miniseries
	Canzoni sotto l'albero	Herself/ Host	Musical show (season 7)
2000	Fantastica italiana	Herself/ Host	Talent show (season 5)
2002–2003	Il castello	Herself/ Co-host	Game show
2003	Telefonate al buio	Herself/ Host	Game show
2007–2008; 2015–2018	L'isola dei famosi	Herself/ Regular guest	Reality show (seasons 5–6, 10–11, 13)
2007, 2010	Concerto di Natale	Herself/ Host	Annual concert
2009	La fattoria	Herself/ Interviewer	Reality show (season 4)
2010–2013	La vita in diretta	Herself/ Host	Talk show (seasons 21–23)
2010	L'anno che verrà	Herself/ Co-host	New Year's Eve special
2014–2017	Tú sí que vales	Herself/ Popular judge	Talent show (seasons 2–4)
2015	Striscia la notizia	Herself/ Guest host	Variety show (season 28)
2019–2020	La porta dei sogni	Herself/ Host	Talk show
2021	Zecchino d'Oro	Herself/ Host	Musical show (season 63)
2024	Gloria	Herself	Episode: "Il piano"
	Le stagioni dell'amore	Herself/ Host	Reality show

Controversy

Anti-Hamas statement

On February 12, 2024, Rai’s CEO, Roberto Sergio, issued a statement that sparked a lively controversy. In this message, Sergio expressed Rai’s solidarity with the people of Israel and the Jewish community, emphasizing how the broadcaster’s news programs and shows would continue to recount the "tragedy of hostages held by Hamas" and to remember the victims of October 7. These statements were made in response to remarks by some artists during the Sanremo Festival, particularly Ghali, whose comments were perceived as pro-Palestinian.

The reading of the statement by Mara Venier during the "Domenica In" broadcast triggered a wave of criticism. In particular, the host was accused of censorship after interrupting the singer Dargen D’Amico while he was speaking about immigration, asserting that his comments were not in line with the celebratory tone of the show. Mara Venier read the statement by Rai’s CEO Roberto Sergio, which said:

• "Every day, our news programs and shows recount and will continue to recount the tragedy of hostages held by Hamas, in addition to remembering the massacre of children, women, and men on October 7. My solidarity with the people of Israel and the Jewish community is heartfelt and sincere."*

Mara Venier then commented on these words, saying:

• "These are words that, of course, we all share, from our CEO Roberto Sergio."*

The phrases "these are words that we all share" and "You’re making me uncomfortable. I won’t let you speak anymore because this is not the time" infuriated viewers and fueled perceptions of censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression.

The audience’s reaction was immediate and strong. On one hand, several political figures, such as former minister Andrea Orlando, described Rai’s approach as "embarrassing censorship," criticizing the broadcaster’s bureaucratic conformism. On the other hand, many social media users criticized Sergio’s statement, calling it a "shameful chapter for public service broadcasting." Some also supported Ghali, who reiterated his longstanding advocacy for these issues and called for "an end to war" and "an end to genocide."

To worsen the situation, clashes occurred near Rai’s headquarters in Naples, where pro-Palestinian groups protested against what they described as Rai’s "pro-Israel narrative." The demonstrations led to violent confrontations with law enforcement, resulting in injuries on both sides.

The world of cinema also weighed in: director Gabriele Muccino posted an Israeli flag on Instagram, accompanied by Italy’s national anthem, as a sign of support for Sergio’s initiative. Meanwhile, public opinion remained deeply divided between supporters and critics of Venier’s statements.

This controversy highlights the growing tension in public discourse regarding freedom of expression, media responsibility, and the complexities of current international political dynamics. It has become an emblematic case of how the words and actions of public figures can spark disproportionate reactions and intense societal debates.

In June 2024, Mara Venier stated that the 2023/2024 season of "Domenica In" was the worst of all, partly due to the statement and the resulting controversies. She admitted that if she could go back, she would not repeat the same actions. FanPage.it reported that Venier was compelled to read the statement.

External links

• Mara Venier at IMDb