Benedetta Porcaroli's journey from reluctant actor to star of the Closing Ceremony of Winter Olympics 2026

When Benedetta Porcaroli reluctantly agreed to help her mother's friend out by joining her fledgling young talent agency, little did she know her decision would later lead to her playing a starring role in the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Acting in a TV show or film? Hopefully. Singing success? Perhaps. A dash of modelling? Potentially.

But being part of a showcase to highlight Italy's cultural and sporting heritage to close out a Winter Olympics presumably wouldn't have crossed her mind.

Yet that's where the Rome native will be on Sunday 22 February as the Winter Olympics end, prior to passing the baton to the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games that starts on 6 March, with the Rome native bringing all her industry experience to the once-in-a-lifetime role.

It's an experience that has resulted from the youngster taking a chance.

The teenager was persuaded to join the new agency with a confidence borne of modelling classes, and a keen sporting background in volleyball, swimming, tennis, skiing and artistic gymnastics.

One month after her first audition, forgetting that she'd even gone for the part, Porcaroli was hired on a four-year contract for a family drama series that aired on Italian TV station Rai 1 from 2015 to 2018.

The translation of the show's name? Anything can happen.

Well, quite.

Continuing on the trajectory, Porcaroli became renowned internationally for her role in Netflix teen series Baby, portraying schoolgirl Chiara.

Further roles followed in the likes of American psychological horror film Immaculate (2023) and another Netflix series, The Leopard (2025), but it was her performance in The Kidnapping of Arabella (2025) that won Porcaroli the Orizzonti award for Best Actress at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival to really set her stall in the international arena.

Named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe – Entertainment list, in recognition of her influence and rising global status, Porcaroli's profile is clearly one that is set to rise.

Her role in 'Beauty in Action', the name of the Closing Ceremony taking place at the Verona Olympic Arena, which will celebrate Italian culture, creativity and the unity of sport, art, and beauty, will surely be hard to beat.

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