Raoul Bova (born 14 August 1971 Rome, Italy) is an Italian actor. His father is an employee of Alitalia Airline and his mother is a housewife. He has two sisters, Daniela and Tiziana, with whom he is very close. At the age of 16 he became a champion with the S.S. Lazio swim team of Rome, swimming the 100 meter backstroke. At the age of 21 he joined the Italian Army and performed his military duty in the Bersaglieri (sharpshooters) corps. He enrolled in the ISEF, the Italian Institute of Physical Education, but dropped out to pursue a career in acting. He studied at the school Beatrice Bracco in Rome and also studied acting with Michael Margotta. He was married in March 2000 to Chiara Giordano who is a veterinarian. They have three children, Alessandro Leon, Francesco and, Sophia .