During this year’s RootsTech conference, Italian comedian, writer, director, and voice actor Marco Lui shared how his love for family and laughter have defined his career and perspective on life.
Who Is Marco Lui?
Marco Lui was born in Milan, Italy, and has loved making others laugh ever since he was a child. His early work in television involved developing routines of comedy and mime inspired by classic silent film humor, such as the comedic work of Charlie Chaplin, and appearing in Mediaset programs such as Beato tra le Donne.
This work also led to the creation of Marco’s signature character, Mr. Lui—who has been compared to the popular British character Mr. Bean—and claiming fame on Italia 1.
Beyond television, Marco has built a diverse career in film production and direction, with notable works including The Book of Life (2010) and Dr. Smith and the Fantastic Castle (2012). Today, Lui works with Italian media as the presenter for the Zecchino d’Oro selections, where he also contributes his talents as a comedian and voice actor to bring his signature humor and charisma to the show.
A Humble Path to Fame
Marco’s love of laughter and passion for writing developed from his experiences as a child. He was born into a family with limited resources and remembers not having a snack during recess at school. Using his ingenuity, he would perform shows behind the classroom, and anyone who wanted to watch had to give him a piece of their snack. This arrangement ensured that he always had something to snack on. “Little by little, I was always doing shows,” he explained.
Throughout school, Marco discovered a love of and talent for writing. He continually created stories and films, and he realized that his passion could become his profession. “I noticed that the camera was a pen,” said Marco. His film work caught the attention of local and international television stations that were interested in his little comedies. “Suddenly, I found myself in the world of entertainment,” he said. In Italy, his skits were aired 30 times a day for 3 years.
The Importance of Family
Marco currently lives in beautiful Verona, Italy, with his wife and two daughters. From the children’s drawings on the fridge to the walls of photos, guests clearly see how much Marco cherishes his family. In his virtual keynote, he spoke about prioritizing making memories with his two young daughters, purposefully declining jobs that would take him away from his family for too long.
His aspirations in life have also shifted. Although Marco still loves his work in entertainment, he explained that his career isn’t his sole focus: “Becoming more famous, doing things I like—now I don’t care about that anymore. . . . I have my daughters and my wife, and everything’s fine.”
Healing Found in Heritage
Marco also finds joy beyond his immediate family. He currently helps care for his 92-year-old aunt, who is the last link of his parents’ generation. Up until several years ago, she lived on her own in southern Italy. As her health declined and she needed increasing care, however, it became necessary for Marco to bring her to Verona, where she could be close to family. He said that although she wasn’t doing well before she arrived, her health improved as she spent time with his children and his sister’s children. “She came back to life completely,” Marco remembered.
This healing from family connection extends both ways. Marco’s aunt has shared stories and experiences to share with his children, creating priceless memories for them. “It was important that she would tell them the stories of our life because . . . perhaps they make us understand better who we are,” Marco explained. “We can get to know them and get to know ourselves better.”
Marco also mentioned that his father did a lot of genealogy and compiled many of their family’s stories. He admits that while he hasn’t read a lot of them because the work was already done, he wants to delve into his family history more to feel greater family connections.
As part of the keynote, FamilySearch presented Marco with some information, documents, and images about his family history. He learned more about his great-grandparents and even listened to a recording on FamilySearch Memories, where his maternal grandfather described how he made shoes.
“It’s extraordinary that I heard his voice. Because I know the person,” he said, “I could feel how much he cared.” Marco admitted that “seeing these stories . . . is a heritage that is priceless.”
Laughter as a Form of Memory
At the end of his keynote, Marco reflected on his own experience with family history, wondering about the memories his children are creating with him—and which stories they’ll pass down to their own children. “I want them to remember the moments we have spent together as a family,” he said. “I want them to remember my parents and my aunt. . . . And when I die, I want them to say that ‘nobody made me laugh like my dad.’”
Marco Lui’s insights about family can apply to anyone around the world. Moments full of happiness, love, and laughter can be one of the most valuable things to help you remember who you come from and who you want to be.
What Is RootsTech?
RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, RootsTech has hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library, or make plans to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.
Related Articles
At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
