The actor who preferred to die rather than stop filming

Il Postino: The Postman, was a hugely successful Italian film made in 1994, but behind the scenes tragedy had played out during production. The lead, Massimo Troisi was plagued by heart problems relating to a childhood illness. The film’s British director, Michael Radford, was faced with a difficult decision, to finish the film or stop, as Massimo’s health deteriorated on set. He opted to push on with the production, but Massimo didn’t quite make it. He died the day after principle filming ended. Michael went on to complete the film, wanting to make it something that Massimo would have been proud of. Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Harry Graham Photo: Massimo Troisi Credit Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archive