Ferilli’s father was the speaker of the Lazio regional council of the Italian Communist Party. Ferilli was herself clearly influenced by her father’s political orientation and activism, making no secret of her own leftism. Ferilli starred in several movies and TV series since the mid 1980s, as well as debuting in theater plays. While her popularity stems in large part from her movie acting, theater always remained her real passion. Ferilli was married to the Italian lawyer Andrea Perone from 2003 to 2005.