TWILIGHT star Peter Facinelli has become an Italian citizen for a film role.
The movie hunk was born in America to Italian immigrants and admits he can't even speak the language, but that hasn't stopped him from acquiring dual nationality.
The citizenship was a requirement for him to lead the cast of new period movie The Absinthe Drinkers, in which he plays a character based on 19th century writer Alfred Jarry.
Financing for the movie is based upon European Union laws, which requires all principal cast members to be European.
Facinelli confirmed he has become an Italian citizen during a TV interview with chat show host Chelsey Handler on Wednesday (03Jun09).