Bio
Romano Kristoff, originally Francisco Xavier Peña Moreno, is a Spanish actor known for his roles in Filipino action and martial arts films during the 1980s and early 1990s.
Born in 1951 in Segovia, Spain, Kristoff moved to Barcelona at the age of 11.
His adventurous spirit led him to join the French Foreign Legion at 21, after which he ventured into modeling in Spain and Germany, thanks to a Spanish-Filipino agent who also coined his artistic name.
Kristoff’s film career began in the Philippines, where he transitioned from modeling to acting in the late 1970s. He was frequently cast in films produced by K.Y. Lim’s Silver Star Film Company, often appearing alongside recurring actors such as Mike Monty and James Gaines. Kristoff is particularly noted for his roles in films like “Jungle Rats” (1987) and “Black Fire” (1985), as well as his international work in “Three Men on Fire” (1986), which was shot outside the Philippines.
In addition to his film career, Kristoff has a martial arts background, holding a sixth-degree black belt in Uechi-ryu Okinawan style. Despite the decline of the Filipino film industry in the early 90s, Kristoff continued to make sporadic film appearances, his last notable role being in the 2000 film “Doomsdayer.”
After retiring from the film industry, Kristoff has managed a restaurant in the Philippines and now lives in Phuket Thailand where he remains a cherished figure among his peers for his physical charisma and contributions to the action film genre.
