After the athletes’ parade, the spotlight swung back to the spectacle, with Sabrina Impacciatore commanding a show-stopping segment alongside a full troupe of winter gear–clad backup dancers. An animated sequence whisked her into a whimsical winter wonderland celebrating Olympic history, past and present, before Impacciatore appeared live on stage to deliver a joyful performance capturing the spirit of the Winter Games. From dancing hockey players to raving snow bunnies, the time-hopping medley blended jazz, swing, and Adriano Celentano’s iconic “Prisencolinensinainciusol.” As the neon-soaked ’80s vibe faded, the energy surged to a fever pitch with “Espansione” by Mace, the green-haired Milan producer who also DJ’d during the parade of athletes. The number ended in a full-on dance party, with Impacciatore standing center stage and looking every bit the star.
After her charismatic turn at the 2026 Winter Games Opening Ceremony, Impacciatore’s commanding presence came as no surprise. She began her career onstage in the late 1980s as a cast member on the Italian variety show Non è la Rai, where she danced, sang, and appeared in comedy sketches. She later starred in the 1997 sitcom Disokkupati and films including The Last Kiss (2001), Kiss Me Again (2010), and There’s No Place Like Home (2018). Her acclaimed Italian film roles include Diamantina Papucci in Napoleon and Me (2006) and Crocetta in the 2013 cult favorite Amiche da morire.
U.S. audiences know Impacciatore best for her Emmy-nominated performance as hotel manager Valentina in Season 2 of HBO’s hit series The White Lotus. More recently, she has continued to win laughs as Esmeralda Grand in The Paper, the Office-adjacent comedy series, with Season 2 set to arrive on Peacock soon.