Since 1970 he has had roles in nearly thirty films and television programs.

He is known for his appearances in several horror films, including Beyond the Door (1974), Dario Argento's Deep Red (1975),[2] Inferno (1980), and Sleepless (2001), and Pupi Avati's Zeder (1983).

In Italy, Lavia has had a long career as a theatrical actor and director.

He has directed six films, most of which he has written or co-written, including Il Principe di Homburg (1983), based on Heinrich von Kleist's play Prinz Friedrich von Homburg, for which he won the Nastro d'Argento Best New Director Award, and Sensi (U.S. title: Evil Senses) (1986), an erotic thriller with Monica Guerritore, his wife at the time.

This article about an Italian actor or actress is a stub.