Claudia Cardinale

Sobre Claudia Cardinale

Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale, professionally known as Claudia Cardinale, is an Italian actress born on April 15, 1938. Raised in La Goulette, a district of Tunis, she emerged into the entertainment industry after winning the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" pageant in 1957, which awarded her a journey to Italy. This trip proved instrumental in launching her film career, particularly through the guidance of Franco Cristaldi, who served as her mentor and eventually became her husband. Her first film appearance came in a small part opposite Egyptian actor Omar Sharif in Goha, released in 1958. She rapidly gained prominence in Italian cinema, achieving recognition through notable roles in productions including Rocco and His Brothers from 1960, Girl with a Suitcase the following year, Cartouche in 1962, and The Leopard in 1963. That same year, she also appeared in Fellini's acclaimed 8½. Beginning in 1963, she starred opposite David Niven in The Pink Panther. Her career then expanded into Hollywood productions, including Blindfold, Lost Command, The Professionals, Don't Make Waves with Tony Curtis, and The Hell with Heroes. She gained particular acclaim for her performance in Sergio Leone's Western Once Upon a Time in the West, a transatlantic co-production from 1968, where she played a former prostitute alongside Jason Robards, Charles Bronson, and Henry Fonda. Finding Hollywood restrictive and fearing typecasting, she redirected her focus toward European filmmaking. She received the prestigious David di Donatello award for her work in Il giorno della civetta and A Girl in Australia, the latter featuring her alongside Alberto Sordi in a role as a prostitute. In 1974, she began a lasting collaboration with director Pasquale Squitieri, her romantic partner, appearing regularly in his films such as I guappi, Corleone, and Claretta, the final film earning her a Nastro d'Argento award. In 1982, she appeared in Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo, playing the romantic interest of Klaus Kinski. She earned another accolade at the 2010 Golden Orange Film Festival for her supporting role in Signora Enrica. Throughout her life, she has championed women's causes, serving as a UNESCO ambassador for women's rights since 2000. In 2011, Los Angeles Times Magazine honored her among cinema's fifty most beautiful women.