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Claudia Cardinale

Born: 1938

Biography

Claude Joséphine Rose "Claudia" Cardinale (born 15 April 1938) is an Italian actress. She has starred in European films in the 1960s and 1970s, acting in Italian, French, and English. Born and raised in La Goulette, a neighbourhood of Tunis, Cardinale won the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" competition in 1957, the prize being a trip to Italy, which quickly led to film contracts, due above all to the involvement of Franco Cristaldi, who acted as her mentor for a number of years and later married her. After making her debut in a minor role with the egyptian star Omar Sharif in Goha (1958), Cardinale became one of the best-known actresses in Italy with roles in films such as Rocco and His Brothers (1960), Girl with a Suitcase (1961), Cartouche (1962), The Leopard (1963), and Fellini's 8½ (1963). From 1963, Cardinale appeared in The Pink Panther opposite David Niven. She went on to appear in the Hollywood films Blindfold (1965), Lost Command (1966), The Professionals (1966), Don't Make Waves (1967) with Tony Curtis, The Hell with Heroes (1968), and the Sergio Leone Western Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), a joint US-Italian production, in which she was praised for her role as a former prostitute opposite Jason Robards, Charles Bronson, and Henry Fonda. Jaded with the Hollywood film industry and not wanting to become a cliché, Cardinale returned to Italian and French cinema, and garnered the David di Donatello for Best Actress award for her roles in Il giorno della civetta (1968) and as a prostitute alongside Alberto Sordi in A Girl in Australia (1971). In 1974, Cardinale met director Pasquale Squitieri, who would become her partner, and she frequently featured in his films, including I guappi (1974), Corleone (1978) and Claretta (1984), the last of which won her the Nastro d'Argento Award for Best Actress. In 1982, she starred in Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo as the love interest of Klaus Kinski, who raises the funds to buy a steamship in Peru. In 2010, Cardinale received the Best Actress Award at the 47th Antalya "Golden Orange" International Film Festival for her performance as an elderly Italian woman who takes in a young Turkish exchange student in Signora Enrica. Outspoken on women's rights causes over the years, Cardinale has been a UNESCO goodwill ambassador for the Defense of Women's Rights since March 2000. In February 2011, the Los Angeles Times Magazine named Cardinale among the 50 most beautiful women in film history. Description above from the Wikipedia article Claudia Cardinale, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For Acting
Gender Female
Place of Birth Tunis, Tunisia

Resources

Movies

8½

Claudia in 8½

The Pink Panther

The Princess Dala in The Pink Panther

The Leopard

Angelica Sedara / Bastiana in The Leopard

Don't Make Waves

Laura in Don't Make Waves

The French Revolution

Duchesse de Polignac in The French Revolution

Blood Brothers

Lucia Esposito in Blood Brothers

Famous T & A

(archive footage) in Famous T & A

The Professionals

Maria in The Professionals

Claudia Cardinale, la créature du secret

Self (archive footage) in Claudia Cardinale, la créature du secret

Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone

Self in Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone

The Red Tent

Valeria in The Red Tent

Rocco and His Brothers

Ginetta in Rocco and His Brothers

Big Deal on Madonna Street

Carmelina in Big Deal on Madonna Street

My Best Fiend

Self in My Best Fiend

The Facts of Murder

La servetta in The Facts of Murder

Fitzcarraldo

Molly in Fitzcarraldo

The Magic of Fellini

Self (archive footage) in The Magic of Fellini

Cartouche

Vénus in Cartouche

Luchino Visconti

Self in Luchino Visconti

Escape to Athena

Eleana in Escape to Athena

Burden of Dreams

Self - Actress in Burden of Dreams

The Last Sequence

Self in The Last Sequence

Circus World

Toni Alfredo in Circus World

A Girl in Australia

Carmela in A Girl in Australia

The Legend of Frenchie King

Marie Sarrazin in The Legend of Frenchie King

Son of the Pink Panther

Maria Gambrelli in Son of the Pink Panther

Girl with a Suitcase

Aida Zepponi in Girl with a Suitcase

Gina, Sophia, Claudia, trois symboles de la féminité à l'italienne

Self in Gina, Sophia, Claudia, trois symboles de la féminité à l'italienne

Claudia la mystérieuse

Self in Claudia la mystérieuse

Bankers Also Have Souls

Antonella Dufour in Bankers Also Have Souls

The Battle of Austerlitz

Pauline Bonaparte in The Battle of Austerlitz

The String

Sara in The String

Il giorno della Shoah

Ester in Il giorno della Shoah

The Audience

Aiche in The Audience

Cherche fiancé tous frais payés

Elisabeth in Cherche fiancé tous frais payés

Blonde in Black Leather

Claudia in Blonde in Black Leather

The Ruffian

La 'baronne' in The Ruffian

A Man in Love

Julia Steiner in A Man in Love

Marcello Mastroianni, latin lover

Self in Marcello Mastroianni, latin lover

A View of Love

La mère de Marc in A View of Love

A Common Sense of Modesty

Armida Ballarin in A Common Sense of Modesty

Conversation Piece

Professor's Wife (uncredited) in Conversation Piece

Sandra

Sandra Dawson in Sandra

The Pariah

Georgia Saratov in The Pariah

Man & Wife, Cop & Crook

Cécile Deschamps in Man & Wife, Cop & Crook

Handsome Antonio

Barbara Puglisi in Handsome Antonio

The Lions Are Loose

Albertine Ferran in The Lions Are Loose

Li chiamarono... briganti!

Donna Assunta in Li chiamarono... briganti!

The Day of the Owl

Rosa Nicolosi in The Day of the Owl

Monicelli: La versione di Mario

Self (archive footage) in Monicelli: La versione di Mario

The Demon Stirs

Claudia Cardinale in The Demon Stirs

A Summer in La Goulette

Self in A Summer in La Goulette

Midnight Pleasures

Gabriella Sansoni in Midnight Pleasures

Time of Indifference

Carla in Time of Indifference

Gebo and the Shadow

Doroteia in Gebo and the Shadow

I Am the Law

Anna in I Am the Law

An Opera of Violence

Self - Actress in An Opera of Violence

Mother

Araxi (Mayrig) Zakarian in Mother

588 rue Paradis

Araxi (Mayrig) Zakarian in 588 rue Paradis

Sinyora Enrica ile İtalyan Olmak

Signora Enrica in Sinyora Enrica ile İtalyan Olmak

Effie Gray

Viscountess in Effie Gray

The Artist and the Model

Léa in The Artist and the Model

Libera, My Love

Libera Valente in Libera, My Love

Second to Nun

Self - Festival Actress in Second to Nun

The Salamander

Elena Leporello in The Salamander

Belmondo, itinéraire...

Self in Belmondo, itinéraire...

The Lovemakers

Bianca in The Lovemakers

Joy de V.

Signora Morosini in Joy de V.

The Magnificent Cuckold

Maria Grazia in The Magnificent Cuckold

Stupor Mundi

Costanza d'Altavilla / d'Aragona in Stupor Mundi

Corleone

Rosa Accordino in Corleone

Upstairs and Downstairs

Maria in Upstairs and Downstairs

Cinéma Jacques Perrin

Self in Cinéma Jacques Perrin

Blindfold

Vicky Vicenti in Blindfold

Diary of a Telephone Operator

Marta Chiaretti in Diary of a Telephone Operator

The Queens

Armenia ("Fata Armenia") in The Queens

Hiver 54, l'abbé Pierre

Hélène Larmier in Hiver 54, l'abbé Pierre

Woman of Wonders

Maura in Woman of Wonders

Careless

Angiolina Zarri in Careless

The Adventures of Gerard

Teresa, Countess of Morales in The Adventures of Gerard

The Silent Mountain

Nuria Calzolari in The Silent Mountain

Act of Sorrow

Elena in Act of Sorrow

La Folle Histoire de Jean-Paul Belmondo

Self in La Folle Histoire de Jean-Paul Belmondo

The Conspirators

Giuditta Di Castro in The Conspirators

The Dolphins

Fedora Santini in The Dolphins

Little Girl in Blue Velvet

Francesca Modigliani in Little Girl in Blue Velvet

Fellinopolis

Self - Actress (archive footage) in Fellinopolis

Goodbye & Amen

Aliki in Goodbye & Amen

Popsy Pop

Popsy Pop in Popsy Pop

The Magistrate

Maria in The Magistrate

The Gun

Marta Compagna in The Gun

Bebo's Girl

Mara in Bebo's Girl

History

Ida Mancuso in History

Riches, belles, etc.

Baroness Mitsy in Riches, belles, etc.

Desert of Fire

Leila in Desert of Fire

An Italian Indian: The Pink Panther Princess With Claudia Cardinale

Self in An Italian Indian: The Pink Panther Princess With Claudia Cardinale

Henry IV

Matilda in Henry IV

All Roads Lead to Rome

Carmen in All Roads Lead to Rome

Drums of Fire

Roxelane in Drums of Fire

3 Strangers in Rome

Marisa in 3 Strangers in Rome

Venetian Honeymoon

Angelica in Venetian Honeymoon

Next Summer

Jeanne in Next Summer

Piccolina bella

in Piccolina bella

One Russian Summer

Anya in One Russian Summer

The Hell with Heroes

Elena in The Hell with Heroes

The Skin

Principessa Consuelo Caracciolo in The Skin

Si salvi chi vuole

Luisa in Si salvi chi vuole

Luchino Visconti: Between Truth and Passion

Self (archive footage) in Luchino Visconti: Between Truth and Passion

The Years of Lost Images

Self in The Years of Lost Images

We Are Cinema

Self (archive footage) in We Are Cinema

Fire's Share

Catherine Hansen in Fire's Share

Night of 100 Stars II

Self in Night of 100 Stars II

A Rose for Everyone

Rosa in A Rose for Everyone

Goha

Amina in Goha

Lost Command

Aisha in Lost Command

South Wind

Grazia Macri in South Wind

Visconti: La verdad del melodrama

Self in Visconti: La verdad del melodrama

Nobili bugie

Duchess in Nobili bugie

Claretta

Miriam Petacci in Claretta

La Traversée du désir

Self in La Traversée du désir

Elles ne pensent qu'à ça...

Margaux in Elles ne pensent qu'à ça...

Alex et Marie

Narrator (voice) in Alex et Marie

Fiasco in Milan

Carmelina Nicosia in Fiasco in Milan

Una gita a Roma

Marguerite in Una gita a Roma

Rudy Valentino

Zia Rosa in Rudy Valentino

Last Stop

Rosa in Last Stop

The Wages of Sin

Self - Actress in The Wages of Sin

Belmondo by Belmondo

Self (archive footage) in Belmondo by Belmondo

Sergio Leone, une Amérique de légende

Self (archive footage) in Sergio Leone, une Amérique de légende

Sergio Leone: The Way I See Things

Self in Sergio Leone: The Way I See Things

Alberto il grande

Self in Alberto il grande

Auguste

Cameo Appearance (uncredited) in Auguste

Il gattopardo: Viaggio della memoria

Self in Il gattopardo: Viaggio della memoria

A Dying Breed: The Making of 'The Leopard'

Self in A Dying Breed: The Making of 'The Leopard'

Nonnas on the Run

Angela in Nonnas on the Run

Hollywood Invasion

Self (archive footage) in Hollywood Invasion

Twice Upon a Time in the West

Claudia in Twice Upon a Time in the West

Rumore

in Rumore

A Fine Pair

Esmeralda Marini in A Fine Pair

Il falso bugiardo

Self (archive footage) in Il falso bugiardo

Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti

Pauline Bonaparte in Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti

Les Anneaux d'Or

A young woman in Les Anneaux d'Or

The Man with the Cigar in His Mouth

Self in The Man with the Cigar in His Mouth

Naso di cane

Laura in Naso di cane

Por un puñado de sueños

Self - Interviewee in Por un puñado de sueños

Once Upon a Time in the West

Jill in Once Upon a Time in the West

Fellini: I'm a Born Liar

Claudia (archive footage) (uncredited) in Fellini: I'm a Born Liar

And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...

Madame Falconetti in And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...

Rogue City

Catarina Bastiani in Rogue City

La Loi de Julien, Le bon fils

Irène Delamarche in La Loi de Julien, Le bon fils

Marcello, una vita dolce

Self in Marcello, una vita dolce

Something to Do with Death

Self - Actress in Something to Do with Death

The Blind and the Cardinal

'La Cardinale' in The Blind and the Cardinal

Father

Elvira in Father

TV Shows