 Claudia
Cardinale (born Claude Josephine Rose Cardin,
April 15, 1938) is an actress born in Tunis, Tunisia
to Italian parents. Claudia Cardinale had
her break into films after winning a Tunisian beauty
contest in 1957. She made her film debut in Goha (1958)
and later that year had a role in the minor international
success I Soliti ignoti. Her early career was largely
managed by producer Franco Cristaldi. Throughout the
1960s she appeared in many Italian or Italian co-financed
films including Luchino Visconti's Il Gattopardo (The
Leopard, 1963), Rocco e i suoi fratelli (1963), Federico
Fellini's 8½ and Sergio Leone's epic Once Upon
a Time in the West (1968).
Claudia Cardinale became
an international superstar with a mix of breathtaking
beauty,a throaty distinct voice and impressive dramatic
skills.One has to watch her Italian and French movies
to really appreciate her dramatic prowess.
She attempted halfheartedly
to break into the US market but was let down by her
lack of interest in leaving Europe for extended periods
of time . Her Hollywood films include Circus World (1964),
The Pink Panther (1964) and The Hell With Heroes (1968).
Claudia Cardinale has
proved herself to be one of Europe's most successful
and endurable movie stars.She has appeared in more good
European movies than most of her contemporaries. Her
performance in Visconti's underrated " Sandra/Of
A Thousand Delights" is mesmerizing playing a Holocaust
survivor with an incestuous relationship with her brother.
In Comencini's "La Storia" ,Cardinale plays
a widow raising a son during WW2. It is a heartbreaking
film with a stellar performance by Cardinale. Other
great performances by Cardinale include Valerio Zurlini's
"Girl With A Suitcase" and Mauro Bolognini's
"Libera".
Cardinale remains active in European cinema, her later
films include Qui comincia l'avventura (1975), Fitzcarraldo
(1982), La Storia (1985) and Un homme amoureux (1987)
She has been married
only once to the producer Franco Cristaldi but has been
living with film director Pasquale Squitieri for the
past 25 years, and has two children ( Claudia Jr and
her eldest son Patrick).
Claudia Cardinale is
a liberal with strong political convictions (She is
a leftist involved in pro-women and pro-gay issues).
She has also frequently stated that she is proud of
her Arab heritage (She was born in Tunis) and is involved
in many humanitarian causes.She currently calls Paris
her home.
source from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
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