Italian Actress Claudia Cardinale Passes Away at 87
Italian actress Claudia Cardinale, renowned for her roles in classic European cinema during the 1960s and 1970s, has died at the age of 87, as reported by AFP on Tuesday.
Cardinale graced over 100 films and television shows but is perhaps best remembered for her portrayal of youthful innocence in Federico Fellini’s iconic film “8½,” released in 1963, alongside Marcello Mastroianni.
She also held her role as Angelica Sedala, a reformed prostitute from the historical tale “The Leopard,” in very high regard. That film, released in 1968, was part of the Spaghetti Western trend that Sergio Leone helped to popularize.
Her passing occurred in Nemour, France, where she was surrounded by family, as confirmed by her agent, Laurent Savley. However, Savley and his agency did not immediately respond to requests for comments from the press.
Her journey into acting began at 17, after winning a beauty contest in Tunisia. Born to Sicilian parents who migrated to North Africa, she later made her way to the Venice Film Festival, catching the eye of the Italian film industry.
Interestingly, before the beauty contest, she had aspirations of becoming a school teacher. Reflecting on her unexpected entry into film at the 2002 Berlin Film Festival, Cardinale noted, “The fact that I’m making a film is just an accident… They insisted for six months after I initially said no.”
Her rise to fame was inspired by the international stardom of Sophia Loren, and she was often touted as Italy’s answer to Brigitte Bardot. While she never reached the heights of some French actors, she remained a respected figure and collaborated with notable directors both in Europe and Hollywood.
“They gave me everything,” she expressed. “It’s great to live so many lives. I’ve portrayed over 150 completely different women.”
One of her notable early performances was in the comedy classic “The Big Deal on Madonna Street” from 1958, produced by Franco Cristaldi, who managed her career and became her husband from 1966 to 1975.
Cardinale, often characterized as sultry with large expressive eyes, usually played passionate roles. Due to her deep voice and French accent while speaking in Italian, some of her earlier films required dubbing for her voice.
Although she found Hollywood somewhat challenging, opting not to abandon her European roots, she still achieved some fame, particularly for her roles alongside Rock Hudson in the comedy thriller “Blindfold” in 1965, and in “Don’t Make Waves” two years later.
Among her Hollywood endeavors, she highlighted “The Professionals,” a 1966 film directed by Richard Brooks, as her best in the American film landscape.
In a 2002 interview, she remarked, “The Hollywood studio wanted to sign me to an exclusivity deal, but I refused. I’m a European actress, and I wanted to stay true to that.” She pointed out that her collaboration with Richard Brooks was a significant opportunity.
Her accolades included the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival, which she received nearly forty years after her film debut.
In the year 2000, she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO, advocating for women’s rights.
Cardinale is survived by two children, one from her first marriage to Cristaldi and another from her relationship with Italian director Pasquale Squitieri.
