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Claudia Cardinale

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 8 1/2 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 to break into the US market but was let down by her poor command of the English language and her lack of interest in leaving Europe for extended periods, . 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 competitors. 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.



Last updated: 10-24-2004 05:10:45