Now 86 and outliving many of the Hollywood giants she once worked with, Cardinale remains strong, reflecting, “Cinema saved my life.”
As an iconic actress, Claudia Cardinale has left an indelible mark on both Italian and international cinema. Her talent, beauty, and versatility allowed her to portray a wide range of complex, memorable characters throughout her career.
Born in Tunisia to Italian parents, Cardinale was studying to become a teacher when, at 18, she was discovered. The French-speaking young woman, with her glossy hair, was attending an Italian film festival when she was unexpectedly pulled from the crowd and crowned “Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia.”
“I was helping my mother and people from the Italian government organize an Italian film festival in Tunisia. I was looking at the girls on stage and wasn’t supposed to be there. Someone pushed me onto the stage, and I was named the Most Beautiful Girl in Tunisia,” she recalled.
