Biography
Emerging in the wake of
Sophia Loren's international success, Claudia Cardinale was originally touted as Italy's answer to
Brigitte Bardot; while never attaining a measure of global stardom comparable to either performer, she nevertheless proved herself a highly capable actress, working with many of the most renowned filmmakers in world cinema. Born in Tunisia on April 15, 1939, Cardinale first attracted attention in 1957 after winning the "Most Beautiful Girl in Tunisia" contest; her prize was a trip to the Venice Film Festival, inspiring her to pursue a career in acting. After studying at Rome's Centro Sperimentale film school, she made her screen debut in 1958's
Goha, followed by a larger role in
Mario Monicelli's classic caper comedy I Soliti Ignoti that same year. In 1959 she was featured in
Pietro Germi's
Un Maledetto Imbroglio.
Under the guidance of producer
Franco Cristaldi (later to become her husband), Cardinale emerged as a major sex symbol; however, she also continued to appear with highly regarded filmmakers, including
Abel Gance (
The Battle of Austerlitz),
Luchino Visconti (Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli), and
Philippe de Broca (1962's
Cartouche). In 1963, Cardinale received her widest exposure to date, playing herself -- the object of star
Marcello Mastroianni's fantasies -- in
Federico Fellini's masterpiece 8 1/2. That same year, she also appeared in Visconti's epic Il Gattopardo. Their combined success piqued Hollywood's interest, and in 1964 she co-starred in her first American production,
Henry Hathaway's
Circus World. She also appeared opposite
Peter Sellers in
Blake Edwards'
The Pink Panther.
Cardinale continued dividing her time between Hollywood and Europe for the remainder of the decade, appearing in diverse projects ranging from the 1965 Visconti war drama
Vaghe Stelle dell'Orsa to the 1966
Richard Brooks Western
The Professionals. In 1968, she also co-starred in the
Sergio Leone classic
Once Upon a Time in the West. However, with the 1969
Mikhail Kalatozov adventure La Tenda Rossa, Cardinale began appearing almost exclusively in European films, few of which were distributed in English-language markets. As a result, she was largely a memory when she resurfaced in the 1976 hit
The Pink Panther Strikes Again. A year later, she also co-starred in the television miniseries
Jesus of Nazareth. Cardinale's next high-profile international project was the 1982
Werner Herzog art-house hit
Fitzcarraldo. She followed it with another miniseries, 1983's
Princess Daisy, then again remained in Europe prior to the 1993 flop
Son of the Pink Panther. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide