Birthday: 15 April 1938, Tunis, French Protectorate Tunisia [now Tunisia]
Birth Name: Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale
Height: 168 cm
Like many other female Italian film stars, Claudia Cardinale's entry into the business was by way of a beauty pageant. She was 17 years old and studying at the Centro Sperimentale in Rome when she entered a beauty contest, which resulted in her getting a succession of small film roles. Her earthy interpretations of Sicilian women got her notic...
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Like many other female Italian film stars, Claudia Cardinale's entry into the business was by way of a beauty pageant. She was 17 years old and studying at the Centro Sperimentale in Rome when she entered a beauty contest, which resulted in her getting a succession of small film roles. Her earthy interpretations of Sicilian women got her noticed by Italian producers, and the combination of her beauty, dark, flashing eyes, explosive sexuality and genuine acting talent virtually guaranteed her stardom. After Senilità (1962) she rose to the front ranks of Italian cinema, and became an international star in Federico Fellini's classic 8½ (1963) with Marcello Mastroianni. American audiences may best remember her from her starring role in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). Show less «
[on acting] But to do this kind of work, you have to be very strong, otherwise you lose your persona...Show more »
[on acting] But to do this kind of work, you have to be very strong, otherwise you lose your personality, your identity. You don't know who you are. It's fantastic because I've been living thousands of lives, not only my life. Show less «
If you're not English, you're a foreigner - so you must be sexy. It's an old British cliché.
If you're not English, you're a foreigner - so you must be sexy. It's an old British cliché.
I wasn't speaking a word of Italian until I was 18. They had to dub my voice in my first Italian pic...Show more »
I wasn't speaking a word of Italian until I was 18. They had to dub my voice in my first Italian picture! Show less «
Luchino Visconti wanted me dark-haired, for Federico Fellini I had to be a blonde, I had long hair a...Show more »
Luchino Visconti wanted me dark-haired, for Federico Fellini I had to be a blonde, I had long hair at the time and kept dyeing it from one to the other. The two directors were completely different, almost hated each other, I think. Show less «
I never felt scandal and confession were necessary to be an actress. I've never revealed myself or e...Show more »
I never felt scandal and confession were necessary to be an actress. I've never revealed myself or even my body in films. Mystery is very important. Show less «
