For over sixty years, the fascinating Claudia Cardinale has dazzled audiences with her amazing performances on screen.
She never intended to be one of the top actors from the golden age of film, but her journey to fame was often shaped by difficult experiences.
Now at 86, she has outlived many of the Hollywood legends she once acted alongside, and she believes that “cinema saved my life.”
Keep reading to discover more about this incredible actress and what she’s up to now!
Pulled from the crowd
Claudia Cardinale is a legendary actress who has made a huge impact on both Italian and global cinema. With her amazing talent, stunning looks, and ability to play many different roles, she has brought to life a variety of unforgettable characters during her career.
Born in Tunisia, Claudia was actually training to become a teacher when she was spotted at the age of 18. While attending an Italian film festival, this beautiful young woman with shiny hair and who spoke French was chosen from the audience and named the Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia.
I was helping my mom and some people from the Italian government set up an Italian film festival in Tunisia. While I was watching the girls on stage, I realized I wasn’t supposed to be up there. Suddenly, someone pushed me onto the stage, and I ended up being named the Most Beautiful Girl in Tunisia, she shared.
The reward was a trip to the Venice film festival, which opened up a whole new adventure for her, leading to many offers from film producers.
At first, she turned down the offers. In an interview, Cardinale explained, “It’s like when a guy is interested in you. If you say yes right away, he might lose interest. But if you say no, he’ll want you even more for a long time.”
The main reason she declined most of the offers was that she was pregnant.
However, there was one producer she couldn’t say no to. Franco Cristaldi, a well-known Italian producer who worked on films from the 1950s to the 1990s, caught her attention and signed her to an 18-year contract.
Claudia cardinale pic.twitter.com/Bpme7VtSxO
— Goldenagehollywood (@oldmovieactress) August 11, 2024
There was also a personal contract, the pair married and Cristaldi, sculpting her into an Italian Brigitte Bardot, took full control, dictating her movie roles, hairstyle, weight, and social life.
Her pregnancy, Cristaldi demanded, be kept a secret.
As for her son, it was announced that he was her younger brother.
Under Cristaldi’s management, Cardinale had a few minor roles in Italian films, and noticed for her performances, she was referred to as “Italy’s sweetheart.”
In 1958, she got her big chance when she landed a leading part in the romantic comedy, Three Strangers in Rome. Even though she was seven months pregnant, she kept it a secret while working under Cristaldi’s direction. This made her feel really down, and she even had thoughts about ending her life, asking her manager to cancel her contract.
Instead of letting her go, Cristaldi sent her to London, claiming she was just there to learn English for a new role, so she could avoid the media.
In 1975, she gave birth to her son Patrick, who she said was the result of a terrible incident with an unknown man. She kept Patrick’s identity as her son a secret until he turned 19.
‘Violent truth’
In 2017, Cardinale talked to Enzo Biagi, an Italian journalist, about the harsh reality of her pregnancy. She revealed, “A man I didn’t know, who was much older than me, forced me into a car and raped me. It was awful, but the most amazing part is that my wonderful son Patrick came from that terrible experience. Even though it was really tough being a single mom, I chose not to have an abortion.”
She added, “When that man found out I was pregnant, he came back and insisted that I terminate the pregnancy. Not for a second did I think about getting rid of my baby!”
Talking about Cristaldi, who had a lot of control over her life, Cardinale said, “With him, I felt like I was just an employee. I was paid for the four movies I made each year, and I didn’t even call him by his first name, just his last name. I felt trapped, and my parents were really angry… I wasn’t in love with him; he was just someone I was with. Cristaldi was a great producer, but on a personal level… it was better to ignore that.”
Even though she left Cristaldi in 1975, her career didn’t suffer at all.
The naturally beautiful actress, who started her career in the French-Tunisian film Goha alongside Omar Sharif, quickly became known as one of Italy’s top actresses.
She went on to star in major films like Rocco and His Brothers (1960), and in 1963, she appeared in the Oscar-winning movie 8½ with Marcello Mastroianni, as well as The Leopard with Burt Lancaster. Both films, where she played a character that everyone desired, are considered favorites by the famous director Martin Scorsese.
‘Italian Brigitte Bardot’
As she started to make a name for herself in Hollywood, she acted with David Niven in The Pink Panther and later appeared with famous stars like John Wayne and Rita Hayworth in the 1964 movie Circus World.
She received praise for her role as a prostitute in the U.S.-Italian film Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), where she worked alongside legends like Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, and Charles Bronson.
Fans loved seeing Cardinale, who was often called the Italian Brigitte Bardot, share the screen with the real Bardot—her friend and competitor—in the 1971 film The Legend of Frenchie King. What made her different from Bardot? Cardinale mentioned that she never did nude scenes, saying, “I always thought it was more erotic to leave some room for imagination, hinting at things rather than showing everything.”
Her time in Hollywood was both rewarding and challenging. In a Life magazine article that called her “the most admired international film star since Sophia Loren,” Cardinale expressed her desire to escape the male-dominated Hollywood system. She commented on the lower pay in Europe, stating, “If I have to give up the money, I give it up. I do not want to become a cliché.”
‘You cannot stop time’
Even though her career has slowed down, Cardinale expressed that she feels good about stepping away from the overly sexualized attention.
“When I was younger, I dreamed of traveling the world. And I did just that. I never posed naked, and I never changed my face. I really don’t like that. I want to be myself because you can’t stop time,” Cardinale explained.
In a past interview, she mentioned, “I’ve never had any kind of face-lifting or anything like that. My mom always told me, ‘Just wait until you’re older, and you’ll always be smiling.’ And that’s true. So why would I want to hide that?”
Cardinale married Italian director Pasquale Squitieri in 1975, and they were together until he passed away in 2017. They have one daughter named Claudia.
In 2022, Claudia Cardinale responded to rumors about her being hospitalized against her will. While living in France, she stated, “I’m with my family, I’m completely healthy. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer.”
Currently, Cardinale is very active with UNESCO, serving as a goodwill ambassador for Women’s Rights.
Claudia Cardinale has had an interesting life, full of both challenges and achievements. It’s inspiring to see her support other women through her experiences, and we wish her continued good health. What’s your favorite movie featuring Cardinale?