Throughout a career that has lasted over sixty years, the mysterious Claudia Cardinale has dazzled audiences with her stunning presence on screen.
Not intending to become one of the most celebrated actors of the golden age, Cardinale’s journey to fame was often marked by personal struggles.
Having outlived the legendary Hollywood stars she once acted alongside, and still thriving at 86, she claims, “cinema saved my life.”
Continue reading to discover more about this remarkable actress and what she is up to now!
Discovered from the crowd
As a legendary actress, Claudia Cardinale has made a lasting impact on both Italian and global cinema. Her skill, charm, and adaptability enabled her to take on a variety of intricate and unforgettable roles throughout her life.
Born in Tunisia, this Italian actress was preparing to become a teacher when she was spotted at the age of 18. The young woman, with her glossy hair and ability to speak French, was captivated by the glamour of an Italian film festival, where she was chosen from the audience and named 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. I was watching the girls on stage, and I really shouldn’t have been there. Then someone pushed me onto the stage, and I was named the Most Beautiful Girl in Tunisia,” she said.
The prize was a trip to the Venice film festival, which was the start of an exciting adventure for her, and she got a lot of offers from producers.
At first, she turned down the offers. Cardinale said in an interview, “It’s like a guy. When he’s chasing you, if you say yes right away, he’ll lose interest after a while. But if you say no, he’ll want you for a long time.”
The main reason she said no to most 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 made films from the 1950s to the 1990s, caught the young Cardinale’s attention and signed her to an 18-year contract.
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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 with a main part in the romantic comedy, Three Strangers in Rome. Even while she was seven months pregnant, she kept it a secret under Cristaldi’s direction. This made Cardinale feel really sad and she even thought about suicide, asking her manager to end her contract.
Instead, Cristaldi sent her to London to get away from the media, pretending she was there to learn English for a role.
In 1975, she had a baby named Patrick, who she claimed was fathered by a man she didn’t name, who had raped her. 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, and revealed the harsh reality of her pregnancy. She said, “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 best part is that my amazing Patrick was born from that terrible experience. Even though it was really tough for a single mom, I chose not to have an abortion.”
She went on to say, “When that man found out I was pregnant, he came back and insisted that I should have an abortion. 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 mentioned, “With him, I felt like I was just an employee, someone who got paid once a month for the four movies I did each year. I didn’t even call him by his first name, just his last name. I felt trapped, and my parents were really angry… Because I wasn’t in love, he was the one who was with me. In short, Cristaldi was a great producer, but personally… it was better to ignore that.”
Her tough relationship with Cristaldi, whom she left in 1975, didn’t stop her from succeeding in her career.
The naturally beautiful actress, who started in the French-Tunisian film Goha with Omar Sharif, quickly became known as one of Italy’s best actors.
She then took on leading roles in Rocco and his Brothers (1960), and in 1963 she starred in the Oscar-winning film 8½ with Marcello Mastroianni, and The Leopard with Burt Lancaster. Both movies, where she played a character that seemed like an impossible dream, are considered by the famous director Martin Scorsese as two of his top 12 favorites.
‘Italian Brigitte Bardot’
Making a name for herself in Hollywood, she acted with David Nivens in The Pink Panther and later appeared with legends like John Wayne and Rita Hayworth in the 1964 movie Circus World.
Celebrated for her role as a prostitute in the U.S.-Italian film Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Cardinale shared the screen with famous actors Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, and Charles Bronson.
But fans loved seeing Cardinale, who was called the Italian Brigitte Bardot, alongside the real Bardot—her friend and rival—in the 1971 film The Legend of Frenchie King. What made her different from Bardot? She mentioned that she never did a nude scene in a movie, saying, “I always thought it was more erotic to leave some room to imagination, hinting at things rather than showing everything.”
Working in Hollywood was both rewarding and tough. In a Life magazine article that called her “the most admired international film star since Sophia Loren,” Cardinale shared that she wanted to escape the male-dominated Hollywood system. Talking about the lower pay in Europe, Cardinale stated, “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 mentioned that she feels good about stepping away from the overly sexual spotlight.
“When I was younger, my dream was to see the world. And I did it. I never got 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 said.
She once talked in an interview, “I’ve never done – what do you call it? – face lifting. Things like that. My mom used to say, ‘Just wait until you’re older, you’ll always be smiling.’ It’s true. So why would you want to hide it?”
Cardinale got married to Italian director, Pasquale Squitieri in 1975 and stayed with him until he passed away in 2017. They have one daughter named Claudia.
In 2022, Cardinale responded to rumors about her being hospitalized against her will. While living in France, she stated, “I’m next to my family, I’m in full health. And I wish everyone a happy summer.”
Currently, Cardinale is very active with UNESCO as the goodwill ambassador for the Defence of Women’s Rights.
Claudia Cardinale has had a remarkable life, full of both challenges and achievements. It’s inspiring to see her empowering other women with her experiences, and we hope she stays healthy. What’s your favorite movie featuring Cardinale?