Claudia Cardinale
Acting • Born 1938-04-15 – Died 2025-09-23
Biography
Claude Joséphine Rose "Claudia" Cardinale (15 April 1938 – 23 September 2025) was an Italian actress. Regarded as one of the leading figures of Italian cinema, alongside Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida, she achieved international recognition during a career spanning more than six decades. Celebrated in the 1960s as "the most beautiful woman in the world" and widely considered a sex symbol of the era, Cardinale appeared in more than 175 films, primarily in Italy and France, across genres including comedy, drama, spaghetti westerns, and historical epics. She collaborated with acclaimed directors such as Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, and Werner Herzog, and several of her films are regarded as significant works in the history of cinema. At the time of her death, she was one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of European cinema. Born and raised in La Goulette, a municipality in Tunisia near Tunis, Cardinale won the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" competition in 1957, the prize being a trip to Italy, which quickly led to film contracts, due above all to the involvement of producer Franco Cristaldi, who acted as her mentor for a number of years and later married her. After making her debut in a minor role with Egyptian star Omar Sharif in Goha (1958), Cardinale became one of the best-known actresses in Italy, with roles in films such as Rocco and His Brothers (1960), Girl with a Suitcase (1961), Cartouche (1962), The Leopard (1963) and Federico Fellini's 8½ (1963). From 1963, Cardinale appeared in The Pink Panther opposite David Niven. She went on to appear in the Hollywood films Blindfold (1966), Lost Command (1966), The Professionals (1966), Don't Make Waves (1967) with Tony Curtis, The Hell with Heroes (1968), The Red Tent (1969), A Fine Pair (1968), The Salamander (1981), and the Sergio Leone Western Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), a joint U.S.–Italian production, in which she was praised for her role as a former prostitute opposite Jason Robards, Charles Bronson and Henry Fonda. Jaded with Hollywood and not wanting to become a cliché, Cardinale returned to Italian and French cinema and garnered the David di Donatello for Best Actress award for her roles in The Day of the Owl (1968) and as a prostitute alongside Alberto Sordi in A Girl in Australia (1971).[1] In 1974, Cardinale met director Pasquale Squitieri, who would become her partner. She frequently featured in his films, including Blood Brothers (1974), Father of the Godfathers (1978) and Claretta (1984), the last of which won her the Nastro d'Argento Award for Best Actress. In 1982, she starred in Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo as the love interest of Klaus Kinski, who raises the funds to buy a steamship in Peru. In 2010, Cardinale received the Best Actress Award at the 47th Antalya "Golden Orange" International Film Festival for her performance as an elderly Italian woman who takes in a young Turkish exchange student in Signora Enrica. Over the years, Cardinale was outspoken about women's rights and became a UNESCO goodwill ambassador for the Defence of Women's Rights beginning in March 2000. In February 2011, the Los Angeles Times Magazine named Cardinale among the 50 most beautiful women in film history. ... Description above from the Wikipedia article Claudia Cardinale, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
192 credits
8½
Movie • 1963
Claudia
The Pink Panther
Movie • 1963
The Princess Dala
The Leopard
Movie • 1963
Angelica Sedara / Bastiana
Don't Make Waves
Movie • 1967
Laura
The French Revolution
Movie • 1989
Duchesse de Polignac
Blood Brothers
Movie • 1974
Lucia Esposito
Famous T & A
Movie • 1982
(archive footage)
The Professionals
Movie • 1966
Maria
Claudia Cardinale, la créature du secret
Movie • 2019
Self (archive footage)
Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone
Movie • 2000
Self
The Red Tent
Movie • 1969
Valeria
Rocco and His Brothers
Movie • 1960
Ginetta
Big Deal on Madonna Street
Movie • 1958
Carmelina
My Best Fiend
Movie • 1999
Self
The Facts of Murder
Movie • 1959
La servetta, Assuntina
Fitzcarraldo
Movie • 1982
Molly
The Magic of Fellini
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
Cartouche
Movie • 1962
Vénus
Luchino Visconti
Movie • 2002
Self
Escape to Athena
Movie • 1979
Eleana
Burden of Dreams
Movie • 1982
Self - Actress
The Last Sequence
Movie • 2003
Self
Circus World
Movie • 1964
Toni Alfredo
A Girl in Australia
Movie • 1971
Carmela
The Legend of Frenchie King
Movie • 1971
Marie Sarrazin
Son of the Pink Panther
Movie • 1993
Maria Gambrelli
Girl with a Suitcase
Movie • 1961
Aida Zepponi
Gina, Sophia, Claudia, trois symboles de la féminité à l'italienne
Movie • 2019
Self
Claudia la mystérieuse
Movie • 2022
Self
Bankers Also Have Souls
Movie • 1982
Antonella Dufour
The Battle of Austerlitz
Movie • 1960
Pauline Bonaparte
The String
Movie • 2009
Sara
Il giorno della Shoah
Movie • 2010
Ester
The Audience
Movie • 1972
Aiche
Cherche fiancé tous frais payés
Movie • 2007
Elisabeth
Blonde in Black Leather
Movie • 1975
Claudia
The Ruffian
Movie • 1983
La 'baronne'
A Man in Love
Movie • 1987
Julia Steiner
Marcello Mastroianni, latin lover
Movie • 2015
Self
A View of Love
Movie • 2010
La mère de Marc
A Common Sense of Modesty
Movie • 1976
Armida Ballarin
Conversation Piece
Movie • 1974
Professor's Wife (uncredited)
Sandra
Movie • 1965
Sandra Dawson
The Pariah
Movie • 1972
Georgia Saratov
Man & Wife, Cop & Crook
Movie • 2008
Cécile Deschamps
Il bell'Antonio
Movie • 1960
Barbara Puglisi
The Lions Are Loose
Movie • 1961
Albertine Ferran
Li chiamarono... briganti!
Movie • 1999
Donna Assunta
The Day of the Owl
Movie • 1968
Rosa Nicolosi
Monicelli: La versione di Mario
Movie • 2012
Self (archive footage)
The Demon Stirs
Movie • 2005
Claudia Cardinale
A Summer in La Goulette
Movie • 1996
Self
Midnight Pleasures
Movie • 1975
Gabriella Sansoni
Time of Indifference
Movie • 1964
Carla
Gebo and the Shadow
Movie • 2012
Doroteia
I Am the Law
Movie • 1977
Anna
An Opera of Violence
Movie • 2003
Self - Actress
Mother
Movie • 1991
Araxi (Mayrig) Zakarian
588 rue Paradis
Movie • 1992
Araxi (Mayrig) Zakarian
Becoming Italian with Signora Enrica
Movie • 2011
Signora Enrica
Effie Gray
Movie • 2014
Viscountess
The Artist and the Model
Movie • 2012
Léa
Libera, My Love
Movie • 1975
Libera Valente
Second to Nun
Movie
Self - Festival Actress
The Salamander
Movie • 1981
Elena Leporello
Belmondo, itinéraire...
Movie • 2011
Self
The Lovemakers
Movie • 1961
Bianca
Joy de V.
Movie • 2013
Signora Morosini
The Magnificent Cuckold
Movie • 1964
Maria Grazia
Stupor Mundi
Movie • 1997
Costanza d'Altavilla / d'Aragona
Corleone
Movie • 1978
Rosa Accordino
Upstairs and Downstairs
Movie • 1959
Maria
Cinéma Jacques Perrin
Movie • 2014
Self
Blindfold
Movie • 1966
Vicky Vicenti
Diary of a Telephone Operator
Movie • 1969
Marta Chiaretti
The Queens
Movie • 1966
Armenia ("Fata Armenia")
Hiver 54, l'abbé Pierre
Movie • 1989
Hélène Larmier
Woman of Wonders
Movie • 1985
Maura
Careless
Movie • 1962
Angiolina Zarri
The Adventures of Gerard
Movie • 1970
Teresa, Countess of Morales
The Silent Mountain
Movie • 2014
Nuria Calzolari
Act of Sorrow
Movie • 1990
Elena
La Folle Histoire de Jean-Paul Belmondo
Movie • 2017
Self
The Conspirators
Movie • 1969
Giuditta Di Castro
The Dolphins
Movie • 1960
Fedora Santini
Little Girl in Blue Velvet
Movie • 1978
Francesca Modigliani
Fellinopolis
Movie • 2021
Self - Actress (archive footage)
Goodbye & Amen
Movie • 1977
Aliki
Popsy Pop
Movie • 1971
Popsy Pop
The Magistrate
Movie • 1959
Maria
The Gun
Movie • 1978
Marta Compagna
Bebo's Girl
Movie • 1964
Mara
Riches, belles, etc.
Movie • 1998
Baroness Mitsy
Desert of Fire
Movie • 1997
Leila
An Italian Indian: The Pink Panther Princess With Claudia Cardinale
Movie • 2017
Self
Henry IV
Movie • 1984
Matilda
All Roads Lead to Rome
Movie • 2016
Carmen
Drums of Fire
Movie • 1990
Roxelane
3 Strangers in Rome
Movie • 1958
Marisa
Venetian Honeymoon
Movie • 1959
Angelica
Next Summer
Movie • 1985
Jeanne
Piccolina bella
Movie
One Russian Summer
Movie • 1973
Anya
The Hell with Heroes
Movie • 1968
Elena
The Skin
Movie • 1981
Principessa Consuelo Caracciolo
Si salvi chi vuole
Movie • 1980
Luisa
Luchino Visconti: Between Truth and Passion
Movie • 2016
Self (archive footage)
The Years of Lost Images
Movie • 2012
Self
We Are Cinema
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
Fire's Share
Movie • 1978
Catherine Hansen
Night of 100 Stars II
Movie • 1985
Self
A Rose for Everyone
Movie • 1967
Rosa
Goha
Movie • 1959
Amina
Lost Command
Movie • 1966
Aisha
South Wind
Movie • 1959
Grazia Macri
Visconti: La verdad del melodrama
Movie • 2001
Self
Nobili bugie
Movie • 2017
Duchess
Claretta
Movie • 1984
Miriam Petacci
La Traversée du désir
Movie • 2009
Self
Elles ne pensent qu'à ça...
Movie • 1994
Margaux
Alex et Marie
Movie • 1994
Narrator (voice)
Fiasco in Milan
Movie • 1959
Carmelina Nicosia
Una gita a Roma
Movie • 2017
Marguerite
Rudy Valentino
Movie • 2018
Zia Rosa
Last Stop
Movie • 2014
Rosa
The Wages of Sin
Movie • 2003
Self - Actress
Belmondo by Belmondo
Movie • 2016
Self (archive footage)
Sergio Leone, une Amérique de légende
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Sergio Leone: The Way I See Things
Movie • 2006
Self
Alberto il grande
Movie • 2013
Self
Auguste
Movie • 1961
Cameo Appearance (uncredited)
A Dying Breed: The Making of 'The Leopard'
Movie • 2004
Self
Il gattopardo: Viaggio della memoria
Movie • 1994
Self
Nonnas on the Run
Movie • 2017
Angela
Hollywood Invasion
Movie • 2011
Self (archive footage)
Twice Upon a Time in the West
Movie • 2015
Claudia
Rumore
Movie
A Fine Pair
Movie • 1968
Esmeralda Marini
Il falso bugiardo
Movie • 2008
Self (archive footage)
Kolossal - The Magnificent Macisti
Movie • 1977
Pauline Bonaparte
Les Anneaux d'Or
Movie • 1956
A young woman
The Man with the Cigar in His Mouth
Movie • 1997
Self
Por un puñado de sueños
Movie • 2004
Self - Interviewee
Once Upon a Time in the West
Movie • 1968
Jill
Fellini: I'm a Born Liar
Movie • 2003
Claudia (archive footage) (uncredited)
And Now... Ladies and Gentlemen...
Movie • 2002
Madame Falconetti
Rogue City
Movie • 2020
Catarina Bastiani
La Loi de Julien, Le bon fils
Movie • 2017
Irène Delamarche
Marcello, una vita dolce
Movie • 2006
Self
Something to Do with Death
Movie • 2003
Self - Actress
The Blind and the Cardinal
Movie • 2016
'La Cardinale'
Father
Movie • 2011
Elvira
Dios de monoambiente
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
Pietro Germi - The Good, The Beautiful and The Bad
Movie • 2009
Self
The Island of Forgiveness
Movie • 2022
Agostina
Nana Mouskouri, Momente ihres Lebens
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage)
The Life of Mirrors
Movie • 2025
Algeria in Flames
Movie • 1958
Self - Arab woman (uncredited)
Heart of the Festival
Movie • 2002
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood sul Tevere
Movie • 2009
Ulisse - The pleasure of discovery
TV • 2001
Self
The Merv Griffin Show
TV • 1962
Self
Jesus of Nazareth
TV • 1977
The Adulteress
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
TV • 2011
Self
Desert of Fire
TV • 1997
Leila
Princess Daisy
TV • 1983
Annabelle de Fourdemont Valensky
Nostromo
TV • 1997
Teresa Viola
Flash – Der Fotoreporter
TV • 1993
Gilda Ricci / Monica Ricci
Spécial cinéma
TV • 1974
Self
Bambi
TV • 1948
Self
Mia, Liebe meines Lebens
TV • 2016
Mary O'Sullivan
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV • 1975
Self
Midi trente
TV • 1972
Self
Numéro un
TV • 1975
Self
Numéro un
TV • 1975
Self - Host
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
Midi Première
TV • 1975
Self
Cinépanorama
TV • 1956
Self
10-07: L'affaire Zeus
TV • 1995
Agent
Bulle
TV • 2020
Marthe
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
Téléthon
TV • 1987
Self
Vivement dimanche
TV • 1998
Self
Stars 90
TV • 1990
Self
Samedi soir
TV • 1971
Self
Reflets de Cannes
TV • 1954
Self
Il bello delle donne... alcuni anni dopo
TV • 2017
Laura Banti
Sacrée Soirée
TV • 1987
Self
The French Revolution
TV • 1989
Yolande-Gabrielle de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac (« Les Années Lumière »)
History
TV • 1986
Ida Mancuso
Naso di cane
TV • 1986
Laura