Monica Bellucci
| Monica Bellucci | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci 30 September 1964 Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Actress and fashion model |
| Years active |
1977–present (model) 1990–present (actress) |
| Spouse(s) |
Vincent Cassel (m. 1999; separated 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmɔːnika belˈluttʃi], born 30 September 1964)[1] is an Italian actress and fashion model. Bellucci began her career as a model and made a transition to Italian films. She played the role of Persephone in the 2003 science-fiction films The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, Mary Magdalene in the 2004 biblical drama The Passion of the Christ, Malèna Scordia in the 2000 film Malèna and Alex in the controversial art film Irréversible. Bellucci was a Bond girl in the 2015 James Bond film Spectre, making her the oldest Bond girl in the franchise.
Early life
Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy,[2][3] as the only child of Brunella Briganti and Pasquale Bellucci, and grew up in San Giustino.
Career
Modelling
Monica Bellucci began modelling at age 13 by posing for a local photo enthusiast.[4] In 1988, Bellucci moved to one of Europe's fashion centres, Milan, where she signed with Elite Model Management. By 1989, she was becoming prominent as a fashion model in Paris and across the Atlantic, in New York City. She posed for Dolce & Gabbana and French Elle, among others. In that year, Bellucci made the transition to acting and began taking acting classes. The February 2001 Esquire's feature on Desire featured Bellucci on the cover and in an article on the five senses. In 2003, she was featured in Maxim.[5] Men's Health also named her one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time", ranking her at No. 21.[6] AskMen named her the number one most desirable woman in 2002.[7] According to two national newspapers, she is considered an Italian sex symbol.[8][9] In 2004, while pregnant with her daughter Deva, Bellucci posed nude for the Italian Vanity Fair in protest against Italian laws that prevent the use of donor sperm.[10] She posed pregnant and semi-nude again for the magazine's April 2010 issue.[11] From 2006 to 2010 Bellucci was the face of a range of Dior products.[12] In 2012, she became the new face of Dolce & Gabbana.[13] She is managed by Elite+ in New York City. Bellucci is signed to D'management group in Milan and also to Storm Model Management in London.[14]
Acting
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Bellucci's film career began in the early 1990s. She played some minor roles in La Riffa (1991) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). In 1996 she was nominated for a César Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Lisa in The Apartment[15] and strengthened her position as an actress. She became known and popular with worldwide audiences, following her roles in Malèna (2000), Brotherhood of the Wolf, "Under Suspicion",[16] and Irréversible (2002). She has since played in many films from Europe and Hollywood like Tears of the Sun (2003), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Passion of the Christ (2004), The Brothers Grimm (2005), Le Deuxième souffle (2007), Shoot 'Em Up (2007), Don't Look Back (2009), and The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010).[17][18]
She was supposed to be seen portraying Indian politician Sonia Gandhi in the biopic Sonia, originally planned for release in 2007, but it has been shelved.[19] Bellucci dubbed her own voice for the French and Italian releases of the film Shoot 'Em Up (2007).[20] She also voiced Kaileena in the video game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, and the French voice of Cappy for the French version of the 2005 animated film Robots.
Empire magazine selected her as twenty-first on their list of "The Sexiest 25 Characters in Cinema – The Women" for her role of "Persephone" in the Matrix series.[21] Likewise, Nettavisen declared in 2009 that the role of Persephone qualified Bellucci as one of the 25 sexiest women of all time.[22]
At 50, she became the oldest Bond girl ever in the James Bond film franchise, playing Lucia Sciarra in Spectre (2015).[23]
Personal life
Bellucci met French actor Vincent Cassel on the set of their 1996 film The Apartment.[24] They married in 1999,[24] and have two daughters, Deva (born 2004) and Léonie (born 2010).[25][26] Bellucci and Cassel announced their separation on 26 August 2013.[24]
In the documentary movie The Big Question, about the film The Passion of the Christ, she stated: "I am an agnostic, even though I respect and am interested in all religions. If there's something I believe in, it's a mysterious energy; the one that fills the oceans during tides, the one that unites nature and beings."[27]
In September 2012 at a Toronto International Film Festival press conference for the Iranian movie Rhino Season, Bellucci stated that she can speak four languages: Italian, French, English and Farsi.[28]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists | Silver Ribbon for Best Supporting Actress | Ricordati di me | Won |
| 2005 | Globo d'oro | European Golden Globe | Won | |
| 1997 | César Awards | Best Promising Actress | The Apartment | Nominated |
| 2001 | European Film Awards | Audience Award for Best Actress | Malèna | Nominated |
| 2003 | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actress | Brotherhood of the Wolf | Nominated |
| 2003 | Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award | Best Female | The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions | Nominated |
| 2003 | David di Donatello Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Ricordati di me | Nominated |
| 2003 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Female Breakout Star | The Matrix Reloaded and Tears of the Sun | Nominated |
| 2004 | MTV Movie Awards | Best Kiss | The Matrix Reloaded | Nominated |
| 2005 | Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists | Silver Ribbon for Best Supporting Actress | The Passion of the Christ | Nominated |
| 2007 | Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists | Silver Ribbon for Best Supporting Actress | N | Nominated |
Filmography
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Vita coi figli | 1990 | Elda |
| The Raffle | 1991 | Francesca |
| Bram Stoker's Dracula | 1992 | One of Dracula's brides |
| Ostinato Destino | 1992 | Marina/Angela |
| Briganti – Amore e libertà | 1994 | Costanza |
| I Mitici | 1994 | Deborah |
| Snowball | 1995 | Melina |
| Bits and Pieces | 1995 | |
| Joseph | 1995 | Pharaoh's wife |
| The Apartment | 1996 | Lisa |
| Sorellina e il principe del sogno | 1996 | Princess |
| Stressati | 1997 | |
| Dobermann | 1997 | Nat the Gypsy |
| Mauvais genre | 1997 | Camille |
| Come mi vuoi | 1997 | Nellina |
| Le Plaisir | 1998 | Girl |
| Compromise | 1998 | Monique |
| Kaputt Mundi | 1998 | Giulia Giovannini |
| A los que aman | 1998 | Valeria |
| Comme un poisson hors de l'eau | 1999 | Myrtille |
| Méditerranées | 1999 | Marguerite |
| Under Suspicion | 2000 | Chantal Hearst |
| Franck Spadone | 2000 | Laura |
| Malèna | 2000 | Malèna Scordia |
| Brotherhood of the Wolf | 2001 | Sylvia |
| Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre | 2002 | Cleopatra |
| Irréversible | 2002 | Alex |
| Remember Me, My Love | 2003 | Alessia |
| Tears of the Sun | 2003 | Lena Fiore Kendricks |
| Matrix Reloaded, TheThe Matrix Reloaded | 2003 | Persephone |
| Enter the Matrix | 2003 | Persephone |
| Matrix Revolutions, TheThe Matrix Revolutions | 2003 | Persephone |
| Passion of the Christ, TheThe Passion of the Christ | 2004 | Mary Magdalene |
| Secret Agents | 2004 | Barbara/Lisa |
| She Hate Me | 2004 | Simona Bonasera |
| Brothers Grimm, TheThe Brothers Grimm | 2005 | The Mirror Queen |
| How Much Do You Love Me? | 2005 | Daniela |
| Sheitan | 2006 | La belle vampiresse |
| Napoleon and Me | 2006 | Baroness Emilia Speziali |
| The Stone Council | 2006 | Laura Siprien |
| Heartango |
2007 | L'inafferrabile |
| Manual of Love 2 |
2007 | Lucia |
| Shoot 'Em Up | 2007 | Donna Quintano |
| Le deuxième souffle | 2007 | Manouche |
| Sanguepazzo | 2008 | Luisa Ferida |
| L'uomo che ama | 2008 | Alba |
| Don't Look Back | 2009 | Jeanne |
| Private Lives of Pippa Lee, TheThe Private Lives of Pippa Lee | 2009 | Gigi Lee |
| Baarìa – La porta del vento | 2009 | Bricklayer's girlfriend |
| Omaggio a Roma | 2009 | Tosca |
| Whistleblower, TheThe Whistleblower | 2010 | Laura Leviani |
| Sorcerer's Apprentice, TheThe Sorcerer's Apprentice | 2010 | Veronica |
| Rose, c'est Paris | 2010 | L'esprit de gala |
| Manuale d'amore 3 | 2011 | Viola |
| A Burning Hot Summer | 2011 | Angèle |
| Rhino Season | 2012 | Mina |
| Des gens qui s'embrassent (People who kiss) | 2013 | Giovanna |
| The Wonders | 2014 | Milly Catena |
| Ville-Marie | 2015 | Sophie |
| Spectre | 2015 | Lucia Sciarra |
| On the Milky Road | 2016 | |
Dubbing
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas | Marina (French voice-dub) |
| 2005 | Robots | Cappy (French voice-dub) |
References
- ↑ A copy of her birth registration from the Perugina Registry Office gives her birth date as 30 September 1964. Notable Names Database (NNDB). Accessed 7 June 2013
- ↑ Martínez, Claudio (30 October 2003). "Persephone". El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 November 2009.
- ↑ "Monica Bellucci: Biography". MSN. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
- ↑ "'Monica Bellucci' by Monica Bellucci with Introduction by Giuseppe Tornatore – Book Review".
- ↑ "Monica Bellucci Photos". Maxim. Retrieved 15 January 2007.
- ↑ "The 100 Hottest Women of All-Time". Men's Health. 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ↑ "Monica Bellucci". AskMen.com. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ↑ Salisbury, Mark (23 October 2005). "Danger woman". The Observer. UK. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ↑ Morgoglione, Claudia (14 October 2006). "Monica baronessa divertente per Virzì "Bello quel ruolo un po' da mignotta"". La Repubblica (in Italian). Italy. Retrieved 26 May 2007.
- ↑ Owen, Richard (4 June 2005). "Actresses fight Pope over fertility". The Times. UK. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- ↑ Shanelle Rein-Olowokere (11 May 2010). "Moms-to-Be Who've Dared to Bare!". People. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ↑ "Monica Bellucci – Actor Profile – Photos & latest news". Models.com. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ↑ Amy Lawrenson. "Monica Bellucci Dolce & Gabbana's new face." Elle, 17 February 2012
- ↑ "Monica Bellucci". Storm Model Management. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
- ↑ Campion, Chris (5 October 2006). "Fantasy made flesh". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
- ↑ Film Credits for movie Under Suspicion
- ↑ Peter Sciretta (19 June 2009). "First Look: Monica Bellucci in The Sorcerer's Apprentice". slashfilm.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Bellucci, Monica". About.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Monica Bellucci – Indian Government Demands Halt To Gandhi Biopic". Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ↑ "Monica Bellucci's balancing act". CraveOnline. 5 September 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
- ↑ "The Sexiest Characters in Cinema – The Women | 21. Persephone | Empire". www.empireonline.com. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ↑ Elisabeth Gilje (13 July 2009). "Tidenes mest sexy kvinner" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
The Italian beauty's role as Persephone in "The Matrix Reloaded" from 2003 qualifies her as one of the 25 sexiest women of all time.
- ↑ Roberts, Hanna. "EXCLUSIVE – Never-before-seen pictures of world's oldest Bond girl Monica Bellucci, 50, 'who was so beautiful as a child that waitresses gave her free food'". Mail Online.
- 1 2 3 "Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel To Divorce After 14 Years". Huffington Post. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ↑ Silverman, Stephen M. (14 September 2004). ""Passion" actress bellucci has baby girl". People. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
- ↑ "Actress Monica Bellucci has baby girl". Agence France-Presse. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
- ↑ "Monica-Bellucci.net". Monica bellucci. Retrieved 8 October 2006.
- ↑ "Actress Monica Bellucci is not to be underrated". Toronto Sun.
External links
- Monica Bellucci at the Internet Movie Database
- Monica Bellucci at the TCM Movie Database
- Monica Bellucci at BFI Film & TV Database
- Monica Bellucci at the Fashion Model Directory
- Monica Bellucci at AllMovie
- Monica Bellucci at Rotten Tomatoes
- at Official Web Site