Newsroom
Claudia Cardinale, the Italian screen legend whose smoky voice and striking presence made her one of Europe’s most unforgettable actresses of the 1960s, has died at 87.
Her agent said Cardinale passed away in Nemours, near Paris, with her children by her side.
Born in Tunisia to Sicilian parents, Cardinale first caught attention when she was crowned “The Most Beautiful Italian Woman in Tunisia” in 1957. She soon moved to Rome, where her career took off under producer Franco Cristaldi. Within a few years, she was starring in classics like Visconti’s The Leopard and Fellini’s 8½, working alongside icons such as Marcello Mastroianni and Burt Lancaster.
Her husky voice became a trademark, though it was often dubbed early in her career. By the 1960s and ’70s, she had crossed over to Hollywood, appearing in films like The Pink Panther and acting alongside Sean Connery and John Wayne, before returning to Europe for more experimental projects.
Beyond the screen, Cardinale became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for women’s rights and was honored with lifetime achievement awards at Venice, Berlin and Locarno film festivals.
A star who bridged Italian, French and American cinema, Cardinale leaves behind not just a film legacy, but the enduring image of a woman who defined an era of European style and storytelling.
