Claudia Cardinale, the Tunisian-born Italian actress known for her performances in The Pink Panther, 8½, and The Leopard, died Tuesday in Nemours, France. She was 87.
Her agent, Laurent Savry, said she passed away peacefully with her children by her side. He described her as a woman who remained free and inspired, both in her personal life and on screen.
Cardinale rose to prominence in the 1960s during the golden era of Italian cinema. She worked with acclaimed directors including Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti, becoming a defining face of European film.
Born in Tunis in April 1938 to Sicilian parents, Cardinale gained early attention after winning a local beauty contest at age 16. The title earned her a trip to the Venice Film Festival, where she was approached by filmmakers. Though she had ambitions to become a teacher, she soon pursued acting.
Early struggles and breakthrough roles
Her early career was marked by personal and professional challenges. As a teenager, she was sexually assaulted and later gave birth in secret in London.
For years, she introduced her son as her younger brother. She also faced obstacles in her performances; her thick accent—shaped by French, Arabic, and Sicilian dialects—led producers to dub her voice in Italian films.
Claudia Cardinale became an international star in 1963 with major roles in Fellini’s 8½ and Visconti’s The Leopard. She often spoke about the contrast between directors, recalling that Visconti wanted her brunette, while Fellini preferred her blonde.
Her Hollywood career included appearances in Blake Edwards’ The Pink Panther and Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, acting alongside names like Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson. Critics often referred to her as a symbol of postwar European elegance and glamour.
Later years, advocacy, and legacy
After parting ways with producer Franco Cristaldi in the early 1970s, Cardinale spent the rest of her life with filmmaker Pasquale Squitieri. They had a daughter together, also named Claudia.
She continued acting into her later years, appearing in the Swiss television series Bulle in 2020. Cardinale also dedicated time to activism, serving as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador beginning in 2000 and receiving a lifetime achievement award at the Berlin Film Festival in 2002.
Looking back on her life in film, she once said she had lived more than 150 lives through the characters she portrayed. Italy’s culture minister, Gennaro Sangiuliano, called her one of the country’s most iconic actresses and a true symbol of Italian beauty and artistry.
