Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci

Bellucci at the Women's World Award 2009
Born Monica Anna Maria Bellucci
30 September 1964
Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy
Nationality Italian
Occupation Actress and fashion model
Years active 1990–present
Spouse(s) Vincent Cassel
 (m. 1999; separated 2013)
Children 2

Monica Bellucci (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmɔːnika belˈluttʃi], born 30 September 1964)[1] is an Italian actress and fashion model.

Early life

Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy[2][3] as the only child of Brunella Briganti and Pasquale Bellucci, and she 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]

Bellucci's modelling career is managed by Elite+ in New York City. She is considered an Italian sex symbol.[8][9] From 2006 to 2010 she was the face of a range of Dior products.[10] Bellucci is signed to D'management group in Milan and also to Storm Model Management in London.[11]

In 2004, while pregnant with her daughter Deva, Bellucci posed nude for the Italian Vanity Fair Magazine in protest against Italian laws that prevent the use of donor sperm.[12] She posed pregnant and semi-nude again for the magazine's April 2010 issue.[13]

In 2012, she became the new face of Dolce & Gabbana.[14]

Acting

Monica Bellucci at Cannes Film Festival in 2002.

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).

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.[17] Bellucci dubbed her own voice for the French and Italian releases of the film Shoot 'Em Up (2007).[18] 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.[19]

At 50, she will be the oldest Bond girl ever in the next James Bond movie, playing Lucia Sciarra in Spectre (2015).[20]

Personal life

Bellucci met French actor Vincent Cassel on the set of their 1996 film The Apartment.[21] They married in 1999,[21] and have two daughters, Deva (born 2004) and Léonie (born 2010).[22][23] Bellucci and Cassel announced their separation in August 2013.[21]

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."[24]

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 (some) Persian.[25]

Filmography

Title Year Role Notes
Vita coi figli 1990 Elda
Briganti – Amore e libertà 1990 Costanza
La riffa 1991 Francesca
Bram Stoker's Dracula 1992 One of Dracula's brides
Ostinato Destino 1992 Marina/Angela
I Mitici 1994 Deborah
Snowball 1995 Melina
Bits and Pieces 1995
Joseph 1995 Pharaoh's wife
The Apartment 1996 Lisa Nominated—César Award for Best Supporting Actress
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
L'ultimo Capodanno 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 Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre 2002 Cleopatra
Irréversible 2002 Alex
Remember Me, My Love 2003 Alessia Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actress
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 Nominated—Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress
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 Nominated—Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress
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 Levin
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
Lungo la Via Lattea (On the Milky Road) retitled : Love & War 2014
Le meraviglie 2014 Milly Catena
Spectre 2015 Lucia Sciarra

Dubbing

Year Film Role
2005 Robots Cappy (French voice-dub)

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 Golden Globe Award: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 (Io e Napoleone) Nominated

References

  1. ↑ 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
  2. ↑ Martínez, Claudio (30 October 2003). "Persephone". El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 2009-11-09.
  3. ↑ "Monica Bellucci: Biography". MSN. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  4. ↑ "'Monica Bellucci' by Monica Bellucci with Introduction by Giuseppe Tornatore – Book Review".
  5. ↑ "Monica Bellucci Photos". Maxim. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  6. ↑ "The 100 Hottest Women of All-Time". Men's Health. 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  7. ↑ "Monica Bellucci". AskMen.com. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  8. ↑ Salisbury, Mark (23 October 2005). "Danger woman". The Observer (UK). Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  9. ↑ Morgoglione, Claudia (14 October 2006). "Monica baronessa divertente per Virzì "Bello quel ruolo un po' da mignotta"". La Repubblica (in Italian) (Italy). Retrieved 2007-05-26.
  10. ↑ "Monica Bellucci - Actor Profile - Photos & latest news". Models.com. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  11. ↑ "Monica Bellucci". Storm Model Management. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
  12. ↑ Owen, Richard (4 June 2005). "Actresses fight Pope over fertility". The Times (UK). Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  13. ↑ Shanelle Rein-Olowokere (11 May 2010). "Moms-to-Be Who've Dared to Bare!". People. p. 9. Retrieved 2010. ... on the August 2004 cover of Italian Vanity Fair. Six years later, the second-time mom, 45, posed again (in black lingerie) for the magazine's April 2010 issue.
  14. ↑ Amy Lawrenson. "Monica Bellucci Dolce & Gabbana's new face." Elle, 17 February 2012
  15. ↑ Campion, Chris (5 October 2006). "Fantasy made flesh". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  16. ↑ Film Credits for movie Under Suspicion
  17. ↑ "Monica Bellucci – Indian Government Demands Halt To Gandhi Biopic". Retrieved 2010-10-29.
  18. ↑ "Monica Bellucci's balancing act". CraveOnline. 5 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-21.
  19. ↑ "The Sexiest Characters In Cinema - The Women | 21. Persephone | Empire". www.empireonline.com. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 "Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel To Divorce After 14 Years". Huffington Post. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-26.
  22. ↑ Silverman, Stephen M. (14 September 2004). ""Passion" actress bellucci has baby girl". People. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
  23. ↑ "Actress Monica Bellucci has baby girl". Agence France-Presse. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
  24. ↑ "Monica-Bellucci.net". Monica bellucci. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
  25. ↑ Actress Monica Bellucci is not to be underrated - Toronto Sun

External links