1960s Bombshell Actress Claudia Cardinale Remains A Timeless Beauty At 86

Aug 22, 2023

Claudia Cardinale is a remarkable actress who has made a great impression on classic Hollywood and Italian movie scenes. Being among one of the world's iconic actresses, the Italian actress has continued to serve the world with her fascinating acting skills. 

Cardinale has gained a lot of fame while working in the movie industry for over six decades. She is well known for her attractiveness which always captures the heart of viewers on screen. Despite being 86, the Mediterranean beauty has continued to look as gorgeous as ever, granting her the title of timeless beauty. She has also continued to go strong in the film business and is still regarded as one of the world's most beautiful women. 

The veteran actress was born and raised in La Goulette, and her acting career did not start until she won the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" in 1957. Per ArmNews365, Cardinale was only 18 then and shared that she was only helping her mother organize an Italian film festival in Tunisia. She said:

"I was staring at the females on stage when I realized I wasn't meant to be there. Someone pushed me out on stage, and I was named Tunisia's Most Beautiful Girl." 

After winning the award, which was a trip to the Venice Film Festival, Cardinale got a lot of proposals from producers. Although she turned down most, she signed an 18-year contract with Franco Cristaldi. She got her big break in 1958 in "Goha." She later went on to star in several films like "Lost Command," "Cartouche," "The Pink Panther," " A Girl in Australia," " Blindfold," and many more. 

Cardinale was the muse of great directors like Werner Herzog, Federico Fellini, and Sergio Leone for over six decades. However, when she started her career as a teenager, her voice was treated as husky and was dubbed. Cardinale grew up in Tunisia and a protectorate of France. Her strong French accent was a distraction when she tried to speak Italian. The world finally heard her unique husky voice when she starred in the 1963 Oscar-winning masterpiece, "8 1/2". 

Cardinale later became an international sex symbol, as seen in films like "Big Deal on Madonna Street'' (1958). Under the guidance of Visconti, she later transformed into a serious actress and started in "Rocco and His Brothers'' (1960), "The Leopards'' (1963), " Sandra" (1965), " Conversation Piece" (1974), and many others. 

Despite having a successful career, Cardinale's personal life had its share of hardships. The actress initially wanted to be a teacher, but after winning Most Beautiful Girl in Tunisia, she went into acting. Just as her career was starting, she realized she was pregnant with someone who did not want anything to do with the child. 

According to LA Times, Cardinale explained the story behind her teenage pregnancy. She shared with Enzo Biagi in 2017, "A man I didn't know, much older than me, forced me to go up to the car and raped me." " When that man found out I was pregnant, he came back and demanded that I have an abortion," she added.

Fortunately, she gave birth to her son, Patrick, but told people he was her brother until he was 19. She was sent to London by her producer, Cristaldi, who later married her, to hide the pregnancy. He seized complete control of her life, career, and money; however, they got a divorce in 1957.

In 1971, Cardinale was called the Italian Brigitte Bardot. However, she was different from the actual Brigitte Bargot because she would never go nude in films. She added:

"I always thought it was more erotic to leave some room for imagination, hinting at things rather than showing everything."

For Cardinale, working in Hollywood was both amazing and demanding. After working in the system for a while, she decided to leave Hollywood and chose to act mostly in European films. Cardinale liked Hollywood but was not satisfied with the system's methods of signing stars. She said, "I don't like the star system. I am a normal person. I like to live in Europe." Although there was a reduction in pay in Europe, the actress boldly stated, "If I have to give up money, I give it up. I don't want to become a stereotype."

Cardinale later got married to Pasquale Squitieri, who was an Italian filmmaker, in 1975. The duo remained together, and the award-winning actress stayed by his side until he died in 2017. The couple also welcomed one child together, Claudia, who is as beautiful as her mother.

Despite being 86, the veteran actress's beauty has continued to flourish, leaving her with a gorgeous timeless beauty that is enviable by all. She works as a goodwill ambassador for the defense of women's rights with UNESCO. 

Cardinale shared that her belief is in helping women attain a greater status through education. 

She added, "It is with passion and dedication that I will be attentive to the needs of women and fight relentlessly for their rights."

Isn't it remarkable how Claudia Cardinale has remained timelessly beautiful? What do you think of her inspiring life story? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to other Claudia Cardinale fans.