Claudia Cardinale passed away at 87 years old, in her home in Nemours, on the outskirts of Paris. By her side until the very end were her children. The news of her passing closes an era: that of the great divas of the twentieth century, faces that have crossed cinema as symbols of beauty, talent, and mystery.
From Italian comedy to spaghetti westerns, from historical dramas to Hollywood blockbusters, Claudia Cardinale spanned more than sixty years of cinema without ever ceasing to embody its soul. With her passing, the world has lost not just an actress, but an icon of classic cinema whose presence and talent left a lasting mark worldwide.
Born in Tunis on April 15, 1938, Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale was much more than an actress. She was an icon, capable of embodying feminine strength and fragility in all its shades. Over her career, she won three David di Donatello awards, three Silver Ribbons, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 1993 and, a few years later, the Lifetime Achievement David. But more than the awards, her magnetic presence remains, one that marked unforgettable films such as The Leopard by Luchino Visconti, 8½ by Federico Fellini, The Girl with a Suitcase by Valerio Zurlini, Bell’Antonio by Mauro Bolognini.
On the set of The Leopard, she lived, as she herself said, “the most beautiful gift of my acting life.” Angelica Sedara remains one of the most beloved characters in the history of Italian cinema, etched in memory thanks to her elegance and the absolute rigor that Visconti demanded from every detail. With Fellini, instead, she entered the opposite whirlwind: the creative chaos of 8½, where the director wanted her to use her real voice for the first time, “so different, so sincere.”
Claudia Cardinale acted alongside cinema giants such as John Wayne, Sean Connery, Burt Lancaster, Orson Welles, Anthony Quinn, and Laurence Olivier. She embodied Italy at its brightest, especially during the fabulous 1960s — the era of the legendary Dolce Vita. The world recognized Italy in her face, her smile, and her voice.
Indissolubly linked to her role in The Leopard (above, you’ll find the video of the famous waltz danced with Burt Lancaster), a 1963 film that made cinematic history — winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes, starring Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon. The Italian actress appeared in over 150 films, working with masters such as Blake Edwards, Werner Herzog, and Manoel de Oliveira.
Claudia Cardinale, despite being one of the most beloved and recognized actresses worldwide, always guarded her private life with discretion. From a youthful relationship with a tunisian man, about which she never spoke publicly for a long time, her first son, Patrick, was born in 1958. In the 1960s, she had a relationship with producer Franco Cristaldi. Their marriage ended in 1975. With actor and director Pasquale Squitieri, her lifelong partner from 1975 until his death in 2017, she had a daughter, Claudia, who today is an established director and screenwriter. With Squitieri, she shared not only family life but also artistic collaborations, including the film Claretta, in which she played Mussolini’s partner.
