Italian Actress Laura Antonelli Dies at 73...
The former sex symbol was one of Italy's most famous actresses.
Laura Antonelli, 73, an icon of Italian cinema, passed away at her home in Ladispoli from a heart attack. She was found by her housekeeper Monday morning.
The actress was born Laura Antonaz, at Pola, in what is now Croatia. She fled to Italy as a child, where she excelled in gymnastics before moving to Rome to pursue a modeling career.
Antonelli had a breakthrough role in Mario Bava’s cult comedy Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs in 1966. She gained early success in cinema, starring in Salvatore Sampieri’s Malice, a performance that won her a Nastro d’Argento award in 1974.
In 1975 she played a seven minute scene nude in The Divine Nymph, which was unheard of at that time. She then went on to take on prestige roles as Giuliana in Luchino Visconti’s The Innocent and Clara in Ettore Scola’s Passion of Love.
While most of her career she worked in Italy, she did a handful of films in the U.S. including A Man Called Sledge and Swashbuckler.
Throughout the eighties she starred in erotic films and comedies, eventually landing on television miniseries. Overall, she appeared in over 40 films throughout her career, starring opposite actors including Terence Stamp and Marcello Mastroianni.
Her life took a tragic turn in 1991 when she was arrested with cocaine in her home in Cerveteri. She was sentenced to prison for drug dealing, but was acquitted nine years later. She faced further trauma when a botched cosmetic surgery left her face disfigured. A lengthy court trail for damages left her emotionally scarred.
In recent years she sued her son and housekeeper for misappropriating funds. In 2010 her friend actor Lino Banfi appealed unsuccessfully to the state to help relieve her economic troubles. She then withdrew from public life entirely, issuing a statement, “Earthly life no longer interests me.”
Dario Franceschini's Minister of Culture said of the passing, "I express sincere condolences for the death of Laura Antonelli, an actress of rare beauty and a great talent of Italian cinema."
Μία όμορφη ανάμνηση των παιδικών μας χρόνων. Τότε που τρέχαμε στα videoclub τη γειτονιάς για να νοικιάσουμε την "Μαλίτσια".
Πανέμορφη γυναίκα στο φόρτε της καριέρας της, σαν ηθοποιός δεν νομίζω να έπεισε, οι ρόλοι της εξ' άλλου ήταν σε ανάλογου είδους ταινίες, αν και είχε στο ενεργητικό της τον βασικό ρόλο στο Innocent του Βισκόντι.
The former sex symbol was one of Italy's most famous actresses.
Laura Antonelli, 73, an icon of Italian cinema, passed away at her home in Ladispoli from a heart attack. She was found by her housekeeper Monday morning.
The actress was born Laura Antonaz, at Pola, in what is now Croatia. She fled to Italy as a child, where she excelled in gymnastics before moving to Rome to pursue a modeling career.
Antonelli had a breakthrough role in Mario Bava’s cult comedy Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs in 1966. She gained early success in cinema, starring in Salvatore Sampieri’s Malice, a performance that won her a Nastro d’Argento award in 1974.
In 1975 she played a seven minute scene nude in The Divine Nymph, which was unheard of at that time. She then went on to take on prestige roles as Giuliana in Luchino Visconti’s The Innocent and Clara in Ettore Scola’s Passion of Love.
While most of her career she worked in Italy, she did a handful of films in the U.S. including A Man Called Sledge and Swashbuckler.
Throughout the eighties she starred in erotic films and comedies, eventually landing on television miniseries. Overall, she appeared in over 40 films throughout her career, starring opposite actors including Terence Stamp and Marcello Mastroianni.
Her life took a tragic turn in 1991 when she was arrested with cocaine in her home in Cerveteri. She was sentenced to prison for drug dealing, but was acquitted nine years later. She faced further trauma when a botched cosmetic surgery left her face disfigured. A lengthy court trail for damages left her emotionally scarred.
In recent years she sued her son and housekeeper for misappropriating funds. In 2010 her friend actor Lino Banfi appealed unsuccessfully to the state to help relieve her economic troubles. She then withdrew from public life entirely, issuing a statement, “Earthly life no longer interests me.”
Dario Franceschini's Minister of Culture said of the passing, "I express sincere condolences for the death of Laura Antonelli, an actress of rare beauty and a great talent of Italian cinema."
Μία όμορφη ανάμνηση των παιδικών μας χρόνων. Τότε που τρέχαμε στα videoclub τη γειτονιάς για να νοικιάσουμε την "Μαλίτσια".
Πανέμορφη γυναίκα στο φόρτε της καριέρας της, σαν ηθοποιός δεν νομίζω να έπεισε, οι ρόλοι της εξ' άλλου ήταν σε ανάλογου είδους ταινίες, αν και είχε στο ενεργητικό της τον βασικό ρόλο στο Innocent του Βισκόντι.
