She Had To Prove Herself
When Claudia Cardinale was crowned into fame after winning an Italian beauty contest, Hollywood quickly decided she was just another pretty face. Glossy photo spreads celebrated her looks while casting doubt on whether she had any real talent behind the glamour. And though she ultimately did make it to Hollywood, her dream debut turned out to be far more complicated than anyone expected.
.jpg){kind=link}
1. She Didn’t Speak The Language
Claudia Cardinale was born in Tunisia on April 15, 1938. While Tunisia is in North Africa, her parents were both Italian. And even though they speak Arabic in Tunisia, her family spoke only French and Sicilian at home. With all this confusion, Cardinal decided that what she wanted to be was a teacher.
Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t really teacher material.
2. She Was A Wild Child
When she was still a teenager, people described Claudia Cardinale with three words: silent, wild and weird—not what one usually looked for in a teacher. She also idolized French actress Brigitte Bardot. Interestingly enough, though, her life would be far from a teacher’s life and more like her idol’s.
And, in fact, she soon got an early start on her career.
3. She Tasted Fame
Cardinale’s first brush with acting came in a short film called Anneaux d’or. When the film ended up at the Berlin Film Festival, she became just a little famous in her hometown. Next, director Jacques Baratier saw her and decided he had a role for her. Her co-star in Goha would be future megastar Omar Sharif.
But even with her early success, Cardinale was still hesitant to pursue a career as an actor. One event changed all that.
4. She Was The Most Beautiful
In 1957, Claudia Cardinale was sitting on the fence deciding what to do with her life. When Italian Cinema Week arrived in Tunis, they honored Cardinale with an award for “Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia”. And just like that, the prize for her beauty gave her the kind of exposure that any young actress would kill for.
5. She Got A Rare Opportunity
The prize for Cardinale’s beauty was a trip to the Venice Film Festival. She made such a stir in Venice that they offered her a chance to study acting at the Experimental Cinematography Center in Rome. It was the opportunity of a lifetime.
But when she got to school, she faced a huge obstacle.
6. She Couldn’t Speak
Remember, when she was growing up, Claudia Cardinale only spoke Sicilian and French. The film school in Rome was in Italian, and Cardinale suffered because of it. After just one semester, she made the difficult decision to quit. She packed her bags and went home.
But once she got there, another obstacle awaited her.
7. She Faced A Trauma
Upon arriving back in Tunisia, Cardinale got the news that she was pregnant. She’d had an affair with a Frenchman who was 10 years older than her. There were even hints that this pregnancy had been the result of an attack. And to add insult to injury, the man who was responsible wanted her to terminate the pregnancy.
Cardinale was not even 20, and she had a big decision to make.
8. She Took A Chance
Believe it or not, it was this pregnancy that finally led Claudia Cardinale to decide to act in films. She wanted to keep her child, and for that, she’d need money. She signed on with Vides, a production company run by producer Franco Cristaldi. Of course, no one could know that she was carrying a baby.
Keeping this a secret was going to be next to impossible.
9. She Worked Hard
Cardinale knew that she only had a few months to work before it was obvious that she was pregnant. She got a small role in Big Deal on Madonna Street, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. She then got a leading role in the romantic comedy Three Strangers in Rome.
But she couldn't keep her secret forever—time was running out.
10. She Came Clean
Keeping her pregnancy a secret was took its toll on Cardinale’s emotions. She even thought of taking her own life. She confided in Cristaldi and told him she wanted out of her contract. Obviously, she couldn’t work like this. Cristaldi had to make a decision, and it would affect Cardinale’s career forever.
11. He Sent Her Away
Cristaldi decided he would "help" Claudia Cardinale. He said that the best place for her would be England. There, she could have the baby away from the prying eyes of the press. He even concocted a story that she was going there to learn to speak English for future acting roles. Cardinale must have thought she was the luckiest young woman in the world.
But there was a dark side to this knight in shining armor.
12. She Was Under His Control
Because Cristaldi was footing the bill for Cardinale to have her baby in England, he had certain expectations of her behavior while she was away. First off, he would not let Cardinale work on any projects while she was in England. He also wanted to control who she spoke with, supposedly fearing she would spill the beans about her pregnancy.
Unfortunately for Cardinale, though, that proved not to be the worst of it.
13. She Kept A Secret
To make sure that Claudia Cardinale obeyed the rules, Cristaldi made her sign a contract. This contract made her feel like she wasn’t a free person. Even after her son was born, she had to keep her secret. So when Patrick was old enough, she told him that she was his older sister.
But there was another complication to her personal life.
14. She Was Married—Sort of
Too make the entire situation even more complicated, Cardinale and Cristaldi had become a couple, and they had a party to celebrate their marriage. There was only one thing missing: the actual marriage. The two were acting like a married couple, but they had no legal status as a husband and wife. The secrets were piling up.
So Cardinale threw herself into her work to stay sane.
15. They Dubbed Her
Still under contract, Claudia Cardinale continued to make movies. She made Vento del sud, Il magistrato and Un maledetto imbroglio in quick succession. Even though by this time Cardinale spoke Italian well enough for the roles, they decided to dub her voice. As it turned out, her real voice was too hoarse for the producers. This was partly due to a two-pack-a-day habit.
Next, she’d give English a try.
16. She Stood Out
In 1959, Cardinale crossed the English Channel to appear in Upstairs and Downstairs, about a couple who hire a string of unreliable servants. Here, Cardinale’s comedic chops stood out over her British co-stars Michael Craig and Anne Heywood. Her role as a crazy maid got the attention of critics.
Next, she was back in Italy, making men fall in love with her.
17. She Met Two Men
In 1960 Claudia Cardinale made Il bell’antonio and she met two men who would have a huge impact on her life. Her co-star was Marcello Mastroianni, and he would fall deeply in love with her. Cardinale assumed that Mastroianni was just another lecherous film star who made advances on all his co-stars. But the iconic actor, who partnered with some of the world’s most beautiful women, swore that his love was real.
In a startling contrast, the other man Cardinale met on Il bell’antonio did not want her for love.
18. She Met Her Match
The director of Il bell’antonio was Mauro Bolognini, and with this film, a great partnership began. Cardinale later said that working with Brolignini was the happiest experience in her career. They made three films together, and through them Cardinale found a kind of character she liked to play. A manipulative woman who destroys men.
But she also played characters that were extremely vulnerable.
19. She Had A Back Story
Claudia Cardinale continued to make popular films in both Italian and French. In 1961, she came across a film she could really relate to. This was Girl with a Suitcase, about a young woman with an illegitimate child. To heighten the drama, Cardinale was able to bring up her own history of dealing with a child out of wedlock.
As it turned out, she wasn’t fully prepared for the experience.
20. She Was Nervous
Because of her own history, playing a young woman with an illegitimate child was going to be tough. Cardinale just didn't know how tough. It took her a few months just to get her head around the idea of playing a tragic character so close to her real life. There was a lot riding on this very dramatic film, and Cardinale had every reason to be nervous.
21. She Reached For The Stars
At this time, Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida dominated Italian cinema. Cardinale had made a reputation for herself as a beauty of Italian cinema, but her dramatic turn in Girl with the Suitcase had the potential to put her in the same category as Loren and Lollobrigida.
When the film went to the Cannes Film Festival, Cardinale could only hope this shift to drama would pay off big time.
22. She Moved Up
Claudia Cardinale had two films at Cannes that year, Girl with a Suitcase and The Lovemakers. Both films got Cardinale great reviews, which meant she was moving up closer to the likes of Loren and Lollobrigida. Better yet, Paris Match even compared her favorably to her idol: Brigitte Bardot. Cardinale had the film world wrapped around her finger.
And she was ready to take the bull by the horns.
23. She Did Two At Once
Capitalizing on her rising fame, Cardinale decided to work on two films simultaneously. These films could not have been more different. The Leopard was a period drama, and 8 ½ was an avant-garde comedy/drama. Making matters worse was the style of the two directors. Luchino Visconti was strict and in control, while Federico Fellini liked an out-of-control kind of environment.
Cardinale needed a split personality to please both directors. But there was another problem.
24. She Used Her Own
Until this time, Claudia Cardinale had never used her own voice in a film. Most thought her voice sounded too raspy. Fellini didn't want to dub her voice in 8½, but she thought the dub sounded strange. If she thought it was strange, imagine what audiences would think.
25. She Was A Star
Both The Leopard and 8 ½ went on to become huge successes and classic films. In fact, 8 ½ won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and no one seemed to complain about Cardinale’s raspy voice. These two films made it official: Cardinale was an A-list star.
She could do whatever she wanted next.
26. She Did A Screwball
After an award-winning performance in Bebo’s Girl, Claudia Cardinale decided to go with an American comedy. She appeared opposite Peter Sellers in the first film featuring him as the hilarious Inspector Clouseau. The Pink Panther was originally supposed to be a suave caper comedy, but the addition of Sellers turned it more screwball. It was a hit, and Cardinale could add crazy comedy to her list of achievements.
But her highs couldn't last forever.
27. He Found Out The Truth
In 1965, Italian journalist Enzo Biagi discovered a secret. He found out that Patrick was Cardinale’s son and not her brother. He went to Cardinale and offered her a chance to tell the public the truth. Cardinale agreed, and two articles appeared that told the true story. Of course, the public would have to decide.
She was either an evil manipulator or a victim.
28. She Did Some Edgy Material
Around this same time, Claudia Cardinale appeared in Sandra. This complex story is about a woman who may have had an intimate relationship with her own brother. This edgy material did nothing to quiet the press after finding out about Cardinale’s secret son. Suddenly, she was desperate for an escape from the bad publicity.
An opportunity arrived in a very handsome package.
29. She Escaped
Cardinale wanted to get away from the rumors about her, and she got an offer that she would have been crazy to refuse. Hollywood heartthrob Paul Newman saw that she needed a break and offered his home in Hollywood to her. This seemed like as good a time as any to give America a try.
30. She Made Some Duds
Cardinale's first film in America was Blindfold, where she appeared opposite heartthrob Rock Hudson. While Cardinale got to wear some cool outfits, the film was bad for both Hudson’s and the director’s careers. She followed this up with another dud called Lost Command. So, it looked like this American thing wasn’t really working out.
She decided to give it one more chance.
31. She Took A Risk
Cardinale’s third film in 1966 was The Professionals. This was a western, and horse riding wasn’t one of the things on her resume. When an explosion injured her stunt double, Cardinale bravely offered to do the scene on the horse herself. She rode the horse perfectly and walked away without an injury.
At least Cardinale would live to see if this film was a hit or another dud.
32. She Hit The Beach
The Professionals was a huge hit and garnered three Academy Award nominations. Instead of following this up with another serious role, Claudia Cardinale did a beach movie. Don’t Make Waves is a comedy where she appeared opposite Tony Curtis.
While the film is meant to be fun, there were definitely some bad omens here.
33. She Was In A Dangerous Place
While filming Don’t Make Waves, a shocking accident occurred. A stuntman lost his life parachuting into the ocean. Also, one of Cardinale’s co-stars was Sharon Tate. Just a few years later, Tate would be one of the victims of the Manson Family slaying on August 9, 1969.
There seemed to be mischief in America wherever Cardinale went. Even in music.
34. She Got Between The Covers
Folk singer Bob Dylan must have had a secret thing for Cardinale. You see, he hand-picked an image of her for the artwork for his album Blonde on Blonde. There was one problem. He didn't ask her permission. When Cardinale’s people threatened to sue, Dylan pulled the picture. Now those original albums are collector’s items.
With all these troubles, Cardinale must have been longing for Italy. Well, it was about to come to her.
35. He Surprised Her
At this time, Cardinale was still in a relationship with Cristaldi, but he was back in Europe. Sometime around the beginning of 1967, Cristaldi joined her in Atlanta, and he had a surprise worked out. When she went with him to a party, she soon discovered the party was for their wedding.
But this was not actually the most pleasant surprise.
36. It Was Awkward
This surprise wedding was quickly turning into something quite awkward. Cardinale was hesitating for one very good reason. She didn't want to jeopardize the rights she had to her child, Patrick. The pressure to say yes was overwhelming, and she ended up going through with the ceremony. But Cardinale remained cautious and never made the marriage legal in Italy.
Despite this relationship drama, Cardinale continued to make movies.
37. She Took The Lead
Cardinale continued to make Hollywood movies, but none of them really stood out. Until she made Sergio Leone’s Once Upon A Time in the West. As with many of her films, Cardinale would be acting amongst a cohort of mostly male actors. But something here was different. Cardinale was now the lead actor and got top billing over stars like Henry Fonda, Jason Robards and Charles Bronson.
But her first day on set was more than a little stressful.
38. She Had To Take It Off
When Cardinale met Fonda on the first day of filming, she had to disrobe. Yup, Leone decided to film the nude love scene between Cardinale and Fonda on the first day of shooting. To make matters worse, Fonda’s wife was there watching to make sure there was no actual funny business going on.
Now Cardinale had to wait and see if taking it all off was going to pay off.
39. It Was A Little Meh
Once Upon a Time in the West got off to a rocky start. Critics were kind but not effusive in their praise. But it was a slow burn. Before long, this film would become a classic and future auteurs like Martin Scorsese and George Lucas would say it influenced their work. But Cardinale couldn’t wait. She’d had it with Hollywood.
She needed to make a change.
40. She Had Friends In High Places
Despite many years of wins and losses, Cadinale was still having trouble finding her way in America's Hollywood. This was despite having Rock Hudson as her confidante and protector. She also made friends with A-list celebrities like Barbra Streisand and Steve McQueen. She just wasn't feeling the love, and she could only come up with one thing that would make her happy.
41. She Called It Quits
Cardinale couldn't wait around for Hollywood to feel like home. Maybe it never would. So with her final Hollywood film ready to become a classic, she made a grand exit from America and returned to Italy. What awaited her there was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
42. She Met Her Hero
Once back in Europe, Cardinale got a rare opportunity. Remember, back before she was a star, she idolized French actor Brigette Bardot. Well, in The Legend of Frenchie King, Cardinale got her chance to work with her hero. To Cardinale’s horror, the script called for her to punch Bardot in the face.
Cardinale managed the punch, and then she had one more saved up for someone else.
43. She Wanted Out
Cardinale was still officially in a relationship with Cristaldi, but she later said she felt more like his employee. In 1975, she decided she’d had enough and officially separated from him. While she didn't actually hit him, the news must have felt like a punch to the stomach. As it turned out, she had a good reason to get rid of Cristaldi.
44. She Had A Partner
When Cardinale appeared in the historical drama Blood Brothers, she got more than a paycheck. She actually started dating the director. This was Pasquale Squitieri, and the two became partners and even had a daughter named Claudia. This was the love of Cardinale's life, and they stayed together until Squitieri passed in 2017.
It was also the beginning of a successful professional partnership.
45. She Took Home The Prize
Cardinale continued to make movies with her new partner, Squitieri. After making a few films with him, one of them got her what she wanted. She won the Nastro d’Argento for Best Actress for playing the mistress of Benito Mussolini in Claretta. Life was good. She’d found her soulmate and was on top of the acting world.
But another accolade was coming her way.
46. They Called Her Beautiful
Cardinale continued to make films in Europe for the rest of her life, but Americans could not forget her. In 2011, The Los Angeles Times Magazine came out with its 50 Most Beautiful Women in Film History. At the number seven spot, she was below her hero Brigette Bardot but above her contemporary Sophia Loren. Not a bad place to be.
Sadly, some people thought that her beauty needed a little help.
47. They Wanted To Change Her
While the world still saw Cardinale as a symbol of beauty, some felt the need to change her. When the 2017 Cannes Film Festival decided to use a 1959 image of Cardinale for its 70th anniversary poster, they thought Cardinale didn't quite measure up. When the air brushers got their hands on the image, they stirred up a huge controversy.
48. She Was At The Center Of A Controversy
I guess what most people considered an image of beauty had changed over the years. The folks in charge of the Cannes poster thought that Cardinale was too heavy, so they chopped off a couple of pounds to make her beautiful for the new millennium. The backlash against Cannes was swift and concise: don’t mess with perfection.
Sadly, Cardinale’s life and career were coming to an end.
49. She Went Naturally
Cardinale passed on September 23, 2025, of natural causes. She was at home in Nemours, France and surrounded by her children. She had made it to the ripe old age of 87. Cardinale had an amazing career that was six decades long and included 175 films in both Europe and America.
All that was left was the response of her fans.
50. They Laid Her To Rest
The Italian president, Sergio Mattarella, called Cardinale an “extraordinary artist” who was “always loved by the public.” Emmanuel Macron, the French President, said that the French public would "always carry this Italian in our hearts”. At her funeral in Paris, guests included politicians, filmmakers and a multitude of admirers. To add to the event, they played the atmospheric music from her classic film, Once Upon a Time in the West.
You May Also Like:
Suzanne Pleshette, TV’s Hottest Wife
The Valley Of The Dolls Actress-Turned-Author
Coco Chanel, The Designer Who Always Got Her
WaySources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22