Monica Bellucci
Monica Bellucci, Women's World Awards 2009 b.jpg
Monica Bellucci at the Women's World Award 2009
Born (1964-09-30) 30 September 1964 (age 49)
Citt? di Castello, Umbria, Italy
Nationality Italian
Occupation Actress and fashion model
Years active 1990?present
Spouse(s) Vincent Cassel (1999?present)
Children 2

Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (Italian pronunciation: [?m?nika bel?lutt?i]; born 30 September 1964)[1] is an Italian actress and fashion model.

Contents

Early life[edit]

Bellucci was born in Citt? di Castello, Umbria, Italy[2][3] as the only child of Brunella Briganti and Pasquale Bellucci,[4] and she grew up in San Giustino.

Career[edit]

Modeling[edit]

Monica Bellucci began modeling at age 13 by posing for a local photo enthusiast.[5]

In 1988, Bellucci moved to one of Europe's fashion centers, 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.[6] Men's Health also named her one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time", ranking her at No. 21.[7] AskMen named her the number one most desirable woman in 2002.[8]

Monica Bellucci at Cannes Film Festival in 2002.

Bellucci's modelling career is managed by Elite in New York City. She is considered an Italian sex symbol.[9][10][11] From 2006 to 2010 she was the face of a range of Dior products.[12] Bellucci is signed to D'management group in Milan and also to Storm Model Management in London.[13]

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.[14] She posed pregnant and semi-nude again for the magazine's April 2010 issue.[15]

In 2012 she became the new face of Dolce Gabbana.[16]

Acting[edit]

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 C?sar Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Lisa in L'Appartement[17] and strengthened her position as an actress. She became known and popular with worldwide audiences, following her roles in Mal?na (2000), Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Irr?versible (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 Deuxi?me souffle (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.[18]

Bellucci dubbed her own voice for the French and Italian releases of the film Shoot 'Em Up (2007).[19] 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.[20]

Personal life[edit]

Bellucci is married to French actor Vincent Cassel, with whom she has appeared in several films. They have two daughters, Deva (born 2004) and L?onie (born 2010).[21][22]

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."[23]

In September 2012 at a Toronto International Film Festival press conference for the Iranian movie Rhino Season, Monica stated that she can speak four languages: Italian, French, English and (some) Persian.[24][25]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Wins[edit]

Nominations[edit]

Filmography[edit]

Title Year Role Notes
Vita coi figli 1990 Elda
Briganti ? Amore e libert? 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
Palla di Neve 1995 Melina
Il cielo ? sempre pi? blu 1995
Joseph 1995 Pharaoh's wife
L'Appartement 1996 Lisa Nominated?C?sar 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
Ultimo capodanno dell'umanit? 1998 Giulia Giovannini
A los que aman 1998 Valeria
Comme un poisson hors de l'eau 1999 Myrtille
Mediterran?es 1999 Marguerite
Under Suspicion 2000 Chantal Hearst
Franck Spadone 2000 Laura
Mal?na 2000 Mal?na Scordia
Brotherhood of the Wolf 2001 Sylvia Nominated?Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
Ast?rix Ob?lix: Mission Cl?op?tre 2002 Cleopatra
Irr?versible 2002 Alex
Remember Me, My Love 2003 Alessia Nastro d'Argento award 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
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
Io e Napoleone 2006 Baronessa Emilia Speziali
The Stone Council 2006 Laura Siprien
Heartango
2007 L'inafferrabile
Manuale d'amore 2
2007 Lucia
Shoot 'Em Up 2007 Donna Quintano
Le deuxi?me 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
Baar?a ? 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 Ang?le
Rhino Season 2012 Mina
Des gens qui s'embrassent 2013

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Birth registration from the Perugina Registry Office". Nndb.com. Retrieved 2012-07-06. 
  2. ^ Mart?nez, 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 Biography (1969??)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2007-09-08. 
  5. ^ "'Monica Bellucci' by Monica Bellucci with Introduction by Giuseppe Tornatore ? Book Review". 
  6. ^ "Monica Bellucci Photos". Maxim. Retrieved 2007-01-15. 
  7. ^ "The 100 Hottest Women of All-Time". Men's Health. 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-03. 
  8. ^ "Monica Bellucci". AskMen.com. Retrieved 2012-07-06. 
  9. ^ Salisbury, Mark (23 October 2005). "Danger woman". The Observer (UK). Retrieved 2007-05-26. 
  10. ^ Davies, Hugh (23 January 2003). "Gibson brings his passion for Christ to the big screen". The Daily Telegraph (UK). Retrieved 2007-05-26. 
  11. ^ Morgoglione, Claudia (14 October 2006). "Monica baronessa divertente per Virz? "Bello quel ruolo un po' da mignotta"". La Repubblica (Italy). Retrieved 2007-05-26.  (Italian)
  12. ^ "Monica Bellucci - Actor Profile - Photos latest news". Models.com. Retrieved 2012-07-06. 
  13. ^ "Monica Bellucci". Storm Model Management. Retrieved 2010-08-08. 
  14. ^ Owen, Richard (4 June 2005). "Actresses fight Pope over fertility". The Times (UK). Retrieved 2007-05-30. 
  15. ^ 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." 
  16. ^ Amy Lawrenson. "Monica Bellucci Dolce Gabbana's new face." Elle, 17 February 2012
  17. ^ Campion, Chris (5 October 2006). "Fantasy made flesh". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-04-17. 
  18. ^ "Monica Bellucci ? Indian Government Demands Halt To Gandhi Biopic". Retrieved 2010-10-29. 
  19. ^ "Monica Bellucci's balancing act". CraveOnline. 5 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-21. 
  20. ^ "The Sexiest Characters In Cinema - The Women". www.empireonline.com. Retrieved 2012-07-06.  Text " 21. Persephone " ignored (help); Text " Empire " ignored (help)
  21. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (14 September 2004). ""Passion" actress bellucci has baby girl". People. Retrieved 2010-08-08. 
  22. ^ "Actress Monica Bellucci has baby girl". Agence France-Presse. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-08. 
  23. ^ "Monica-Bellucci.net". Monica bellucci. Retrieved 2006-10-08. 
  24. ^ [1] Actress Monica Bellucci is not to be underrated - Toronto Sun
  25. ^ [2] RHINO SEASON Press Conference | Festival 2012

External links[edit]

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