Monica Bellucci is the alluring European star now commanding attention on the
international scene for her work in such films as Giuseppe Tornatore's Oscar-nominated Malena
and Christophe Gans' French boxoffice sensation The Brotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pacte des Loups),
the latter opposite her husband, French actor Vincent Cassel.
Bellucci grew up in the Umbrian town of Citta di Castello, idolizing such global cinema icons as
Sophia Loren, Anna Magnani, Gina Lollabrigida and Claudia Cardinale. Her own ascent to stardom
began in Milan, where she was studying law when a friend urged her to try modeling. The vocation
proved lucrative for Bellucci and took her from her university studies to work as an actress in
the telefilm Vita Coi Figli, a role she won after director Dino Risi saw her photo in a magazine.
She also captured the attention of director Francis Ford Coppola who cast
Bellucci in her first American role, as one of Dracula's brides, in his 1992 adaptation of Bram
Stoker's Dracula. She returned to Italy and appeared in numerous films (IL Cielo 'empre Pi', Palla
di Neve and I Mitici, among others).
In her first French-language project, the 1996 thriller L'Appartement, Bellucci immediately
garnered acclaim. She won a Cesar (the French equivalent of the Oscar), as well as the heart of
her future husband Cassel. She has since worked with Cassel on seven projects, most recently in
Irreversible, an official competition selection at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Other motion
picture credits include Under Suspicion, Franck Spadone, Le Plaisir and Mediterranees. She will
next be seen starring opposite Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne in the Wachowski Brothers' dual
sequels The Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions, as well as Mel Gibson's next directorial
effort The Passion, as Mary Magdalene.
2004 The Brothers Grimm
Coming 11/19
2004 The Passion of the Christ
Character played: Mary Magdalene
2003 The Matrix Revolutions
Character played: Persephone
2003 The Matrix Reloaded
Character played: Persephone
2003 Tears of the Sun
Character played: Dr. Lena Kendricks
2003 Man of War
2003 Ricordati Di Me
Character played: Alessia
2002 Astérix et Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre
Character played: Cleopatra
2002 Irreversible
Character played: Alex
2001 Brotherhood Of The Wolf
Character played: Sylvia
2000 Under Suspicion
Character played: Chantal Hearst
2000 Malena
Character played: Malena Scordia
1999 Comme un poisson hors de l'eau
Character played: Myrtille
1999 Kaputt Mundi
1999 Franck Spadone
Character played: Laura
1998 L'Ultimo Capodanno
1998 A Los Que Aman
Character played: Valeria
1997 Dobermann
Character played: Nat la Gitane
1997 Mauvais Genre
Character played: Camille
1996 Palla Di Neve
Character played: Melina
1996 Come Mi Vuoi
Character played: Nellina
1996 L'Appartement
Character played: Lisa
1994 I Mitici
Character played: Deborah
1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula
Character played: Dracula's Bride
|
Alyssa Milano
