Claudia Cardinale Short biography
Cardinale's career began with small roles in the late 1950s, notably in the Italian comedy classic Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958). Her career truly took off in the early 1960s, cementing her status as a global star, especially after a successful period working with two of Italy's greatest directors. She starred in Luchino Visconti's 1960 drama Rocco and His Brothers and his Palme d'Or-winning epic The Leopard (1963), in which she played the beautiful, ambitious Angelica. That same year, she played the object of the lead's desires in Federico Fellini's cinematic masterpiece 8½.
Her success led to Hollywood roles, including the first Pink Panther film (1963) opposite David Niven and Peter Sellers, Circus World (1964) with John Wayne, and the Western The Professionals (1966) with Burt Lancaster. However, she often turned down offers to move to Hollywood permanently, prioritizing European film. She is also acclaimed for her iconic role as the reformed prostitute Jill McBain in Sergio Leone's epic Spaghetti Western Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). She has appeared in over 175 films across Italy, France, and Hollywood, working in genres ranging from comedy and drama to Westerns and historical epics.
