Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale (French: [klod ʒozefin ʁoz kaʁdinal]; born 15 April 1938), known as Claudia Cardinale (Italian: [ˈklaudja kardiˈnaːle]), is an Italian actress. Born and raised in La Goulette, a neighbourhood of Tunis, Cardinale won the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" competition in 1957, the prize being a trip to Italy, which quickly led to film contracts, due above all to the involvement of Franco Cristaldi, who acted as her mentor for a number of years and later married her. After making her debut in a minor role with the Egyptian star Omar Sharif in
Goha (1958), Cardinale became one of the best-known actresses in Italy with roles in films such as
Rocco and His Brothers (1960),
Girl with a Suitcase (1961),
Cartouche (1962),
The Leopard (1963), and Fellini's
8½ (1963). From 1963, ...
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