Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (Italian:[ˈmɔːnikabelˈluttʃi]; born 30 September 1964) is an Italian actress and model who began her career as a fashion model before working in Italian, American, and French films. She has an eclecticfilmography in a range of genres and languages, and heraccolades include theDavid di Donatello,Globo d'oro,Nastro d'Argento and nominations atSaturn Awards andCésar Awards. In 2018,Forbes Italy included her in their list of the 100 most successful Italian women.
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci was born inCittà di Castello, Umbria, Italy, on 30 September 1964.[2][3][4][excessive citations] Her father, Pasquale Bellucci, owned a trucking company, and her mother, Brunella Briganti, was a housewife and amateur painter. Bellucci was the only child in her family since her parents did not want another one.[5][6] Bellucci grew up inSelci-Lama,[7] in thecomune (municipality) ofSan Giustino on the banks of theTiber River.[a][8]
Bellucci received aCatholic education.[9] She was an "intelligent child".[10] According to her father, she was discreet and increasingly interested in fashion, and grew up "surrounded by love".[6] Bellucci was introduced to modelling at age 13 when she posed for a photographer friend-of-the-family inCittà di Castello.[11] She was distant from other children her age, regularly made detours to get home after school,[6] and did not spend time with them in thecomune's public space. Bellucci's father said she complained that everyone stared at her.[6][12] Her father helped her gain self-confidence.[6]
At age 16, Bellucci was asked to pose forphotography sessions by her father's friend, the director of a fashion agency.[5][15] Having begun her modelling career, Bellucci periodically travelled toMilan andParis while continuing her studies atCittà di Castello.[16] According to Bellucci: "I approached the adult universe very early" because she worked with models ten years older than herself.[17] Bellucci said: "Modelling came to me naturally, and I loved pictures. I loved the world of image".[5]
While hitchhiking, Bellucci met Piero Montanucci, a hairdresser fromCittà di Castello, who persuaded her to become his model. Bellucci, a student at theliceo classico, attracted attention wherever they went due to her striking appearance.[18] She was considered a local model.[12] Bellucci studied philosophy, literature, Latin and Greek.[19] In 1983, Bellucci was dressed byCittà di Castello-based fashion entrepreneur Pina Alberti and modelled at a fashion show at theTeatro degli Illuminati, the city's municipal theatre, as part of an event called Momento Donna, whichMaria Giovanna Elmi hosted. Montanucci, her mentor at the time,[6] accompanied Bellucci to the event.[20] While in high school, Bellucci's father's friend allowed her to debut on thecatwalk during a fashion show inFlorence and at another in Milan.[5][15]
Bellucci studied law at theUniversity of Perugia, aiming to become a lawyer.[10][21] She financed her studies by working as a model[10] through her father's friend.[22] After a friend of Bellucci encouraged her to apply to modelling agencies during her studies,[10] she moved to Milan, one ofEurope's fashion centres.[23][24] Modelling agentPiero Piazzi saw Bellucci's arrival at theElite Model Management agency and thought she could have been an actress.[24] Piazzi had been critical in his assessment when he first saw Bellucci in 1987, telling her she was "not ready".[25] Between 1988 and 1989, Elite signed Bellucci to a contract.[15][23] In 1988, she featured on the cover ofElle France, photographed byOliviero Toscani,[26] andVogue Spain.[27]
Bellucci's work as a model for Elite required her to travel, so she decided to leave university; she later said being a lawyer would not have suited her.[21] She appeared in numerous international advertising campaigns, andDolce & Gabbana recruited her as their muse.[15][28] Bellucci's physical attributes aligned with the image the founders of Dolce & Gabbana wanted to portray.[29] In 1989, Bellucci lived inNew York and was already a millionaire.[30] As a model, Bellucci was represented by Elite,[31] and she worked in Milan, Paris, and New York.[5][32]
In 1990, the French luxury house Dior used Bellucci's image and name for itsHaute Couture line.[33] She was photographed byRichard Avedon, and became the "protagonist" of Dolce & Gabbana's campaigns, "which elevated her to an icon of Mediterranean beauty".[23] She also appeared in fashion parades for the luxury fashion houseFendi.[34] In 1991, Bellucci was the brand ambassador for the cosmetics companyL'Oréal.[35] The same year, Bellucci appeared in theSports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which featured photographs of her in theCaribbean.[36] Bellucci also appeared in advertisements forGivenchy,Nina Ricci,Yves Saint Laurent,Versace and other luxury brands.[37] In 1992, Bellucci combined her work as a model with her acting debut.[38] In 1993, she first metGiuseppe Tornatore when he directed her in a television advertisement for Dolce & Gabbana perfume.[39]
Bellucci opted to follow her passion for cinema, turned to acting and stopped modelling full-time,[39] although she remained active in the industry.[40] The Italian luxury companyBreil appointed Bellucci its brand ambassador and she starred in advertising campaigns.[41] In the 1990s, Bellucci regularly modelled for calendars, beginning in 1997 at the age of 33 when Avedon photographed her for thePirelli Calendar.[42] In 1997, Bellucci became the brand ambassador and muse ofCartier jewellery.[43][44] Nina Hald of the Danish newspaperBerlingske said: "Cartier chose for the first time to associate an actress closely with the house".[43] Cartier accompanied Bellucci throughout her acting career, notably onred carpets, where she worehaute joaillerie (high jewellery) collections, and she worked as a model for opulent creations.[45] Italian fashion photographer Fabrizio Ferri[46] photographed Bellucci for the magazineMax's calendar.[42]
Bellucci posed for theGQ calendar in 2000 and was photographed byGian Paolo Barbieri.[42] In 2004, while pregnant with her first child, Bellucci posed nude for the Italian cover ofVanity Fair in a protest against Italian laws that restricted access toin vitro fertilisation.[47] That same year, Bellucci's status as the only actress who was contractually bound to Cartier was made public.[48] In 2006, she was named brand ambassador for Dior and the face of a range of products until 2010.[49] Cartier designed a collection of luxury diamond jewellery that was inspired by Bellucci and bore her name.[43][44] It was first presented at a Cartier event inDubai in 2007.[43]
Bellucci's appearances in television advertisements include Martini Gold, a collaboration betweenMartini and Dolce & Gabbana, in 2010.[50] She again posed semi-nude whilst pregnant for the cover of the April 2010 issue ofVanity Fair Italy.[51]Cashmere goods manufacturerÉric Bompard appointed Bellucci as its brand ambassador for its winter 2011/2012 advertising campaign.[52] In 2012, Bellucci was the face of an eponymous range of Dolce & Gabbana lipstick.[53] She appeared in other seasonal fashion campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana.[54][55] She was signed toStorm Management in London and D'Management Group in Milan.[56][57]
Bellucci was chosen as the face of German cosmetics manufacturerNivea for its 2018 and 2019 campaigns.[58] In June 2018, Bellucci appeared in a fashion parade for Dolce & Gabbana when she opened the second day ofMilan Fashion Week.[59] According toStefano Gabbana, Bellucci returned to the catwalk for the house for the first time since 1992.[60] She also appeared on the catwalk for Dolce & Gabbana at the early 2019 Milan fashion week, along withHelena Christensen,Eva Herzigová, andIsabella Rossellini, who joined the influx of 1990s supermodels returning to the fashion spotlight.[61]
In 1990, Italian directorCarlo Vanzina noticed a photo of Monica Bellucci in a magazine and recommended her toDino Risi, who was looking for a "new face" for histelevision miniseriesVita coi figli.[68] Bellucci had never thought of becoming an actress and was surprised to be chosen for a role.[d][37] Bellucci made her acting debut inVita coi figli,[32] a two-part television film that was broadcast in Italy in May 1991, in which she played Elda.[69][70] The same year, Bellucci made her film debut inLa Riffa, whichFrancesco Laudadio directed.[71]
In 1992, Bellucci played one of the three brides of Dracula in the horror filmBram Stoker's Dracula.[72]Roman Coppola saw a photograph of Bellucci in the Italian magazineZoom and implored his fatherFrancis Ford to offer her a film role.[39] Coppola arranged a meeting with Bellucci inLos Angeles while she was in New York for a photography session. After talking with Coppola, Bellucci realised she would embark on an acting career.[73] At Coppola's request, Bellucci stayed in Los Angeles during filming; she was apprehensive about the city and believed her English needed improvement. She decided her next acting work would be in Italy.[21] Bellucci's role as a "sensual vampire" was her international film debut.[74]
Following her minor role inBram Stoker's Dracula, Bellucci returned to Italy and enrolled in acting classes.[21] According to Bellucci: "I craved it ... I needed to act".[10] Bellucci said that a time when all of her friends were leaving the faculty was a challenging time.[4] Bellucci had difficulty overcoming the prejudices related to her modelling and her physical appearance, and had to work to establish her credibility.[21] For the next four years, Bellucci starred in Italian films but was ultimately dissatisfied due to the lack of opportunities, and she aspired to an international acting career.[39] Bellucci appeared in theEmmy-winning biblical television miniseriesJoseph (1995).[75][76] In her view, the Italian film industry needed to invest more money to promote films internationally.[77] Bellucci moved to France to improve her career prospects,[39] and settled in Paris in 1995.[78]
Bellucci's portrayal of Lisa inThe Apartment (1996),[79] a "moody" Frenchfilm noir, earned her aCésar Award nomination forMost Promising Actress.[5] This launched her career in France and strengthened her position as an actress.[39] It was her first French-language film.[80] Gavanndra Hodge ofThe Sunday Times stated that her "break-out role" was in the Europeanarthouse filmThe Apartment.[57] TheBBC's Almar Haflidason described the film as "seductive" and "startling", giving it a rating of five stars.[81] Bellucci's second French film wasJan Kounen'sDobermann (1997), in which she portrayed a muteRomani woman and had to learnsign language beforehand to embody her character. Recalling the filming process, she expressed an inclination formise-en-scènes (stage settings) "that pass more through bodies than through words".[73] At this point in her career, Bellucci made a significant impact on European audiences.[77]Pierce Brosnan performed a screen test with Bellucci for the James Bond filmTomorrow Never Dies (1997) then requested she be given the role of Paris Carver but the studio stated only an American actress could be cast in the role.[82] For her leading role as Giulia Giovannini in the Italiancomedy-dramaL'ultimo capodanno (1998),[83] Bellucci received aGlobo d'oro Award[e] for Best Actress.[85]The Apartment later won aBritish Academy Film Award (BAFTA) forBest Film not in the English language,[86] prompting film directorStephen Hopkins to take a close interest in Bellucci.[73]
In 2000, Bellucci caught the attention of American audiences with her first English-language lead role in Hopkins'Under Suspicion, in which she starred oppositeMorgan Freeman andGene Hackman.[77] Hopkins cast Bellucci after watching her performance inThe Apartment and retained her ideas to create the character Chantal Hearst.[77] Garth Pearce, writing inThe Times, noted her improved spoken English.[87]Under Suspicion was selected as one of the2000 Cannes Film Festival's closing films,[88] marking her red-carpet debut at the annual event.[89] After the film's release, Freeman said: "It's all there in her eyes. She has this quality that reminds me of Jeanne Moreau. There is a sense of having been there, that she's had a life."[77]Variety listed Bellucci among "the ten young actresses to keep an eye on".[90]
Bellucci returned to Italian cinema, portraying Malèna Scordia, an enigmatic, envied and covetedWorld War II widow whose life unfolds before a 13-year-old boy in the Tornatore-directed filmMalèna (2000), which is set inSicily.[77]Los Angeles Times film criticKevin Thomas said the film emphasises the seductive appeal of the film's protagonist Scordia, to whom Bellucci gave an "heroic" portrayal that was delivered with a few lines of dialogue.[91] Writing forThe Guardian, Mark Salisbury considered Bellucci's portrayal in theOscar-nominated film her "breakout performance".[21] Malèna brought Bellucci worldwide attention;[87][92] it was her first international success and caused her to be "besieged by offers" fromHollywood whenMiramax secured the film for US distribution.[39] For the US release, ten minutes of explicit, erotic scenes from the film werecensored.[93]
Bellucci starred withSamuel Le Bihan andVincent Cassel inChristophe Gans'Brotherhood of the Wolf, a 2001 Frenchperiod drama film that is based on historical events involving thebeast of Gévaudan that decimated the population ofLozère in 18th-century France.[77][94]The Washington Post film criticStephen Hunter found the film's stylistic approach too dense, obscuring Bellucci's "fabulous natural asset"; she played an "underused" role as a courtesan–papist spy.[94] The film received positive responses from other critics.[95]Brotherhood of the Wolf was abox-office success in France, where it attracted five million viewers and grossedUS$70 million worldwide, including $11 million in the US, against a budget of about€32 million.[f][97] The film earned Bellucci aBest Supporting Actress nomination at the 2002Saturn Awards.[98] The filming ofAsterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002), in which Bellucci starred withJamel Debbouze, which, with its light-hearted, comic atmosphere, was one of Bellucci's favourite cinematographic experiences.[99] She portrayed the "prickly"Cleopatra, the queen ofAncient Egypt, in the comedy film, which was directed byAlain Chabat.[100]The Guardian film criticPeter Bradshaw wrote Bellucci was "certainly talented enough ... to merit getting the role of Cleopatra in some serious treatment", but before then, she had to perform in a "funny mainstream commercial" French production.[101] The film was a success, selling 14 million tickets in France at the time of its release and grossing more than $128 million worldwide.[100][102]
In 2002, Bellucci co-starred with Cassel inGaspar Noé's "violent" arthousethrillerIrréversible.[g][87][104] The revenge film, which was filmed onSuper 16 film using hand-held cameras, depicts Bellucci playing Alex, who is graphically raped for nine uninterrupted minutes in an underpass, a scene Bellucci had to film four times.[21] Bellucci's "indelible scene" was filmed on the outskirts of Paris, in an area frequented by prostitutes. Bellucci and Cassel, who at the time were in a relationship, were some of "the country's biggest talents".[105] Audiences at the2002 Cannes Film Festival were outraged during the midnight premiere ofIrréversible,[h] with some calling it "unsustainable".[106][107] Lisa Nesselson ofVariety said Bellucci showed "responses to peril and joy [that are] particularly memorable".[108] The film has been studied infilm schools.[89][109] Noé said he "has never seen an actress so charismatic ... with that much guts ... her performance is incredibly audacious".[110] K. Austin Collins ofRolling Stone calledIrréversible "one of the most controversial movies ever".[107]
In 2003, Bellucci played Alessia in the Italian filmRemember Me, My Love, which was directed byGabriele Muccino and earned Bellucci theNastro d'Argento award forBest Supporting Actress.[32][111] Bellucci co-starred withBruce Willis inAntoine Fuqua'sTears of the Sun (2003), anaction-adventure film that is set during a civil war in Nigeria. Bellucci played Doctor Lena Kendricks, who is working for a humanitarian organisation in a village that is threatened by rebels. Film criticDavid Denby ofThe New Yorker said some of Bellucci's scenes were exaggeratedly stylised but praised the film's visual prowess.[112]Los Angeles Times film criticKenneth Turan lauded Bellucci's "fierce" portrayal of Kendricks, who also had a "stereotypically fiery temperament".[113]Tears of the Sun garnered mixed reviews from critics and was a box-office disappointment.[114]
Bellucci successively portrayed the characterPersephone in the two 2003science fiction filmsThe Matrix Reloaded andThe Matrix Revolutions.[115][116] She described her character as "dangerous, sensual with some sense of humor", recalling fond memories withCarrie-Anne Moss,Laurence Fishburne, andKeanu Reeves throughout the filming process in Australia.[117] Film criticAndrew Sarris ofThe New York Observer gaveThe Matrix Reloaded a positive review,[118] grossing $742.1 million worldwide against a budget of $150 million.[119][120] Alongside its release, Bellucci appeared on the cover ofRolling Stone's Spanish edition.[121] The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson) again accompanied Bellucci as her screen husband inThe Matrix Revolutions, which received mixed reviews from critics.[122][123] It grossed $427 million against a production and marketing budget of $185 million.[124][125]
2004–2007:The Passion of the Christ and career progression
InRome, before filmingTears of the Sun, Bellucci was notified aMel Gibson film about Jesus was in production and she asked to meet with him about the role ofMary Magdalene.[39] Bellucci's agent advised her against appearing in this film due to its potential failure because its distribution was undetermined at the time. Bellucci ignored her agent's suggestion and rejected another film offer.[21] Gibson chose Bellucci for the role because they "liked each other".[117] She wanted to portray the character as "strong and deep" but no-one believed the film would succeed.[126] Eventually, Bellucci played an expressive Mary Magdalene in Gibson's Christian dramaThe Passion of the Christ (2004), which depicts the final hours of the life of Jesus Christ.[127] The film includes dialogue inAramaic andLatin, languages Bellucci had to quickly learn.[39][73]The New York Times film criticA. O. Scott said Bellucci was the only exception to the "absence of identifiable movie stars".[127] Expressing a similar opinion,Le Monde said in the film portraying a fundamentalist view of theGospel, Bellucci stands out from the cast list the most.[128] According to film criticPaul Clinton, Bellucci "is excellent as Mary Magdalene".[129] Catholics objected to Bellucci playing Magdalene.[87] Film criticRoger Ebert describedThe Passion of the Christ as "the most violent film I have ever seen", adding he was "moved by the depth of feeling, by the skill of the actors" and gave a rating of four stars out of four. Overall, critics were divided in their responses to the film.[130]The Passion of the Christ was a major commercial success with a worldwide gross of over $611 million against a budget of $30 million.[131]
On 2 July 2005, Bellucci was awarded the European Golden Globe for cinema at Rome's 45th Globo d'oro ceremony.[132] She said she appreciated acting in both American and European films.[126] InTerry Gilliam'sfantasyadventure filmThe Brothers Grimm (2005), Bellucci played the 500-year-old Mirror Queen, starring oppositeMatt Damon andHeath Ledger.[133] Gilliam later said: "[i]mmediately she comes on-screen, it seems to me the whole film lifts up into another realm, a realm of sex and sensuality and danger".[21]San Francisco Chronicle film criticMick LaSalle said Bellucci convincingly portrayed her character, whose centuries-old age appeared to him to be discordant with her "allure".[134] She also voiced Cappy for the French version of the 2005 animated filmRobots.[135] Bellucci had a leading role inBertrand Blier's Frenchromantic comedyHow Much Do You Love Me?, which also starredGérard Depardieu. Bellucci portrayed Daniela, the most beautiful prostitute inPigalle, Paris, whom a lottery-winning office worker offers to pay to live with him. A journalist atLe Monde called the film "a hymn to the beauty of Monica Bellucci", and said it is neither Blier's best film nor his most failed.[136] Nesselson commented Bellucci was optimally used in the film because she stimulates the viewer's senses and intellect.[137]
In 2006, Bellucci starred alongsideDaniel Auteuil inPaolo Virzì's period comedy-dramaNapoleon and Me as baroness Emilia, who has a turbulent relationship Martino (Elio Germano). The film depictsNapoleon Bonaparte during his exile toElba from 1814 to 1815. AuthorMark Feeney said Bellucci does not take "things too seriously" in the film.[138] Bellucci said she declined to play a role in theblockbuster300 and instead appeared in thefilm d'auteur (auteur film)The Stone Council.[139] Bellucci was cast after the initial announcement ofSophie Marceau for the lead role in the thriller.The Stone Council was adapted from the eponymous novel byJean-Christophe Grangé. The film differs by character names; the book's female hero is called Diane Thiberge, whereas Bellucci starred as Laura Siprien, a tormented adoptive mother who is confronted by killers who want to steal her child.Sébastien Le Fol ofLe Figaro wrote that she "delivers one of her best performances on the big screen" with a muted sex appeal.[140] Bellucci's hair was cut short for the film, a preferred style of French cinema hairstylist John Nollet, who also styled Bellucci on the sets ofBrotherhood of the Wolf andAsterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.[141]
Bellucci starred oppositePaul Giamatti andClive Owen inMichael Davis' action thrillerShoot 'Em Up, which was released in the US in September 2007. Bellucci portrayed Donna Quintano, who teams up with Owen's character Mr Smith to protect a baby during a bloody fight.[142] Bellucci's character is another prostitute with a different approach than that of her character inHow Much Do You Love Me?; Bellucci said she felt empathy for female sex workers, who she believes retain "faith in humanity". She was fond of this sort of paradox and tried to highlight this virtue in her portrayals of characters of all types but noted she could explore the opposite spectrum.[143] Richard James Havis of theSouth China Morning Post wrote: "It's the latest in a slew of extreme roles".[92] Bellucci dubbed her own voice for the French and Italian releases ofShoot 'Em Up, saying it was a frequent practice for her to accomplish each film three times.[144]
Bellucci continued to work in French film productions and starred alongside Auteuil inAlain Corneau'sThe Second Wind, a remake of the critically acclaimedJean-Pierre Melville's 1966gangster filmof the same title.[145][146] Bellucci portrayed Manouche, a tenacious character who has affection for an escaped convicted gangster. Bellucci had the idea of dyeing her hair blonde to adhere to the style of female film noir characters of the 1950s and 1960s.[147]Thierry Jousse, a critic forLibération, wrote Bellucci was alone in a "fatally virile" context but she got through it "to the point of becoming the spectator's compass and the flesh of a film that sometimes lacks it".[148] In November 2007,Le Monde reported on the commercial failures ofThe Second Wind andThe Stone Council.[149]
On 5 March 2009, Bellucci received a World Actress Award at theWomen's World Award inVienna.[153] The same year, Bellucci co-starred with Marceau in the thrillerDon't Look Back, a sequel toIn My Skin, both of which were directed byMarina de Van. The film depicts Marceau's character seeing changes around her and noticing her body transform into Bellucci's.[154] J.B. Morain ofLes Inrockuptibles said Bellucci's physical attitude and "attention to others have never been so well filmed".Variety'sDerek Elley said Bellucci "looks elegant and mystified", although both film critics noted the clumsily written dialogue.[155][156] Bellucci reunited with Reeves inRebecca Miller's romantic comedy-dramaThe Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009), which co-starsWinona Ryder andRobin Wright.[157] Bellucci portrayed Gigi Lee, the former wife of a successful publisher Herb (Alan Arkin).[158] She next appeared in a cameo role in Tornatore's autobiographical filmBaarìa, afamily saga traversing several generations that was filmed inBagheria, Sicily.[159]
In 2010, Bellucci portrayed Laura Leviani inLarysa Kondracki'sbiopic drama thrillerThe Whistleblower, which was primarily filmed in Romania and depicts a vast human trafficking network that was discovered in post-warBosnia and Herzegovina in 1999.[160] Hélène Delye ofLe Monde described Bellucci's character as a "grizzled, stubborn, insensitive civil servant".[161]The Whistleblower received a mixed critical reception.[162][163] Bellucci made three films in seven months; these wereGiovanni Veronesi'sThe Ages of Love,Philippe Garrel'sA Burning Hot Summer, andBahman Ghobadi'sRhino Season.[164] In the third segment of the comedyanthology film filmThe Ages of Love (2011), Bellucci starred oppositeRobert De Niro, who played a divorced American art-history professor living in Rome who falls in love with Bellucci's character Viola.[165] De Niro was delighted to work with Bellucci, saying she had "worked her magic" on him and that he had accepted the role because he wanted to act alongside her. It was filmed two months after the birth of Bellucci's second child. An improvised scene shows De Niro performing a striptease in front of Bellucci, which echoes in reverse a sequence in the 1963 filmYesterday, Today and Tomorrow, in whichSophia Loren stripteased forMarcello Mastroianni.[164] For her role inRhino Season (2012), Bellucci learnt to speakPersian.[73][109] Journalist Helen Barlow ofSBS Australia said Bellucci "brought her natural poise and grace" to the character and "surprises with a stoic minimalist performance".[166]
In 2014, Bellucci appeared inAlice Rohrwacher'sThe Wonders as Milly Catena, host of a televised contest.[167] In the film, which combines autobiographical aspects with fiction, Bellucci's character is depicted as aPagan priestess wearing elaborate clothes and surrounded with ancient figures.[168]The Wonders was critically acclaimed and won theGrand Prix Award at the2014 Cannes Film Festival.[167] In 2015, Bellucci starred as Sophie Bernard in the Canadian drama filmVille-Marie, which was directed byGuy Édoin. The film traces the journey of Bernard, a European actress visitingMontreal for a film shoot and trying to reconcile with her son.[169] Bellucci stated Édoin had offered her "one of the most beautiful roles" of her career and described a stimulating fear of embodying Bernard's character that emotionally affected her.[170] The film garnered generally positive reviews and Bellucci's performance was unanimously praised.[169][171] For her portrayal of Bernard, Bellucci received the Best Actress Award from theDublin Film Critics' Circle atDublin International Film Festival.[172]
At 50, Bellucci became the oldestBond girl at that time in theJames Bond film franchise, playing Lucia Sciarra inSam Mendes'Spectre (2015). Bellucci was initially sceptical about Mendes' project, but he arguedthat casting a mature woman in a James Bond film would be innovative.[173] Bellucci felt gratified to have been the first to portray a role she defined as a "James Bond lady".[73]Spectre was released to mixed reviews from critics though the British press responded more positively.[174] The film grossed $880 million worldwide against a $250–300 million production budget.[175][176] Guy Lodge ofVariety called Bellucci "[o]ne of the most restlessly globe-trotting stars in world cinema" who does not want national borders or age brackets to dictate her filmography.[177] In 2016, Bellucci had a guest role in the third season of the American comedy-dramastreaming television seriesMozart in the Jungle, an adaptation ofBlair Tindall's memoirMozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music, portraying Alessandra, an opera singer and latest collaborator of New York symphony orchestra conductor] Rodrigo (Gael García Bernal).[178]Variety's Nick Vivarelli called Bellucci the "Italian actress with international star power".[179]
Bellucci portrayed Nevesta in the filmOn the Milky Road (2016),[180] a romance that is set during the 1990sBosnian War and whose lead role was played by the film's directorEmir Kusturica.[181] Bellucci said: "I decided to be an actress, not a politician, I recount political choices through my artistic choices."[180] Kusturica asked Bellucci to learn her dialogue in theSerbian language.[182] She had to adapt to challenging production conditions in a "land of beauty and violence"; Kusturica suffered "great [mental] pain" during filming, which spanned four summers.[73]The Hollywood Reporter's Neil Young said theGolden Lion-nominated film's approach lacks nuance while Bellucci performed "admirably well" and kept her "dignity intact" in a physically demanding role.[183] Her performance in the film earned her theNastro d'Argento europeo (European Silver Ribbon Award), which was held on 1 July 2017 at theancient theatre of Taormina in Sicily.[184] In 2017, Bellucci appeared in thethird season ofMark Frost andDavid Lynch's television seriesTwin Peaks.[185] The same year, Bellucci received the honoraryDonostia Award at theSan Sebastián International Film Festival.[186]
In 2018, Bellucci had a leading role in the Australian comedy science-fiction horror filmNekrotronic, playing anecromancer and demonic soul-eater. In his appraisal of the film, Stephen Dalton ofThe Hollywood Reporter said Bellucci portrayed her "diva" character through an "operatic camp-vamp" performance but that her acting style would be best suited to films byTim Burton andGuillermo del Toro.[187] Also in 2018, Bellucci appeared in the third season of theFrance 2 comedy television seriesDix pour cent (Ten Per cent), playing herself with self-mockery.[188] The well-received show was initially renamedCall My Agent! after itsNetflix purchase.[189] InClaude Lelouch's filmThe Best Years of a Life (2019), which is set inNormandy, Bellucci had a cameo role as Elena, the daughter of Jean-Louis Duroc (Jean-Louis Trintignant).[190] The film garnered positive critical responses.[191]
Following his documentary filmMaria by Callas (2017), writer and director Tom Volf proposed to Bellucci his project based on his bookMaria Callas: Lettres & Mémoires, which includes the writings of opera singerMaria Callas.[192] Following the film, Bellucci made her theatrical debut at theMarigny Theatre in Paris held from 27 November to 6 December 2019 inMaria Callas: Letters and Memoirs, a one-woman show Volf directed. In the show, Bellucci recited letters alone on stage and wore two dresses that had belonged to Callas.[193] Bellucci has intermittently performed the show over a number of years.[192]Maria Callas: Letters and Memoirs visited European theatres, includingVenice'sTeatro Goldoni andAthens'sOdeon of Herodes Atticus, with an orchestra that attracted 4,000 people each night.[62] In 2020, Bellucci starred as Soraya in the Oscar-nominated filmThe Man Who Sold His Skin, whichKaouther Ben Hania directed.Time film criticStephanie Zacharek said Soraya, a "frosty, willowy blond", is acted by "a deviously silky-smooth Monica Bellucci".[194]
In 2021, at the66th David di Donatello ceremony, Bellucci received aDavid Special Award for her career achievements.[195] She co-starred as part of anensemble cast includingLiam Neeson andGuy Pearce inMartin Campbell's action thrillerMemory (2022), in which she played Davana Sealman, an unscrupulous real-estate magnate.[196] She was initially interested in the duality of the antagonist's persona she would play and wanted to avoidtypecasting based on her physical appearance, which she had experienced in the past.[197] According toEntertainment Weekly critic Leah GreenblattMemory is "wrapped in leaden dialogue and B-movie cliché" and Bellucci appears "blasé".[198] In 2022, Bellucci performedMaria Callas: Letters and Memoirs atHer Majesty's Theatre in London,[199]Chatelet Theatre in Paris, and at venues inIstanbul and Los Angeles.[62]
In January 2023, at 58, Bellucci performed the play at theBeacon Theatre in New York City.[192] In 2023, recallingIrréversible, Bellucci toldThe New York Times her "days of acting in transgressive movies are behind her" because she is a mother.[105] In 2023, Bellucci entered talks to star inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice as Delores, Betelgeuse's ex-wife and the movie's villain.[200] She won the Nastro d'Argento Award for Protagonist of the Year in Documentaries 2024 for her interpretation of Callas inLetters and Memoirs.[201]
In 2008, Bellucci supported a fundraising campaign for a centre forchildren with cancer located inPrima Porta, Italy. The campaign was initiated by theAssociazione Genitori Oncologia Pediatrica (AGOP) (Association of Parents in Pediatric Oncology).[211] In 2010, Bellucci became patron ofParoles de Femmes (Words of Women), an apolitical, secular French association promoting equality between men and women in society. In March 2010, she organised theNuit des Femmes (Women's Night), an assemblage of female politicians, researchers, doctors, lawyers, writers, painters, and business leaders, to assess the progression of women's rights in France. The funds raised went towards the building of centres of accommodation, reintegration and support for single mothers in precarious situations.[212] In 2010,Rizzoli andLa Martinière Groupe published a book prefaced by Tornatore that described Bellucci's modelling and acting careers through photographs taken byPeter Lindbergh andHelmut Newton. All proceeds from the book's sales were donated to AGOP and Words of Women.[213][214] She donated €10,000 to the City ofCannes to fund a solidarity campaign to support recovery efforts following the deadly floods of October 2015 in theAlpes-Maritimes region.[215] Bellucci is also a patron of the association SOS Autism France.[216][217]
According toCorriere della Sera's Stefano Montefiori, Bellucci is regarded as a sort of ambassador of Italy to the French population.[218] She has been involved in state dinners chaired by thePresident of France and organised as part of visits by foreign heads of state. On 21 November 2012, Bellucci attended a state dinner French PresidentFrançois Hollande hosted at theElysée Palace in Paris during the visit ofPresident of ItalyGiorgio Napolitano and his ministers.[219][220] On 5 July 2021, Bellucci was invited to a state dinner hosted by French PresidentEmmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace in honour of Italian PresidentSergio Mattarella and his daughterLaura.[i][221][222]
On 23 November 2004, Bellucci pressed the button triggering the Christmas illuminations on theChamps-Élysées avenue that consisted of 45 km (28 mi) of electric garlands descending from thePlace de l'Étoile towardsPlace de la Concorde, in the presence of theFirst Deputy MayorAnne Hidalgo. Bellucci was the first-ever foreign public figure invited by theCity of Paris and theChamps-Élysées Committee[j] to inaugurate this annual celebration.[224][225] In April 2005, theGrévin Museum in Paris unveiled a wax statue of Bellucci.[226] According to Blier, Bellucci is "completely relaxed with her image and with her own sense of modesty as well";[21] Blier compared her toAva Gardner and "the stars of yesteryear".[227] On 9 May 2008,L'Obs reported on a survey of 1,003 people conducted by theSuperior Audiovisual Council as part ofEurope Day, where Bellucci was the second-most-popular European personality (excluding France) of the French.[228]
Bellucci in 2009
Christophe Narbonne ofPremière magazine wrote: "Behind the advertising muse, the image of the (re)incarnated Italian diva and the globalised sexual icon, we sometimes forget Monica Bellucci the out-of-norm actress, collector of a pile of international cult auteurs".[73]De Morgen wrote: "most roles fit Bellucci like a glove",[229] while Christophe Carrière ofL'Express said others of "variable geometry" compose her filmography.[clarification needed][230] In 2018, Bellucci was included inForbes Italy's list of "Successful women: the 100 winning Italian women".[231] The press call Bellucci a style icon.[222][232] Bellucci is associated with the wearing of high-value jewellery and an "unwavering commitment" to Cartier,Boucheron andChopard; Naomi Pike ofBritish Vogue referred to her as "A Modern DayLiz Taylor", and said when dressed in diamonds, "few contemporary Hollywood stars can rival Italian actor Monica Bellucci".[233]
On 10 April 2016, the agency Karin Models, which represented Bellucci, opened an officialInstagram account for her.[234] Instagram censored a photograph Fred Meylan imaged in 2016 showing Bellucci swimming on her back in a pool, and body parts were hidden in yellow pixels.[235]
Bellucci is widely regarded as "the most beautiful woman in the world" and has been cited as asex symbol. In 2001, Bellucci was pictured nude with caviar on her breasts on the cover ofEsquire'sDesire issue.[k][236] In their reviews of Malèna (2000), Thomas wrote inLos Angeles Times Bellucci "has the impact of the great Italian stars",[91] and Paul Tatara ofCNN International called her a "world-class bombshell".[237] In 2002,AskMen named her number one on the "Top 99 Most Desirable Women".[238][239] Bellucci was included inEmpire's list of "Sexiest Women".[239] In 2003, Chris Campion ofThe Daily Telegraph stated:"'La Bellucci' is Italy's national sweetheart and an icon of European cinema".[39] Bellucci was named the "Most Beautiful Woman in the World"[240] in 2004 and 2007 in anIpsos survey of 1,002 people in France that was commissioned byTF1.[241][242]
In 2011, Bellucci was ranked fourth inLos Angeles Times Magazine's list of the "50 most beautiful women in film".[243] She was voted number one onNRJ 12's list of "100 sexiest stars of 2011", which was based on a nationwide survey conducted in France that included American and French actresses, models, singers, female athletes and television presenters.[244] In 2012, Bellucci said she had never undergone cosmetic procedures, saying: "I don't like the idea of having my face retouched and, frankly, I think it's quite dangerous for an actress. ... Compared to a plastic face, I prefer wrinkles."[245]
InThe Times, Pearce called Bellucci "arguably the world's most beautiful actress", saying she has the propensity to specialise in playing "[u]gly scenes", which is exemplified by the rape scene inIrréversible (2002).[87] In 2005, Salisbury wrote inThe Guardian Bellucci represents an "international object of desire" and said: "[i]n person, as on screen, Bellucci radiates a rare, otherworldly beauty".[21] Based on Bellucci's projected image and her work for Cartier,Kommersant described her as the "type of diva whose fame depends little on her roles".[246] Bellucci's physical characteristics have led her inclusion in lists of all-time beauties and sex symbols compiled by magazines such asEsquire Japan andMen's Health in the US and Australia.[247]
Federico Roberto Antonelli, director of theItalian Cultural Institute in China, said: "everyone dreams ofMalèna's Monica Bellucci".[248] In 2021,Vogue France ranked Bellucci fourth in its list of the "most beautiful Italian actresses of all time".[249] Media consider Bellucci an Italian sex symbol.[21][250]Rolling Stone Italy included Bellucci in its list of "10 greatest sex symbols of the 1990s".[42] She takes a "peaceful" attitude towards ageing and mainly believes in pasta, wine, and a little pilates for her "beauty regime", and is not addicted to exercise and dieting.[57] In 2023, Bellucci said having been "objectified" during her film career did not bother her and that she was aware she had made the most of her body for specific roles.[251]Elisabeth Vincentelli wrote forThe New York Times in 2023 that Bellucci has achieved a "reputation as a symbol of European glamour and sophistication" that is "firmly established".[192] In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter India, Tamil directorLokesh Kanagaraj revealed that both he and music composerAnirudh Ravichander are huge fans of Bellucci.[252][253] Initially, they decided to create a song inspired by her, which led to the track being named "Monica" and was featured on thesoundtrack to the 2025 Tamil filmCoolie.[254][255]
Bellucci's first marriage was with Italian photographer Claudio Carlos Basso.[5][256] In a 2006 interview, Bellucci said she met Basso in 1987, when he recruited her for a photography session; she was 23 and he was five years older.[257] Bellucci and Basso married inMonte-Carlo on 3 January 1990.[12][257][258] They divorced a year later.[4][257][258]
Bellucci was in a relationship with Italian actorNicola Farron [it] for several years.[259][260] Farron said they met in 1990 on the set ofVita coi figli.[259][261] Farron said he felt "an overwhelming passion" for Bellucci.[261] Their relationship became unstable because other men increasingly lusted after Bellucci[259][261] and the couple separated in 1995.[259][262][263]
Bellucci's second husband of fourteen yearsVincent Cassel in 2018
Bellucci and French actorVincent Cassel met in 1995 on the set of their filmThe Apartment.[264][265] They married inMonaco at the beginning of August 1999.[266][267] Bellucci and Cassel have two daughters,Deva (born 12 September 2004) and Léonie (born 21 May 2010), both of whom were born in Rome.[268][269] Film criticJason Solomons wrote Bellucci and Cassel were "the golden couple of European cinema".[l][264] The couple acted together in nine films between 1996 and 2006.[264][270] In March 2013, Bellucci reflected on the evolution of their marriage when she and Cassel often lived separately in Italy, France, Brazil and England.[266] The couple's separation by "mutual agreement" was announced on 26 August 2013[m][272][273] and they later divorced.[n][275]
In October 2013, Bellucci said she had almost always been in a relationship since the one with her first boyfriend at the age of fourteen.[276]
In 2019, Bellucci was in a relationship with the French sculptor and former model Nicolas Lefebvre.[277] They had been dating since 2017.[278] Lefebvre, who was then aged 36, and Bellucci made their relationship "official" in early March 2019 during aChanel show at theGrand Palais in Paris.[279] Bellucci told Italian magazineF about the end of their relationship, which was reported by other media in early July 2019.[280]
In February 2023,Paris Match reported that Bellucci and American filmmakerTim Burton were in a relationship that began in October 2022.[o][282] In June 2023, Bellucci confirmed she was in a relationship with Burton.[283] They made their first public appearance at theRome Film Festival in October 2023.[284] Their relationship ended in September 2025.[285]
Besides her native Italian, Bellucci is fluent in French and English,[239] and is proficient in Portuguese and Spanish.[286] After her divorce from Cassel, Bellucci lived with her daughters in England, France, and Italy. By 2015, she had decided to live in France. Bellucci said: "I am entirely Italian. Everything about me is Italian", and that "Paris is part of my history".[287] Bellucci said she votes in Italy, not in France,[109] and she does not haveFrench nationality.[218] She owns houses in Rome andLisbon,[5] and in 2023, she purchased a villa on the Greek island ofParos.[288]
According to Bellucci, she has moved away from her religious roots saying "I come from a Catholic religion, but I'm not Catholic".[289] She has called herself anagnostic.[p][9]
In 2018,French tax authorities investigated Bellucci for non-declaration of a safe andbank accounts in Switzerland that were linked to anoffshore company in theBritish Virgin Islands (BVI).[290] The French authorities tried to recover French taxes for the tax years 2011 to 2013 because they suspectedtax evasion; Bellucci's lawyer stated she lived in the UK and not Paris.[290] In September 2021, Bellucci said she was "up to date with my tax obligations both in France and abroad".[clarification needed] The results of the investigation into her Swiss bank accounts remain undisclosed.[291] Following the investigation, Bellucci was named in thePandora Papers, a massive data leak from offshore entities of high-profile figures, that was published in October 2021.[q][292]
In 2018,Forbes valued Bellucci's wealth at $45 million, ranking her as the third-richest Italian actor.[293][294]
Bellucci has developed her acting career by alternating low-budget arthouse andauteur films with big-budget films in the Italian, French, and American industries.[92][230][295][296]
^In August 2015, Bellucci was featured on the cover ofGQ Italy for the seventh time.[64]
^Bellucci first appeared on the cover ofParis Match in June 2001. She made her eighth cover in December 2012.[66]
^In a March 1991 interview forL'Officiel Paris, she stated: "It happened in an accidental way. I was not expecting that at all. I was noticed by the producers of the film as a model. They came across photos of me that appeared in a magazine." To the question of whether she "never dreamed of one day being an actress?", she responded: "No. Being a model, working a lot, being in demand... were enough for me. As a child, I already dreamed of this: posing for fashion photos."[37]
^The average exchange rate of theUS dollar to theeuro was 0.99 in late January 2000 (US$0.99 bought €1).[96]
^A confidentGaspar Noé had initially asked Vincent Cassel to star alongside Bellucci in apornographic film.[19] After listening to Noé's offer, "we told him there was no way we could do that", said Cassel.[103] While discussing it with Noé, they diverted his intention in another direction andIrréversible emerged. "[Noé] is also very free, he doubts nothing", said Bellucci.[19]
^At the screening ofIrréversible at theCannes Film Festival on 24 May 2002, "visceral reactions from the audience" were reported: faintings, nervous breakdowns, 200 hasty departures, and people passing out in the lobby. Opinions differed; comments such as "an accomplished work" would burst forth from the crowd.[106]
^The association, founded in 1916, represents retailers on the Champs-Élysées avenue and includes 180 commercial companies.[223]
^Many photographs of Bellucci taken by fashion photographer Fabrizio Ferri, notably where she was drizzled with honey, appeared regularly in the two direct competitor magazines,Esquire andGQ's Italian edition.[236]
^Bellucci and Cassel's separation entered the top 10 trending topics onTwitter following the announcement.[271]
^In a December 2014 interview, Bellucci said of Cassel: "Love, especially when there are children, is always there". The two have remained close ever since.[274]
^According toParis Match, Bellucci and American filmmaker Tim Burton briefly met at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. They reconnected in October 2022 at theLumière Film Festival inLyon.[281]
^Bellucci elaborated further: "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".[239]
^According toAlcogal, theBritish Virgin Islands offshore company that served to manage her image rights operated from 2011 to 2015 and was liquidated in 2016.[291]
^abcLévy-Frébault, Tiphaine (11 October 2013) [First published 11 April 2013]."Monica Bellucci est célibataire" [Monica Bellucci is single].L'Express (in French).Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved26 February 2023.
^abCarnovalini, Riccardo (19 January 2013)."In marcia alla scoperta" [On the march to discover].La Stampa (in Italian).Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved17 November 2023.
^abcHattersley, Giles (22 February 2015). "The spy who loved me | Not Shaken or Stirred". Interview.Style (The Sunday Times supplement). London, UK:Times Newspapers Ltd. p. 24.OCLC1368155993.Her father, Pasquale, said: One day, I asked her why she didn't want to be in the square with the others, and she said, 'When I go in thepiazza, everyone looks at me. The men look at me. The women look at me. All the kids from school. I feel ashamed.' ... She had a starter marriage to a photographer in the early 1990s
^abcdHélie, Mathilde (19 January 2018)."Monica Bellucci: ses photos quand elle était jeune" [Monica Bellucci: her photos when she was young].Paris Match (in French).Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved24 November 2023. [Spotted by the Elite agency, she signed a contract in 1989.]
^abcDouin, Jean-Luc (26 March 2004)."Monica Bellucci, 'Italienne à 100%?'" [Monica Bellucci, '100% Italian?']. Interview.Le Monde (in French).Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved26 November 2023. [She was born in Citta di Castello ... "I am 100% Italian, I am proud of it; brunette, Latin, I claim it".]
^abAiroldi, Simona (4 June 2017)."Piero Piazzi, l'uomo che sussurra alle top" [Piero Piazzi, the man who whispers to the tops].Vanity Fair (in Italian).Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved18 November 2023.
Le Scouarnec, Jean-Marc (7 October 2017)."Oliviero Toscani: 'Je suis de retour avec Benetton et on va s'amuser'" [Oliviero Toscani: 'I'm back with Benetton and we're going to have fun']. Interview.La Dépêche du Midi (in French).Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved25 November 2023. [I discovered Monica in Milan. ... I saw this very awake girl, with a tremendous allure. 'Elle' immediately fell for her.]
^"Junio 1988" [June 1988].Vogue (in Spanish). 3 January 209.Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved18 February 2023.
^de Chirée, Sylvie (2015) [First published 2 April 1990]."Ma première interview dans Elle: Monica Bellucci en 1989" [My first interview in Elle: Monica Bellucci in 1989].Elle (in French). No. 2308. pp. 148–153.Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved31 January 2024.
^"Le fondateur de l'agence de mannequins Elite est mort" [The founder of Elite modelling agency dies].Le Monde (in French). 22 July 2013.Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved5 November 2023. [His agency, created in 1972 in Paris, launched the careers of Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Monica Bellucci, as well as Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bündchen and Heidi Klum.]
^abcBréhal, Nicolas (March 1991). "Cinéma − Monica Bellucci comédienne pour Dino Risi" [Cinema − Monica Bellucci actress for Dino Risi]. Interview.L'Officiel Paris (in French). No. 762,Haute Couture Special, cover: M. Bellucci. pp. 8,198–207.ISSN0030-0403.Standfirst:Elle fait son entrée au cinéma dans le nouveau film de Dino Risi qui sort en mai: Vita coi figli. Efn:C'est arrivé d'une manière accidentelle. Je ne m'y attendais pas du tout. J'ai été remarquée par les producteurs du film comme mannequin. Ils sont tombés sur des photos de moi, parues dans une revue. ...De votre côté, vous n'aviez jamais rêvé d'être un jour comédienne? Non. Etre mannequin, travailler beaucoup, être demandée... me suffisaient. Enfant, je rêvais déjà de cela: poser pour des photos de mode. [Standfirst: She makes her cinema debut in Dino Risi's new film, which is released in May: Vita coi figli.]
^abcdefghijCampion, Chris (18 January 2003)."Fantasy made flesh".The Daily Telegraph.Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved16 June 2023.
^De Vecchi, Paolo (11 June 2012)."Binda, lo spot d'autore sbarca in Rete" [Binda, the signature advert lands on the Internet].la Repubblica (in Italian).Archived from the original on 24 November 2023. Retrieved24 November 2023.
^abcdHald, Nina (29 April 2007)."Åh Monica, Monica, Monica..." [Oh Monica, Monica, Monica...].Berlingske (in Danish).Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved2 September 2023.Overraskelsesmomentet var derfor stort, da Cartier i 1997 for første gang valgte at knytte en skuespillerinde tæt til huset. [The moment of surprise was therefore great when, in 1997, Cartier chose for the first time to associate an actress closely with the house.]
^abMabrut, Claire (11 June 2007)."Monica Bellucci et Cartier: songe endiamanté" [Monica Bellucci and Cartier: a diamond dream].Madame Figaro (in French).Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved12 February 2023.La piquante Italienne est l'égérie de Cartier depuis tout juste dix ans. [The spicy Italian has been the muse of Cartier for just ten years.]
"Mónica Bellucci tiñe de rojo la capital de España" [Monica Bellucci dyes the Spanish capital red].ABC (in Spanish). 16 November 2006.Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved12 December 2023....la nueva musa de Dior [... Dior's new muse]
"Natalie Portman new face of Christian Dior".The Indian Express. 8 June 2010.Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved12 December 2023.other celebrities endorsing the fashion house in advertisements include Sharon Stone, Charlize Theron, Monica Bellucci, Jude Law and Alain Delon
Boquet-Vautor, Lorelei (6 May 2011)."Mélanie Laurent égérie pour Dior Parfums" [Mélanie Laurent muse for Dior Perfumes].Vogue France (in French).Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved12 December 2023.Elle succédera à Monica Bellucci et Milla Jovovich [She will succeed Monica Bellucci and Milla Jovovich]
^"Monica Bellucci sfila per Dolce & Gabbana" [Monica Bellucci parades for Dolce & Gabbana].Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (in Italian). 17 June 2018.Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved31 January 2024.
ForGQ, see"Monica Belluci en une de GQ Italie" [Monica Belluci on the cover of GQ Italy].Vanity Fair (in French). 24 July 2015.Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved25 February 2024.
^"Monica Bellucci, bellissima pour Match" [Monica Bellucci, bellissima for Match].Paris Match (in French). 30 September 2014.Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved19 February 2023.
ForParis Match, see"Monica Bellucci, c'è un uomo nella mia vita" [Monica Bellucci, there is a man in my life].Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (in Italian). 4 May 2017.Archived from the original on 24 November 2023. Retrieved24 November 2023.
^Frini, Roberto (2006).Monica Bellucci (in Italian). Rome: Gremese. p. 54.ISBN978-8-8844-0441-1.Archived from the original on 7 February 2024.... prestigiosa rivista americana 'Variety', che la colloca tra le dieci giovani attrici da tenere d'occhio.
^abLussier, Marc-André (1 September 2007)."Monica Bellucci à l'américaine" [American-style Monica Bellucci]. Interview.La Presse (in Canadian French).Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved25 March 2023.
^Vulser, Nicole (14 November 2007)."'Sa Majesté Minor', flop majeur au cinéma" ['His Majesty Minor', major flop at the cinema].Le Monde (in French).Archived from the original on 18 February 2024. Retrieved18 February 2024.
^Senjanovic, Natasha (2 September 2009)."Baarìa − Film Review".The Hollywood Reporter.Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved21 October 2023.
^Delye, Hélène (12 November 2011)."Seule contre tous" [Alone against everyone].Le Monde (in French).Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved8 May 2023.
^Senjanovic, Natasha (24 February 2011)."Manual of Love 3: Film Review".The Hollywood Reporter.Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved21 October 2023.
van Hoeij, Boyd (14 September 2015)."'Ville-Marie': TIFF Review".The Hollywood Reporter.Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved1 April 2023.
^abBouttier, Louise-Camille (18 May 2017)."Emir Kusturica s'allie à la vestale Bellucci" [Emir Kusturica joins forces with the Vestal Bellucci].Rolling Stone (in French).Archived from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved16 June 2023.
^Dalton, Stephen (28 September 2018)."'Nekrotronic': Film Review".The Hollywood Reporter.Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved18 February 2024.
^Busnel, François (9 November 2010)."Monica Bellucci".France Inter (Podcast). The great Busnel interview (transcriptions) (in French).Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved27 August 2023.
^abMontefiori, Stefano (29 September 2022)."Monica Bellucci: 'Io diva? Faccio la spesa e porto i figli a scuola. È vero, gli uomini francesi sono più freddini degli italiani'" [Monica Bellucci: 'Me diva? I do grocery shopping and take my children to school. It's true, the French are colder than Italians'].Corriere della Sera (in Italian).Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved16 February 2024.Qui è considerata un'ambasciatrice del nostro Paese ...L'amore per Parigi non significa per forza prendere la nazionalità francese—'No, ho ancora il passaporto italiano' [Here she is considered an ambassador of our country ... Love for Paris does not necessarily mean taking French nationality—'No, I still have an Italian passport']
^Jacob, Etienne; Le Cain, Blandine; Boudisseau, Julien (25 March 2019)."Le dîner d'État à l'Elysée, un moment convoité et symbolique" [The State dinner at the Elysée, a coveted and symbolic moment].Le Figaro (in French).Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved18 February 2023.
^Deslandes, Mathieu (25 April 2005)."Monica Bellucci fait son entrée au musée Grévin" [Monica Bellucci makes her entry to the Grévin museum]. Interview with Grévin Museum's artisans.Le Parisien (in French).Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved3 March 2024.
^"Cocoonen met Monica" [Cocooning with Monica].De Morgen (in Dutch). 12 November 2005.Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved3 February 2024.
Нажать на культ [Click on the cult].Kommersant (in Russian). 23 March 2021. p. 28.Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved23 February 2024.Моника Беллуччи стала амбассадором бренда Cartier четверть века назад. ... в очередной раз подтвердила свой статус иконы стиля [Monica Bellucci became a Cartier brand ambassador a quarter century ago. ... once again confirmed her status style icon]
^"La plus belle, c'est Monica" [The most beautiful, is Monica].Le Parisien (in French). 10 November 2004.Archived from the original on 24 March 2024. Retrieved24 March 2024.
^Audiffredi, Giovanni (24 April 2012)."Monica Bellucci: 'Io non mi rifaccio'" [Monica Bellucci: 'I don't change myself'].Vanity Fair (in Italian).Archived from the original on 23 August 2023. Retrieved23 August 2023.
^Каждому свой час [To each his own hour].Kommersant (in Russian). No. 93. 31 May 2007. p. 42.Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved22 February 2024.
Esquire が選ぶ「史上もっとも美しい女性28人」 [Esquire's '28 Most Beautiful Women of All Time'].Esquire (in Japanese). 28 February 2018.Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved2 December 2023.
Barlow, Helen (25 September 2011)."Bella donna won't be tamed".The Sydney Morning Herald.Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved31 January 2024.
"Bellucci: con Scamarcio la scena più erotica" [Bellucci: with Scamarcio the most erotic scene].Corriere della Sera (in Italian). 4 December 2006.Archived from the original on 31 January 2024. Retrieved31 January 2024.
^abc"Bellucci, il primo e austero 'sì'" [Bellucci, the first and austere 'yes'].Chi (in Italian). 20 December 2006.Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved22 November 2023 – viaTgCom24. [the one who said her first 'yes' on 3 January 1990 in Monte Carlo ... 'I met Claudio in 1987, when I was working as a model to pay for my studies']
^abBoschi, Silvana (27 November 2009). "Siamo unna coppia di Zingari" [We are a Gypsy couple]. Interview.Grand Hotel (in Italian). No. 48, cover:Barbara D'Urso).Edizioni Del Duca. p. 25.Infatti, dopo essersi sposati in gran segreto nel 1999 con ritto civile nelprincipato di Monaco (proprio dove Monica il 3 gennaio del 1990 sposò in prime nozze il fotografo Claudio Basso da cui divorziò un anno dopo) [In fact, after getting married in great secrecy in 1999 in a civil ceremony in the principality of Monaco (precisely where Monica married the photographer Claudio Basso for her first wedding on 3 January 1990, from whom she divorced a year later)]
^abcdAscione, Arianna (1 September 2019)."Bellucci-Cassel-Kunakey, dal grande amore alle frecciate (e al gelo)" [Bellucci-Cassel-Kunakey, from great love to the barbs (and frost)].Corriere della Sera (in Italian).Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved3 September 2023.I due, che si erano conosciuti sul set di 'Vita coi figli' di Dino Risi ... la storia finì definitivamente quando lei conobbe Vincent Cassel, il suo futuro marito [The two, who had met on the set of Dino Risi's 'Vita coi figli' ...Nicola Farron said in 2012: 'the story ended definitively when she met Vincent Cassel, her future husband'.]
^Biondani, Paolo; Malagutti, Vittorio; Sisti, Leo (8 October 2021)."Pandora Papers, ecco i nomi dei vip italiani con i soldi offshore" [Pandora Papers, here are the names of Italian VIPs with offshore money].L'Espresso (in Italian).Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved4 February 2024.
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