Monica Bellucci facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Monica Bellucci
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Bellucci in 2024
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Monica Anna Maria Bellucci
30 September 1964 Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy
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| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
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| Partner(s) | Tim Burton (2023–present) |
| Children | 2 (including Deva Cassel) |
| Awards | Full list |
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci (born September 30, 1964) is a famous Italian actress and model. She started her career as a fashion model. Later, she became a well-known actress in Italian, American, and French movies. In 2018, Forbes Italy magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most successful Italian women.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci was born in Città di Castello, Italy, on September 30, 1964. Her father, Pasquale Bellucci, owned a trucking company. Her mother, Brunella Briganti, was a homemaker and enjoyed painting. Monica was their only child. She grew up in a small village called Selci-Lama, near the Tiber River.
Monica had a Catholic upbringing. She was known as a very smart child. At age 13, she first tried modeling for a photographer who was a friend of her family. Her parents described her as quiet but aware of her good looks. She became more interested in fashion. Monica often felt that people stared at her, but her father helped her feel more confident.
Later, she met a hairdresser who convinced her to model for him. Monica was a student at the time, studying philosophy, literature, Latin, and Greek. She loved watching Italian films by famous directors like Federico Fellini. Monica believes her personality was shaped by her positive childhood.
Becoming a Model
Monica Bellucci started doing photo shoots at 16 for a fashion agency director. This led her to travel often to Milan and Paris for modeling jobs. She continued her studies in Città di Castello.
While in high school, she walked on the runway for fashion shows in Florence and Milan. Soon, she was doing three fashion shows a year. By age 18, she became a professional model.
Bellucci originally planned to become a lawyer and studied at the University of Perugia. She used her modeling earnings to pay for her education.
She appeared in many international advertisements. The famous fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana chose her as their main model. By 1989, she was living in New York and had become a millionaire. In 1990, she also worked with the French luxury brand Dior. She was often called an "icon of Mediterranean beauty."
Eventually, Monica decided to focus on acting, which was her true passion. She stopped modeling full-time but still appeared on many magazine covers. These included Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair, and Vogue.
Acting Career Highlights
Monica Bellucci started her acting career in an Italian TV show called Vita coi figli (1991). Her first big movie role was as one of Dracula's brides in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). After this, she took acting classes.
She gained more attention with the film The Apartment (1996), which earned her a nomination for a César Award. American audiences noticed her in Under Suspicion (2000). She became internationally famous for her role in Malèna (2000), which was a very important moment in her career.
Monica also starred in the historical drama Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) and the comedy Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002). She received praise for playing Mary Magdalene in the drama The Passion of the Christ (2004).
She continued to act in many different films, such as The Whistleblower (2010) and The Wonders (2014). Her role in Ville-Marie (2015) won her an award for Best Actress.
At age 50, Monica Bellucci made history by becoming the oldest Bond girl in the James Bond film Spectre (2015). She kept acting in movies around the world, like On the Milky Road (2016) and The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020).
On television, she appeared in Mozart in the Jungle (2016) and the French show Dix pour cent (2018). In 2019, she started performing on stage, playing the famous opera singer Maria Callas.
Monica Bellucci has won several awards, including two Globo d'oro Awards and two Nastro d'Argento Awards. She has also received special honors from the French government, like the Legion of Honour. She is a permanent member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which means she helps vote for the annual Academy Awards (Oscars).
Other Activities and Roles
Film Industry Involvement
Monica Bellucci has been involved in major film events. She was the host for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. In 2006, she was a jury member at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. She returned as the host for the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
In 2017, she was invited to become a permanent member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This means she is one of the people who vote for the Academy Awards (Oscars) each year. In 2018, she led the judging panel for the Dinard British Film Festival.
Charity Work
Monica Bellucci has supported several charities. In 2008, she helped raise money for a center for children with cancer in Rome. In 2010, she became a patron of "Paroles de Femmes" (Words of Women). This French group works to promote equality between men and women.
She organized an event called "Women's Night" in 2010. It brought together women from different fields to discuss women's rights in France. The money raised helped build places for single mothers who needed support. She also supports the SOS Autism France association.
A book about her modeling and acting career was published in 2010. All the money from its sales went to the children's cancer center and the "Words of Women" association.
Representing Italy
Monica Bellucci is seen as an ambassador for Italy in France. She has attended important state dinners hosted by the French President. These dinners are held when foreign leaders visit France. For example, she was present when the Italian President visited France in 2012 and 2021.
Personal Life
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Monica Bellucci's first marriage was to Italian photographer Claudio Carlos Basso. They met in 1987 and married in 1990, but divorced a year later.
She later met French actor Vincent Cassel in 1995 while filming The Apartment. They married in 1999. Monica and Vincent have two daughters: Deva (born 2004) and Léonie (born 2010). Both daughters were born in Rome. Monica and Vincent were a very famous couple in European cinema and acted in nine films together. They separated in 2013 and later divorced.
After her divorce, Monica was in a relationship with French sculptor Nicolas Lefebvre for a few years. In 2023, it was reported that she was in a relationship with American filmmaker Tim Burton. She confirmed their relationship in June 2023. They made their first public appearance together in October 2023.
Besides Italian, Monica Bellucci speaks French and English fluently. She also knows some Portuguese and Spanish. After her divorce, she lived with her daughters in England, France, and Italy. By 2015, she decided to live in France. However, she says she is "entirely Italian" and votes in Italy. She owns homes in Rome, Lisbon, and on the Greek island of Paros.
Monica Bellucci has described herself as an agnostic, meaning she is open to the idea of God but does not follow a specific religion. In 2018, her wealth was estimated at $45 million, making her one of the richest Italian actors.
Images for kids
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Bellucci and film director Alain Chabat at the 2001 César Awards
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Bellucci at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival
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Bellucci at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival
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Bellucci in 2018
See also
In Spanish: Monica Bellucci para niños
