Virna Lisi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Virna Lisi
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Lisi on 11 July 2009
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| Born |
Virna Pieralisi
8 November 1936 Ancona, Italy
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| Died | 18 December 2014 (aged 78) Rome, Italy
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1953–2014 |
| Spouse(s) |
Franco Pesci
(m. 1960; died 2013) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | David di Donatello Best Actress 1980 The Cricket Best Supporting Actress 1983 Time for Loving Nastro d'Argento Best Actress 1990 Merry Christmas... Happy New Year 1997 Follow Your Heart Best Supporting Actress 1978 Beyond Good and Evil 1983 Time for Loving 1995 La Reine Margot 2002 The Best Day of My Life César Award Best Supporting Actress 1995 La Reine Margot Cannes Film Festival Best Actress 1994 La Reine Margot |
Virna Lisi (born Virna Pieralisi) was a famous Italian actress. She was born on November 8, 1936, and passed away on December 18, 2014. Many people thought she was one of the greatest Italian film actresses, like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida.
Virna Lisi starred in many movies around the world. Some of her well-known films include How to Murder Your Wife (1965), Not with My Wife, You Don't! (1966), and The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1969). She worked with famous actors like Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.
For her role in the 1994 movie La Reine Margot, she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. She also won the César Award for Best Supporting Actress for the same film.
Contents
Becoming an Actress
Starting in Italy
Virna Lisi was born in Ancona, Italy. She started acting in movies when she was a teenager. Two producers found her in Rome, and she made her first film, La corda d'acciaio (The Steel Rope), in 1953.
At first, she often appeared in musical films, like E Napoli canta (Naples Sings, 1953). People noticed her beauty a lot, but she also took on challenging roles. Some of these roles were in movies like La donna del giorno (1956) and Eva (1962).
In the late 1950s, Virna Lisi also acted on stage at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano. In the 1960s, she was in many comedies and popular TV shows in Italy. She even became famous for a toothpaste commercial with a catchy slogan!
Going to Hollywood
Hollywood, the center of American movies, wanted Virna Lisi. They were looking for a new actress like Marilyn Monroe. Even though she turned down a role in the James Bond movie From Russia with Love (1963), she soon made her Hollywood debut.
She starred with Jack Lemmon in the comedy How to Murder Your Wife (1965). She also appeared with Tony Curtis in Not with My Wife, You Don't! (1966). Virna Lisi then acted alongside Frank Sinatra in Assault on a Queen (1966). She also made two films with Anthony Quinn: The Secret of Santa Vittoria and The 25th Hour.
She became very well-known when a photo of her 'shaving' her face appeared on the cover of Esquire magazine in March 1965.
Later Career in Europe
After her time in Hollywood, Virna Lisi looked for different kinds of roles. She acted in many Italian movies, such as Casanova 70 and Le bambole (1965). She also starred in The Birds, the Bees and the Italians (1966). This movie won a big award at the Cannes Film Festival.
In the early 1970s, she took a break from acting to spend more time with her husband, Franco Pesci, and their son, Corrado. But Virna Lisi's career started strong again with new projects. These included Al di là del bene e del male (1977) and La cicala (1980).
Her role as Catherine de' Medici in La Reine Margot (1994) was very important. For this film, she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival and the César Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also won a Silver Ribbon for Best Supporting Actress. In 2002, she starred in The Best Day of My Life.
Virna Lisi continued to act in many TV shows and series. Her last movie was the Italian comedy Latin Lover in 2014, which came out shortly after she passed away.
Her Final Years
Virna Lisi passed away on December 18, 2014, in Rome. She was 78 years old and had lung cancer.
Her Legacy
Virna Lisi left a lasting mark on the world.
- The Argentinian band Sumo wrote a song called "TV Caliente a.k.a. Virna Lisi" (1986) about her.
- A Brazilian rock band from 1989 to 1997 was named Virna Lisi after her.
- A type of rose was named after her in 1989 by Meilland International SA.
Selected Films
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Naples Sings | Maria Mariani |
| 1955 | Eighteen Year Olds | Maria Rovani |
| 1957 | La donna del giorno (The Woman of the Day) | Liliana Attenni |
| 1961 | Romolo e Remo | Julia |
| 1962 | Eva | Francesca Ferrara |
| 1964 | The Black Tulip | Caroline "Caro" Plantin |
| 1965 | How to Murder Your Wife | Mrs. Ford |
| 1966 | The Birds, the Bees and the Italians | Milena Zulian |
| 1966 | Assault on a Queen | Rosa Lucchesi |
| 1966 | Not with My Wife, You Don't! | Julie Ferris / Lieutenant Julietta Perodi |
| 1967 | The Girl and the General | Ada |
| 1969 | The Secret of Santa Vittoria | Caterina Malatesta |
| 1977 | Beyond Good and Evil | Elisabeth Nietzsche |
| 1980 | The Cricket | Wilma Malinverni |
| 1983 | Time for Loving | Adriana Balestra |
| 1994 | La Reine Margot | Catherine de Medici |
| 1996 | Follow Your Heart | Olga |
| 2002 | The Best Day of My Life | Irene |
| 2015 | Latin Lover | Rita |
Selected Television Shows
- Cenerentola (1961) as Cenerentola
- Christopher Columbus (1985) as Dona Moniz Perestrello
- Desert of Fire (1997) as Christine Duvivier
- Il bello delle donne (2001) as Contessa Miranda Spadoni
- Caterina e le sue figlie (2005–2010) as Caterina
- L'onore e il rispetto (2006) as Ersilia Fortebracci
Images for kids
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RosaCultivarVirnaLisi-RosetoRoma.JPG
A rose named after Virna Lisi
See also
In Spanish: Virna Lisi para niños
