Overview

• Her death was confirmed to AFP by agent Laurent Savry, who said she died in Nemours, France, with her children by her side; no cause was disclosed, and she is survived by two children.
• She became an international fixture through standout performances in Federico Fellini’s 8½, Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard, Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, and Blake Edwards’ The Pink Panther.
• Born in Tunis to Sicilian parents, she entered cinema after winning a 1957 beauty contest that took her to the Venice Film Festival, with early roles often dubbed as she later resisted exclusive Hollywood contracts to focus on European work.
• She later disclosed that she was raped as a teenager and gave birth to a son, Patrick, who was publicly presented as her brother for years before the truth emerged.
• Her accolades included Venice’s Career Golden Lion and Berlin’s honorary Golden Bear, and tributes followed her death from figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s culture minister, reflecting her influence across more than 100 screen roles.