Claudia Cardinale, the Tunisian-born Italian star of The Leopard, 8 1/2 and Pink Panther, has died at the age of 87.
She had a six-decade long career, rising to fame during the golden age of Italian cinema, and was directed by greats such as Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti.
The actress died at Nemours in France in the company of her children, according to her agent Laurent Savry.
She leaves us the legacy of a free and inspired woman both as a woman and as an artiste, Savry told AFP news agency.
Born in Tunisia to Sicilian parents in April 1938, Cardinale won a beauty contest at 16 that saw her declared the most beautiful Italian woman in Tunis. The prize was a trip to the Venice film festival, where she was approached by directors and producers to become involved in filmmaking.
Her early career was marked by challenges, including a traumatic experience that led her to give up her son for adoption, which she later described as pivotal to her pursuit of an acting career.
Cardinale's breakout came in 1963 with Fellini's Oscar-winning 8 1/2 and Visconti's The Leopard, after which she gained international recognition.
In Hollywood, she appeared in several major films, including The Pink Panther, while also advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and women’s issues. In 2000, she was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli hailed her as one of the greatest Italian actresses of all time, calling her an embodiment of Italian grace.
