Stefania Sandrelli

Stefania Sandrelli (born 5 June 1946) is an Italian actress, famous for her many roles in the "Italian-style comedy" (commedia all'italiana), starting from the 1960s. She was 14 years old when she starred in Divorce Italian Style as Angela, the cousin and love interest of Ferdinando, played by Marcello Mastroianni.

Early life

Sandrelli was born in Viareggio, Tuscany, into a middle-class family, the daughter of Florida and Otello Sandrelli (who died when she was eight years old), owners of a pension in Viareggio.

As a girl, Sandrelli studied ballet and learned to play the accordion. Sandrelli had a brother, Sergio, seven years older, who had a successful music career and died in 2013.

Career

She debuted in cinema at the age of 15 in Mario Sequi's film Gioventù di notte. In 1960, Sandrelli won the Miss Cinema Viareggio beauty contest, then was the cover girl of the magazine Le Ore, and had `her first opportunities to make films, appearing, among others, in Luciano Salce's The Fascist. Her film career was launched by Pietro Germi with Divorce Italian Style (1961); later, she worked three more times with Germi, in Seduced and Abandoned (1964), The Climax (1967), and Alfredo, Alfredo (1970).

Sandrelli became in a short time a protagonist of the commedia all'italiana, appearing, among others, in Antonio Pietrangeli's I Knew Her Well, Mario Monicelli's Brancaleone at the Crusades, and Ettore Scola's We All Loved Each Other So Much. She also starred in several Bernardo Bertolucci's drama films, including The Conformist (1970) and 1900 (1976), and in several French productions.

In 1980, she won the Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress thanks to her performance in Ettore Scola's La terrazza. In 1983, she relaunched her career with the Tinto Brass erotic film The Key.

On 10 September 2005, she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 62nd Venice International Film Festival. On 11 May 2012, she received the title of Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Personal life

Sandrelli had a long relationship with Italian singer-songwriter Gino Paoli. Their daughter Amanda Sandrelli, born in 1964, is also an actress.

Filmography

Television

• 1980 — Lulù — Rai 2 — Television film
• 1984 — Miss Marzorati — Rai 1 — Episode: "Suggestion diabolique"
• 1989 — Luisa — Rai 2 — 3 episodes
• 1989 — Jolanda Kador — Canale 5 — Television film
• 1990 — Elvira Passanisi — Canale 5 — Television film
• 1995 — Fairy of Crystal Sword Lake — Canale 5 — Television film
• 1996–2001 — Margherita Rizzo — Rai 1 — 16 episodes
• 1997 — Francesca Deodato — Canale 5 — 6 episodes
• 1999 — The Wife — Canale 5 — Television film
• 2000 — Pina — Rai 1 — Television film
• 2001–2003 — Anna Borsi — Canale 5 — 27 episodes
• 2003 — Lucrezia — Rete 4 — Television film
• 2004 — Herself / Guest — Rai 1 — Annual music festival
• 2004 — Marcella — Rai 1 — 4 episodes
• 2004 — Agnese Mondella — Canale 5 — Television film (based on The Betrothed)
• 2004 — Luisa — Rai 1 — Television film
• 2005–2006 — Teresa — Canale 5 — 4 episodes
• 2007 — Eleonora — Canale 5 — 6 episodes
• 2007 — Dora Fabbo Dalla Chiesa — Canale 5 — Television film
• 2009 — Albina Magi — Rai 1 — Television film
• 2012–2015 — Eleonora Pastore — Rai 1 — 22 episodes
• 2016 — Anna Gerardi — Canale 5 — 8 episodes