Sofia Loren has been and still is, more than just a great actress. Is a one Symbol of femininity, endurance and Italian sophisticationa woman who managed to overcome her ancestry from his slums Italian south and to conquer the Hollywoodremaining true to herself at the same time.

Lauren was born today, September 20, 1934, to one Italy just coming out of the wounds of war. She grew up in poverty, in a house without running water, with her mother trying to raise her and her sister with dignity. She often remembered that her first shoe was in fact something torn sandals and that she went to school on an empty stomach.

And yet, her beauty stood out early. At the age of 14, she participated in a beauty contest in Naples and won a train ticket to Rome. There, along with her mother, she began chasing roles in films as a comrade. “No one was watching me then,” she said. “I was just a girl with big eyes and intense features.”

He thought Oscar was a farce

The turn came when he met the producer Carlo Pontithe man who would later become her husband and guide her to a career full of awards. She remembered that in their first meeting Ponti said to her: “We will not change you. This is you and so you will conquer the cinema. ” Indeed, Lauren never underwent the plastic surgery that was then fashionable in Hollywood. The characteristic gap between her teeth and her intense nose became her trademark.

Her biggest moment came in 1962 when she won the first female role Oscar For her shocking interpretation in the film The impatient (La Ciociara). It was the first time that a foreign actor won the award in a non -English -speaking role. Lauren had not even traveled to Los Angeles, learning that she had won by phone. As it has been told, ‘I thought it was a farce. I closed the phone and they had to get me back to persuade“

When he resisted Marlon Brando

One of the most well -known and misunderstood moments of her career was in 1957 in Beverly Hillswhen at a reception for the actor’s celebration Jane Mansfield, Lauren was “arrested” by the lens to look at the American star’s bodice. The photo made the world tour and was considered a lesson of female rivalry. She herself, years later, wrote in her memoirs: “I didn’t look at jealousy. I was looking because I was afraid that something would explode in front of me!‘

Another lesser known story is about her relationship with Marlon Brando. The two worked in a film in 1967. Brando, known for his eccentricities, tried to kiss her unexpectedly during a scene. Lauren immediately repelled him, saying: “Never touch me again” Years later, he admitted that his behavior was shameful and that Lauren was right.

A life dedicated to the family

Despite Hollywood’s glory, Sofia Lauren always stayed with Italy and Carlo Ponti, with whom she lived a love that went beyond the limits of the time. Their marriage took years to be legally recognized, as Ponti was already married and the Catholic Church was not divorced. Eventually, the couple got married legally in 1966 and stayed together until his death in 2007.

Lauren had two sons, Carlos and Enrico, who followed a career in music. As she has said, “I may have won an Oscar and traveled around the world, but my biggest victory is my family.”

At 91, Sofia Loren is still a reference point for world cinema. Her latest appearance in cinema was in 2020, at The Life Ahead directed by her son, Enrico Ponti, a film that moved audiences and critics.

Although in recent years she has limited her public appearances, the stories around her name continue to inspire. As she once said: “Beauty is how you feel within you and how it is imprinted in your eyes. It’s not something to do with the body. It’s your soul that shines. “

A living legend

Sofia Loren was never just a beautiful woman. It was – and is – a power of nature, a personality who learned to turn the difficulties into driving force. From the hunger of the occupation to the glittering red carpets, her journey reminds that behind each myth lies a true, vulnerable but also incredibly strong woman.