Who is Monica Bellucci? Italian actress who stars in Mozart In The Jungle – here’s what we know
MONICA Bellucci is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful actresses in the world.
Starting out as a model when she was an early teenager, the Italian beauty moved into moving pictures by the 1990s and has gone on to star in mega block-busters and film franchises.
Her personal life has made her a tabloid sensation on continental Europe while her striking looks and impressive acting skills have made her a recognisable star the world over.
How old is Monica Bellucci?
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci was born on 30 September 1964 in Italy and is well known for being one of the most gracefully aging actresses in the world.
For her role in the 2015 Bond film Spectre, the make-up and lighting teams had to work to make Monica look older as they feared she could pass for someone in their 30s or 40s as she played the grieving widow of a mafia boss.
“They wanted to etch this sadness, desperation, loneliness into [my] face,” she told the Daily Mail as the film was released.
Where is Monica Bellucci from?
Monica Bellucci was born in Italy in Città di Castello in the Umbria region, in the mid-north section of the Mediterranean country.
She grew up in the San Giustino region slightly further north before moving to Milan at the beginning of her career.
She currently lives in Paris with her two daughters – Deva, born in 2004, and Léonie, born in 2010 – and she is known to speak four languages: Italian, French, English and Spanish.
Is Monica Bellucci married?
Monica Bellucci announced she and husband French actor Vincent Cassel had separated in August 2013 after 14 years of marriage.
The pair met in 1996 on the set of Gilles Mimouni’s film l’Appartement, tied the knot in 1999 and welcomed daughters Deva and Léonie in 2004 and 2010 respectively.
Monica had previously been married to Italian photographer Claudio Basso between 1990 and 1994.
Who does Monica Bellucci play in Mozart in the Jungle?
Monica Bellucci plays a reclusive soprano called Alessandra in Amazon’s Golden Globe and Emmy award winning show Mozart in the Jungle.
Monica stunned fans by engaging in a raunchy sex scene with lead actor Gael Garcia Bernal – who plays Rodrigo De Souza – in the third season of the show which debuted in December 2016.
While Monica plays a singer living in Venice, Italy, her singing voice on the show is provided by real life soprano singer Ana Maria Martinez from Puerto Rico.
Was Monica Bellucci in The Matrix?
Monica Bellucci played seductive computer program Persephone in the two sequels to the 1999 film The Matrix – The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions – both released in 2003.
Her character had qualities akin to a vampire, and was listed as one of the “sexiest characters in cinema” by Empire Cinemas in 2012.
Her character was also loosely based on the Greek legend of Persephone (the daughter of Zeus and Demeter who married underworld god Hades) and featured in Matrix spin-off computer game Enter the Matrix (with Monica reprising her role).
Why was Monica Bellucci’s film Irréversible so controversial?
In 2002, Monica Bellucci and her then-husband Vincent Cassel starred in Argentinian director Gaspar Noe’s controversial French drama Irréversible.
The film caused outrage for many as it featured a relentless 10 minute rape scene that saw Monica’s character Alex held at knifepoint, raped and beaten until unconscious by Jo Prestia’s pimp character Le Tenia.
Cinema goers were reported to have walked out of the cinema due to the scene – with others also complaining about the violent revenge of Alex’s lover Marcus (Cassel) who along with Albert Dupontel’s Pierre track down La Tenia to a gay sex club and murder a clubgoer by bashing his head to a pulp with a fire extinguisher.
Was Monica Bellucci the oldest Bond girl?
In 2015, Monica Bellucci made 007 history by becoming the oldest woman to portray a Bond girl in 24th film in the series: Spectre.
Her character, Lucia Sciarra, was the grieving widow of an assassin that the British spy killed – with Monica’s character later seducing the MI6 agent (played by Daniel Craig).
Discussing her role in 2015, Monica expressed her approval at her casting, saying: “We’ve never seen this before — an older woman seducing Bond. Maybe something will change for older women now; for older actresses.”
What other films has Monica Bellucci starred in?
Monica Bellucci made her acting debut in the 1990 Italian TV movie Vita coi Figli playing a character named Elda.
She has gone on to star in a wide range of films including Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (in 1992), Gilles Mimouni’s iconic French film The Apartment (in 1996), and the live-action 2002 film Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra where she held the female lead.
She also played Mary Magdalene in Mel Gibson’s 2004 religious epic The Passion of the Christ, starred alongside Matt Damon and Heath Ledger in Terry Gilliam’s 2005 The Brothers Grimm as The Mirror Queen, and appeared in the 2007 action film Shoot ‘Em Up alongside Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti.
Is Monica Bellucci a model?
Monica Bellucci began her career as a model aged 13 and signed with Elite Model Management’s Milan office in 1988.
She has appeared on the cover of magazines including Vanity Fair, Elle, and Esquire.
She has also been championed by Dolce & Gabbana who she modelled for in the late ‘80s and was announced as their campaign star in 2012 – and worked with the brand on a lipstick collection.
Is Monica Bellucci related to John and Jim Belushi?
Due to mispronunciation, Monica Bellucci is occasionally confused as a relative of late American comedian John Belushi and his brother comedy-actor Jim Belushi among film fans.
Reports have suggested that Monica’s family name may have originated as Belushi – and from Albania – with the name changing once her ancestors moved to Italy.
John Belushi is noted for his own Albanian ancestry and received honorary citizenship from the Balkan country in 2009.
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