Sophia Loren was born to a working class family in Naples but faound fame through a beauty contest. Carlo Ponti brought her into films showing off her looks and figure. Through her career she fought against being a sex symbol wanting to be recognised as an actor insted. Her acting break came when Vittorio De Sica cast her in Two Nights with Cleopatra. She worked in a number of films opposite Marcello Mastroianni in Italian films. She then married Carlo Ponti who helped build her career as an actress. It is with Boy On A Dolphin that she makes her break into Hollywood and this is followed by The Pride And The Passion that put her against tow of the biggest male stars of the day. She brought European glamour into Holywood.
In 1958 she signed with Paramount and her range of acting was shown in the romantic comedy Houseboat. She went back to Italy to film Two Women in 1960 and was the first woman to win a best actress Oscar for a non-English film. She followed this up with the comedy The Millionairess opposite Peter Sellers from whih a hit record was made. This was followed by the big budget historical spic El Cid. As well as working in Hollywood she did go back to Italy and mad a number of films there. She returned to Hollywood in in the historical epic The Fall Of The Roman Empire to which she brought a dignity. Her last Hollwood film and the last film Charlie Cahplin would direct was A Countess from Hong Kong. After this she took time out to have a fmaily. The Voyage in 1974 was the last of her major roles. She continued to work in Italian films and also smaller roles in English language films. In 1991 she was awared a lifetime acheivement award. She has appeared in over 90 films during her career over 6 decades.
