Monica Bellucci was born on September 30th, 1968, in the village of Citta di Castello, in Umbria, Italy. Initially pursuing a career as a lawyer, Monica decided to start modeling in order to help pay for her tuition while at the University of Perugia. But of course, the glamorous life of a model -- which includes travel and a sweet income -- tempted Monica away from her law studies.




In 1988, Monica moved to one of Europe's fashion centers -- Milan. There, she signed with Elite Model Management and found plenty of modeling work.



By 1989, Monica was making it big in Paris and across the Atlantic, in New York. But although she had achieved huge success in so little time as a model (posing for Dolce & Gabbana and French Elle), Monica thrived for more.

She made the transition to acting -- a very popular trend that models Laetitia Casta James King and Estella Waren have done successfully -- and began taking acting classes.

She made her film debut in 1990, with roles in Vita coi figli and Briganti (a.k.a Bandits: Love and Liberty). The following year, Monica starred as Francesca in the film La Riffa, and made her american film,debut with the role of Dracula's Bride in 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula, co-starring Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder.

Roles began to pour in for the Italian beauty. After a role in Ostinato destino, she appeared in I Mitici (a.k.a. The Heroes) in 1994, and Palla di neve in 1995. She also starred as the Pharaoh's wife in the made-for-TV movie Joseph.

But it was her role in the 1996 film, L'Appartement, that earned Monica her acting accolades. Her role as Lisa earned her a Cesar nomination (French equivalent of the Oscar) in the Most Promising Young Actress category, and ensured that audiences and film critics would take notice of this up-and-coming starlet. The movie also co-starred her husband, Vincent Cassel, whom she later married in 1999.



In 1997, Bellucci was cast in Come mi vuoi (a.k.a As You Want Me), Dobermann and Mauvais genre. After roles in more European films such as 1998's L'Ultimo capodanno, A los que aman, and Compromis, she starred in 1999's Comme un poisson hors de l'eau (a.k.a. Like a Fish Out of Water).

Luckily, American audiences were able to catch a glimpse of the stunning brunette in the 2000 drama, Under Suspicion, as Gene Hackman's trophy wife. She followed that up with a role in the French film, Franck Spadone.

But it was the critical success of the Italian film Malena (2000), in which Monica starred in the title role, that really catapulted her to fame. The movie was nominated for 14 awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and continues to be one of the roles to best showcase her dramatic talent.

In 2001, Bellucci starred in Brotherhood of the Wolf (co-starring her husband Cassel) and as Cleopatra in Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatre the following year. While the latter was considered lighter fare, Monica really stretched her acting muscle in the gritty 2002 film Irreversible, in which she portrays a rape victim.



If American audiences still weren't familiar with Bellucci, they were sure to catch her in 2003's Tears of the Sun, with Bruce Willis and of course, as Persephone in the highly anticipated sequels to 1999's The Matrix: The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. She also had the honor of gracing AskMen.com's top spot in its 99 Most Desirable Women in the World of 2002.

In 2004, Monica Bellucci was seen as Magdalene in Mel Gibson's controversial blockbuster, The Passion of the Christ, and returned to French film with Agents secrets. She can also add 2004's The Brothers Grimm (with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger), Spike Lee's She Hate Me, and 2005's Lord of War (with Nicolas Cage) to her filmography.



Monica likes to wear black clothes most of the time they are made of silk. She also likes to wear white gold.
Monica's personal activities include reading romance books, watching operas (especially Italian ones) and taking her child to the park. Monica has taken part in Italian and French movies.
Monica is the voice of Kaileena in the (video game) Prince of Persia
Monica has done several nude scenes in her films, most notably in Malèna, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Irréversible.




Monica was featured in Maxim Magazine in 2003.
Monica posed nude for the Italian Vanity Fair Magazine in protest against Italian laws that allow only married couples to use in-vitro fertilization.
Monica did commercials for the Italian TV before she became famous. Monica likes Italian traditional food.
Once, on an Italian talk show, Monica said that she is forgetting the Italian language since she lives in France and speaks constantly in French.
When she was a young, Monica wanted to become a doctor.
Monica had a modeling contract with Giorgio Armani and Prada.
Monica collects ancient Japanese dolls.
Monica starred in the movie Tears of the sun along with Bruce Willis
Monica appears in both The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. She plays Persephone.



Monica was ranked as #89 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)
Monica ranked #1 in Askmen's "Most Desirable Woman" (2002).
Monica ranked #9 in Maxim's "100 Sexiest Women" (2002).
Monica ranked #6 in Maxim's "50 Sexiest Women" (1999).
Monica is 5'10½" 1.78 m tall.
Monica has said in an interview that Sophia Loren and haS inspired her acting career.
About Monica's last name: Bellucci is a typical surname from center Italy, it comes from the Latin word "Bellutus", and has the same root as surnames like Belluto, Belluti, Belluzzo, Belluccio, or the aristocratic surname of Belluzzi.
Monica doesn't always live with her husband Vincent Cassel. For avoiding routine, the two live in separate apartments; she lives most of the time in London and he lives in Paris.
Monica owns an apartement in London.
Monica was elected the most beautiful woman in the world by French viewers on a TV show "La Plus belle femme du monde" on November 8, 2004.
Monica was engaged to actor Nicola Farron from 1989 to 1995.
Monica's daughter, Deva Cassel, was born on September 12, 2004 in Rome, Italy.
Monica studied jurisprudence for a short time.



Monica wears a size 10 shoe.
Monica was originally cast as Mina Harker in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) but had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict. The part then went to Peta Wilson
Monica made a nude calendar for the Italian magazine Max in 1998 and another one for the Italian magazine GQ in 2000.
Monica's measurements are 35C-24-35.
Monica fluently speaks French, English, and Italian and has acted in each of these languages, as well as Aramaic in The Passion of the Christ.
Monica appeared in a black & white TV commercial for Dolce & Gabbana. The director was Giuseppe Tornatore, who also directed her in the movie Malèna (2000).
Monica is married to Vincent Cassel since 1999 and they have one child. Monica was elected Most beautiful woman in the world by French people, as a result of a survey called "The 50 most Beautiful Women in the World" on the first channel of french television.



back to home page.