Sophia Loren: La Diva di Napoli

Born Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone on September 20, 1934, Sophia Loren has an unrivaled career both in her native Italy and in Hollywood, appearing in nearly one hundred films over seven decades. She started as an extra for the film studio Cinecittà, before catching the attention of future husband Carlo Ponti, who cast her in her breakout role in The Gold of Naples (1954). Collaborating with Ponti on 34 films together, frequently starring opposite the charismatic Marcello Mastroianni, and often featured in works with and by Vittorio De Sica, Loren has tackled subject matter both intense and lighthearted with a grounded earthiness and head-turning magnetism. Winner of an Academy Award for Best Actress for her devastating turn in Two Women (1960), the first time an acting award went to a performance not in the English language, Loren also received an Honorary Oscar in 1990 for “a career rich with memorable performances [that] has added permanent luster to our art form.”

In celebration of her 90th birthday, the Academy Museum presents this overview of some of Loren’s most enduring performances.