Monica Anna Maria Bellucci was born on September 30, 1964, in Perugia, Italy. The daughter of a painter and a businessman, Monica grew up with dreams of becoming a lawyer — though it eventually became clear that her calling lay in the arts.
After kicking off her modeling career at the age of 16, Monica Bellucci remained determined to pursue a career within the legal community, and she even used her modeling money to pay for her post-secondary education. Yet there came a point at which Monica Bellucci was powerless to resist the allure of the fashion industry, and she subsequently devoted herself full-time to modeling.
In 1988, Monica Bellucci signed with the prestigious Elite Model Management agency and moved to Milan where she began establishing herself as one of the most naturally talented and flat-out gorgeous up-and-coming models on the scene. Though her burgeoning fame ensured that she had little downtime, Monica Bellucci nevertheless decided to give acting a try and she made her debut in a 1990 made-for-Italian-TV movie. She spent the next several years taking on small roles in obscure films, and Monica Bellucci found herself developing a real affinity for the world of performance.
Monica bellucci in Malena
Though Monica Bellucci had already established herself as a bona fide star in Europe, she remained virtually unknown in North America — something that changed dramatically with the emergence of the new century. She kicked off 2000 with a star-making performance in the drama Malena, which went on to receive Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. It was also around that time that Monica Bellucci married fellow actor and frequent costar Vincent Cassel, and in 2004, she gave birth to her daughter Deva.
“It doesn’t mean anything, beauty. I mean, if I see a beautiful man, maybe I am surprised for three seconds, but then if I speak with him and he’s completely stupid, I don’t see his beauty anymore.”
- Monica Bellucci
