Claudia Cardinale, one of the most beloved and recognizable actresses in film history, passed away on September 23 at the age of 87 in Nemours, near Paris, where she had lived for years. Her children were by her side. The news shook the cultural world: with her, an icon departs who embodied over six decades of cinema, blending talent, charisma and beauty.

Born in Tunis in 1938 to Sicilian parents, Cardinale entered the film world almost by chance. After a beauty contest win led her to Rome’s National Film School, she soon found herself cast in Mario Monicelli’s Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958). By the early 1960s, she had already worked with Pietro Germi, Mauro Bolognini and Luchino Visconti (Rocco and His Brothers, The Leopard), as well as Federico Fellini (8½).

Her role in The Leopard, especially the ball scene with Alain Delon, remains one of cinema’s most iconic moments. Hollywood soon beckoned, with appearances alongside David Niven, Peter Sellers, John Wayne and Burt Lancaster. Yet Cardinale chose to maintain her base in Italy, where she embraced both artistic and personal challenges.

Her unforgettable performances included Damiano Damiani’s The Day of the Owl and Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, where she portrayed one of the most complex female characters in the western genre. Later collaborations ranged from Werner Herzog (Fitzcarraldo) to Marco Bellocchio (Enrico IV) and Liliana Cavani (La pelle).

In total, she starred in more than 150 films, winning five David di Donatello awards, five Nastri d’Argento, and lifetime honors at major festivals. Alongside her acting, she became a steadfast advocate for women’s rights and artistic freedom.

David Niven once called her “the most beautiful invention of the Italians after spaghetti”. Today, her legacy endures as both a screen legend and a symbol of female independence.