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Isabella RosselliniActress, fashion model
Date of Birth: 18.06.1952
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini, an Italian model and actress, was born on June 18, 1952, in Rome, Italy, to actress Ingrid Bergman and Italian neorealist director Roberto Rossellini. From an early age, she developed a passion for art and show business, and at the age of 20, she knew she would follow in her mother's footsteps. However, Rossellini achieved success without the help of her famous mother.
Early Life and Career
Isabella Rossellini grew up in Rome and later in the capital of France, Paris. At the age of 11, she was diagnosed with scoliosis, and to correct her spinal curvature, she underwent an 18-month treatment that included painful body stretching, surgeries, and wearing a special brace.
In her late teens, Rossellini moved to New York City, where she attended Finch College while working as a reporter for RAI (Italian public television and radio company). She also appeared on the television show 'L'altra Domenica' with renowned Italian actor and director Roberto Benigni.
In 1976, at the age of 24, Isabella made her film debut in the movie 'A Matter of Time,' where her mother Ingrid Bergman played the lead role. However, this small role did not bring Rossellini fame. Three years later, in 1979, two significant events took place in her life. Isabella played one of the title roles in the drama 'Il Prato' alongside Michele Placido and married American-Italian director Martin Scorsese. This marriage led to her permanent move to New York City, and in 1980, after a minor role in the film 'The Eyes, the Mouth,' she began her modeling career.
Her first photos, taken by photographers Bruce Weber for the British version of Vogue and Bill King for the American edition of the same magazine, gained her recognition. Rossellini went on to collaborate with many famous photographers, including Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton, Peter Lindbergh, Annie Leibovitz, and many others. Her photos appeared in popular glossy magazines such as Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and ELLE.
In 1982, Isabella divorced Martin Scorsese and became the face of the cosmetic brand Lancôme, with which she ended her collaboration 14 years later in 1996, stating that she was "too old."
Acting Career and Personal Life
In March 1988, the Museum of Modern Art in Paris held an exhibition called 'Portrait of a Woman,' featuring exclusively Isabella Rossellini's photographs. Alongside her successful modeling career, she actively pursued acting and starred in various films. Her first American film was the drama 'White Nights' (1985). Two years before the release of 'White Nights,' Rossellini married for the second time to Jonathan Wiedemann, and in the same year, they welcomed their daughter Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann.
Isabella's next significant role was in director David Lynch's thriller 'Blue Velvet,' where she played the lead role. This project was significant for two reasons: Rossellini received her first film award, the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, for her role as Dorothy Vallens, and she also began a romantic relationship with Lynch, which lasted for six years.
During their relationship, Rossellini appeared in numerous films and television series, including 'Siesta' (1987), 'Cousins' (1989), 'The Tracey Ullman Show' (1989-1990), 'Wild at Heart' (1990, her second collaboration with Lynch), 'Les Amants du Pont-Neuf' (1991), and 'The Siege of Venice' (1991).
Isabella's next notable project was the comedy 'Death Becomes Her' (1992), where she starred alongside Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, and Goldie Hawn. For her role as Lisle von Rhoman, Rossellini received the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1993, Rossellini became the adoptive mother of a boy named Roberto, whom she named after her father. In 1994, she appeared in the film 'Immortal Beloved,' based on the life of renowned composer Ludwig van Beethoven, where she portrayed the beautiful Anna-Marie Erdödy. Her co-star in the film, British actor Gary Oldman, became her romantic partner, but their relationship ended in 1996.
Apart from her successful modeling and acting careers, Isabella Rossellini is also an author, writing three books: 'Some of Me' (1997, memoir), 'Looking at Me' (2002, a book dedicated to the photographers she worked with and their photographs), and 'In the Name of the Father, the Daughter, and the Holy Spirits: Remembering Roberto Rossellini' (2006, a work dedicated to her father Roberto). She is also known as an activist for wildlife conservation and environmental protection.
Isabella Rossellini's latest film is the biographical drama 'Joy,' based on real events, and she can also be seen in the new television series 'Clairvoyant,' which aired all ten episodes on December 7th. In May 2017, audiences will see Isabella Rossellini in the Russian film 'Silent Life,' directed by Vladislav Kozlov, where she plays the lead role.
