Lauded for her portrayal of a prostitute in the U.S.-Italian film Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Cardinale co-starred with icons Henry Fonda, Jason Robards and Charles Bronson.
But audiences enjoyed seeing Cardinale, dubbed the Italian Brigitte Bardot, with the real Bardot–her friend and rival–in 1971’s The Legend of Frenchie King. What set her apart from Bardot? She said she never appeared nude in a film, “I always thought it was more erotic to leave some room to imagination, hinting at things rather than showing everything.”
Working in Hollywood was both successful and stressful. In a Life article, that referred to her as “the most admired international film star since Sophia Loren,” Cardinale revealed that she wanted out of the patriarchal Hollywood system. Speaking to the lower salary in Europe, Cardinale said, “If I have to give up the money, I give it up. I do not want to become a cliché.”
‘You cannot stop time’
Though her career slowed down, Cardinale said she is happy to have stepped away from the sexualized spotlight.
“When I was young, my dream was to explore the world. And I did it. I was never naked and I never did anything to change my face. I don’t like that at all. I like to be what I am, because you cannot stop time,” Cardinale said.
Cardinale married Italian director, Pasquale Squitieri in 1975 and was with him until his death in 2017. The pair have one daughter, Claudia.
In 2022, Cardinale addressed rumors that she was involuntarily hospitalized. Living in France, she said “I’m next to my family, I’m in full health. And I wish everyone a happy summer.”
