For Vittorio de Sica’s Two Women (1960), she won the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Female Performance Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
In 1991 the Italian received an Oscar for her professional career.
In September 1951, during a beauty contest in Rome, Sophia Loren met producer Carlo Ponti, 22 years her senior, who became the man of her life and her mentor.
Her acting career reached a brilliant peak with films such as “Pão, amor e…” (1955) by Dino Risi or “A Mulher do Rio” (1954) by Mario Schlachti.
From 1957, the Italian starred in Hollywood films with the great actors of the time, including Anthony Quinn, Clark Gable, Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, Peter Sellers, John Wayne and Frank Sinatra.
“Sex appeal is 50% what a woman has and 50% what others think of her,” the actress said.