Monica Bellucci

“Acting is not words. Holly Hunter didn't speak in The Piano (1993) and she won an Oscar.” Italian actress and model, she began her career as a fashion model at the age of 16 before moving into Italian, French and American cinema. In 1991, after dropping out of law school, she made her acting debut in the Italian miniseries “Vita coi figli” (“Life with children”). A year later, invited by Francis Ford Coppola himself, she made a breakthrough in her acting career by playing one of Dracula's wives in “Bram Stoker's Dracula” (1992). Inspired by the numerous positive reviews for this role, she enrolled in acting classes to improve in this promising profession. Her participation in "Apartment" earned her a César Award nomination for "Best Promising Actress" and her performance in "Under Suspicion" (2000) and "Malèna" (2000) earned her popularity with American audiences and international recognition. Subsequently, she participated in renowned projects such as "Brotherhood of the Wolf" (2001), playing a rape victim in the controversial thriller "Irréversible" (2002), as Persephone in the science fiction films "Matrix Reloaded" (2003) and "Matrix Revolutions" (2003) and praised for her portrayal of Mary Magdalene in "The Passion of the Christ" (2004). She was married to French actor Vincent Cassel from 1999 to 2013, with whom she has two daughters and with whom she has participated in several film projects.