Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, known for her roles in “Notre-Dame de Paris” or “Fanfan la tulipe”, died at the age of 95 on January 16, 2023. Update on her career.
It is an icon of cinema who has left us. Gina Lollibrigida died on Monday, January 16, 2023. The Italian actress, particularly prolific in the 1950s and 1960s, was 95 years old and had no health concerns. The general public has been able to see her evolve on the big screen in many feature films, such as “Fanfan la Tulipe”, “Bread, Love and Fantasy” or even “Notre-Dame de Paris” and “Stronger than the Devil”. She had nevertheless been more discreet since the 1970s. She had indeed converted to photography.
Born July 4, 1927 Gina Lollobrigida, real name Luigina Lollobrigida, began her career in the 1940s, playing supporting roles. However, she was revealed to the general public in 1952, in the film “Fanfan la Tulipe” by Christian-Jaque, where she gave the reply to Gérard Philippe. Subsequently, she was noticed for her performance in “Bread, Love and Fantasy” in 1953.
Gina Lollobrigida has toured with the greatest, notably in Hollywood opposite Humphrey Bogart in “Stronger than the Devil”, and Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in “Trapeze”. She also played Esmeralda in the film “Notre-Dame de Paris” by Jean Delannoy. She also distinguished herself in the dramatic register with “The Law”, “The Prey of the Vultures” or “Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”.
In France, the best-known role of Gina Lollobrigida is the one she played in “Fanfan la Tulipe” by Christian-Jaque. The film was released in 1952. The Italian actress opposite Gérard Philippe in the title role. She plays Adeline La Franchise, the female lead, daughter of the sergeant-recruiter who poses as a fortune teller who traps Fanfan by pushing him to enlist in the French army during the Seven Years’ War, before marry him.
Born on July 4, 1927, Gina Lollobrigida grew up in a modest working-class family forced to live in Rome. She first became known for her figure, participating in several beauty contests before embarking on the cinema. She was discovered in 1946 in “L’Aigle Noir”, before she gained notoriety in “Fanfan la Tulipe” then “Pain, Amour et Fantasie” and its sequel.
The legendary actress was then able to play with the greatest Hollywood actors, such as Franck Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart or Sean Connery. Gina Lollobrigida is notably known worldwide thanks to her role in “Stronger than the devil” then “Trapeze”. She also played Esmeralda in Jean Delannoy’s “Notre-Dame de Paris” (1956).
Gina Lollobrigida put a brutal brake on her career in the 1970s, especially after her divorce in 1968 from Milko Škofi?, which caused her to lose her manager. She definitely stopped filming in 1973 and embarked on a new passion, photography. However, she appeared punctually thereafter, notably at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1986 where she was president of the jury. She was also made Knight of the Legion of Honor and Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters.
After a career in the world of cinema and the arts, Gina Lollobrigida embarked on politics in the 1990s. She notably presented herself in the European elections on the list of the Democratic Party, before appearing more recently on the list “Sovereign and popular Italy” for the senatorial elections.
Gina Lollobrigida married Milko Skofic on January 15, 1949. The then doctor converted to become his wife’s manager. Together, they will have a child, Milko Škofi? Jr., born in 1957. Gina Lollobrigida and Milko Skofic divorce in 1968: the actress then loses her manager, which will gradually lead to the end of her career, the actress stopping filming definitively in 1973.
Gina Lollobrigida was at odds with her son Milko Škofi? Jr. The latter has, in fact, brought a lawsuit against the personal assistant of the actress, Andrea Piazzolla, suspecting him of abuse of weakness and embezzlement of money. A second trial is still in progress at the time of the death of the actress. Gina Lollobrigida had been imposed a guardian for the management of her heritage by the Court of Cassation in 2018.
Gina Lollobrigida died on January 16, 2023, Italian news agency Ansa reported. The Italian actress was 95 years old, and she was not known to have any major health issues. BFM TV, however, tells us that she was hospitalized a few months ago after a broken femoral neck.