Sophia Loren

Overcoming humble beginnings as the illegitimate daughter of a frustrated actress, Sophia Loren - initially credited as "Sofia Lazzaro" because it was said her beauty could raise Lazzarus from the dead - became one of the most iconic movie stars of the 20th century.

After starring in a number of Italian feature films, Loren burst onto the Hollywood scene in the mid '50s, starring in such films as That Kind of Woman, Houseboat opposite Cary Grant, Desire Under the Elms, and The Black Orchid, for which she received a Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

She returned to Italy in 1960 to star in Two Women, a period piece about a woman and her daughter living in war-torn Italy. Originally cast in the role of the daughter, Loren fought against being typecast and was recast as the mother, demonstrating a range that transcended her Hollywood pin-up status. Her memorable performance won her international acclaim and an Academy Award for best actress.

Loren has worked with some of the industry's most celebrated directors, including Michael Curtiz, Anatole Litvak, and Charlie Chaplin, and opposite such leading men as Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Gregory Peck, and Charlton Heston. Her credits included El Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Arabesque, Man of La Mancha, The Cassandra Crossing, Marriage Italian Style, A Special Day, and Grumpier Old Men, her biggest US hit. She most recently appeared in the musical Nine alongside a host of stars including Penélope Cruz, Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, and Dame Judi Dench.

A 1991 Honorary Academy Award recipient for her body of work, Sophia Loren has been called "one of world cinema's greatest treasures." She shares fascinating stories from her life and career in keynotes that transport audiences back to Hollywood's Golden Age.