Italian Beauty: Happy Birthday, Ornella Muti!

Ornella Muti (Francesca Romana Rivelli) was born in Rome on March 9, 1955. Since 13, she worked as a photo model.

She debuted as a film actress at the age of 14, playing the role of Francesca Cimarosa in drama “The Most Beautiful Wife” by Damiano Damiani.

In 1994, Class magazine’s readers chose her as the “Most Beautiful Woman in the World” in a global poll.

In 1979, Ornella Muti played the role of the protagonist’s bride in Soviet-Italian movie “Life is Beautiful”, directed by Grigory Chukhray.
Above: Ornella Muti and Giancarlo Giannini in "Life is Beautiful"

Her fame grew global thanks to “The Taming of the Scoundrel” (1980), where she co-starred with Adriano Celentano. The comedy had tremendous success and the characters’ dialogues became lasting quotes.

Elia: “You are more stubborn than a mule”.
Lisa: “Finally, you give me a compliment!” (a dialogue from "The Taming of the Scoundrel").
Above: Ornella Muti, Gerard Depardieu during the Lambertz Monday Night 2015 at Alter Wartesaal on February 2, 2015 in Cologne, Germany.

“Is there a female Maradona? Yes, Ornella Muti,” as the legendary Argentinian striker described the actress.
Above: Italian actress Ornella Muti arrives for the screening of "La Nostra Vita" (Our Life) presented in competition at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2010 in Cannes. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE

Ornella Muti introduced her own jewelry brand in 2008 and opened a chain of shops in Milan, Moscow, Paris, Riga, and Almaty.
Above: International Film Festival Cannes 1998 - Carla Bruni, Ornella Muti, Eva Herzigova at the opening of the Chopard Boutique.

Apart from Italian, Ornella Muti speaks French, German, Spanish and English. She is vegetarian.
Above: Italian actress Ornella Muti orders a cup of tea at Khan al-Khalili bazaar as her daughter looks on 15 November 2000 in Cairo. Muti arrived in Egypt to attend the final ceremony of the 24th Cairo International Festival.

Ornella Muti has been married twice. In 2008, she started a relationship with entrepreneur Fabrice Karherve. She has three children and two grandchildren.
Above: Italian actress Ornella Muti and her companion Fabrice Kerherve arrive at the opening ceremony of the annual International cinema festival "Listopad 2010" (Fall of the leaves) in Minsk on November 5, 2010. AFP PHOTO / VIKTOR DRACHEV

An Italian court sentenced her to a 30,000 euro or eight months in prison fine for skipping a theater performance to dine with Russian President Vladimir Putin and actor Kevin Costner at a charity event in 2010.
Above: May 20, 2010, Cannes, France: Italian actress Ornella Muti arrives for the screening of 'La Nostra Vita' (Our Life) presented in competition at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival///Ornella Muti.

Ornella Muti has Russian roots. Her grandparents lived in Saint Petersbug. The “Last seven years I have often visited Russia. My heart is calling me here. Whenever I go to Russia, I tell my mother about it. And she is always glad to hear it and tells me not to forget about my Cossack roots,” Muti said in 2011.