AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The Italian actress Claudia Cardinale died this week at the age of 87.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
She was alluring and magnetic, known for roles in major international and American films of the 1960s and '70s, like "8 1/2" and "The Pink Panther."
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE PINK PANTHER")
CLAUDIA CARDINALE: (As The Princess) Don't trust a man who doesn't care about animals, and don't trust an animal who doesn't care about people.
CHANG: Cardinale was born in Tunisia, and she actually expected to be a schoolteacher.
SHAPIRO: That was before she took first place in a beauty pageant. The prize? - a trip to the Venice Film Festival, where her life changed forever. Here she is reflecting on her early years in an interview with Red Carpet News TV in 2014.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CARDINALE: Because, you know, I started a long time ago - '58 (laughter). And it was a marvelous adventure. And I've been very lucky because I had lots of fantastic directors with me - I mean, Fellini, Visconti, and lots and lots.
CHANG: Cardinale also acted in two major Westerns, "The Professionals" and "Once Upon A Time In The West."
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CARDINALE: "Once Upon A Time In The West," I mean, with the music of Ennio Morricone, it's fantastic. And also, I'm the only woman. It's like the other one I did in America, "The Professional" (ph) - also the only woman, full of men - fantastic.
CHANG: (Laughter) She was revered as both a generational talent and a sex symbol but was seen kind of as the Italian girl-next-door version of her French counterpart, Brigitte Bardot.
SHAPIRO: Some said they had a bit of a rivalry, but that might have just been because of the literal fight scene Bardot and Cardinale played up for the 1971 film, "The Legend Of Frenchie King."
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "THE LEGEND OF FRENCHIE KING")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As character) Well, welcome to the party. I'll bet you $1 even on mine.
SHAPIRO: Here's Bardot telling a reporter from NBC News what it was like to work with Cardinale.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You were afraid of hurting her?
BRIGITTE BARDOT: Yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It looked to me the other way around.
BARDOT: No, it was very difficult because I was very frightened by the way to hurt her - Claudia.
CHANG: Cardinale continued acting well into her golden years and went on to start a foundation that advocated for women's rights and the environment. She was named a UNESCO goodwill ambassador in 2000.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
CARDINALE: I still continue to work. I'm doing now - it's 142 movies (laughter). And usually, when you are old, you don't work anymore, but I still working. That is good.
SHAPIRO: Claudia Cardinale was 87 years old.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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