Why Did Sophia Loren Refuse To Shave Her Armpits? We Finally Got The Answer!
3. Becoming Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren’s breakthrough role came in 1953 with Ida, in which she showed everyone how serious of an actress she was. The star gained further recognition with leading roles in Two Nights with Cleopatra and The Gold of Naples (1954), which made her even more famous. Sophia’s popularity skyrocketed after she collaborated with Marcello Mastroianni, beginning with Too Bad She’s Bad (1954). Their on-screen chemistry was so spicy they decided to star in more films together, including La Bella Mugnaia (1955) and Scandal in Sorrento. Notably, in The Pride and the Passion (1957), Loren proved her versatility alongside Hollywood stars Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. With these many successful roles, Loren’s talent became too big for Italy.
4. Sophia Loren’s International Success
It was time for Sophia to go international. That breakthrough came in 1958 when she signed a five-picture deal with Paramount. Her role in Desire Under the Elms and Houseboat did showcase just how talented she was, but it was Two Women (1960) that cemented her fame and earned her the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award and an Oscar for Best Actress, marking the first non-English language performance to win such an award. From then on, Loren’s won many more international awards and had plenty of box office hits. In 1965, she received an Academy Award nomination for Marriage Italian Style, and the rest of her all-time hits, like The Millionairess (1960) and Arabesque (1966), solidified her status as a major international movie star. In the late 60s, Loren’s career hit a slower pace as she focused on promoting and starring in Italian cinema and family life.
