This 86-Year-Old Actress Proves You Don’t Need Surgery to Look Stunning – Photos of Her Transformation
Claudia Cardinale photographed on January 1, 1960 | Source: Getty Images
Italian actress Claudia Cardinale was a prominent figure during Hollywood’s golden age. She has graced over 100 films throughout her illustrious career, with her most prolific period spanning from 1960 to 1970.
Claudia Cardinale pictured on January 1, 1960 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale photographed on January 1, 1963 | Source: Getty Images
Her remarkable performances also include the cult classic “Once Upon a Time in the West” (1968), directed by the legendary Sergio Leone. When asked in an interview about her memories of working with Leone, Cardinale recalled that his method of work was unique.
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “The Professionals,” 1966 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “One Upon a Time in the West,” 1968 | Source: Getty Images
In that era, whenever a new star emerged, Hollywood studios were quick to claim them, striving to monopolize all the rising talent. They often bound actors with restrictive contracts, which could end up stifling their careers.
Claudia Cardinale pictured on January 1, 1968 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale during a visit to the Alhambra on January 1, 1968, Granada, Spain. | Source: Getty Images
During her three-year tenure in Hollywood, Cardinale not only made her mark in “The Pink Panther” and “The Professionals,” but also shared the screen with prominent stars such as Rock Hudson in “Blindfold” and joined John Wayne and Rita Hayworth in “Circus World.”
Claudia Cardinale during a visit to the Alhambra on January 1, 1968, Granada, Spain. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale during a visit to the Alhambra on January 1, 1968, Granada, Spain. | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale first attended Cannes in 1961, presenting two films: Valerio Zurlini’s “Girl With a Suitcase,” where she portrayed an independent-minded singer, and Mauro Bolognini’s “The Lovemakers,” in which she starred opposite Jean-Paul Belmondo.
Claudia Cardinale pictured on March 10, 1969 | Source: Getty Images
A portrait of Claudia Cardinale pictured on March 1, 1969 | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale revealed that she had very long hair during that time, but Visconti wanted her to have dark hair, while Fellini preferred a blonde look. As a result, she had to change her hair color every two weeks to satisfy their different visions.
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “A Fine Couple,” 1969 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “In the Year of God,” 1969 | Source: Getty Images
Of this experience, she revealed, “At that time Universal wanted me to sign an exclusive contract. But I said: ‘No, I’m European. I’m going back.’ But they really insisted!”
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “In the Year of God,” 1969 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale posing on December 31, 1969, in Rome, Italy. | Source: Getty Images
She once revealed in an interview, “I’ve never done – what you say? – lifting in the face. Things like this. My mother used to say, ‘Wait until you are older, you will always be smiling.’ It’s true. So why would you hide it?”
Claudia Cardinale in the capital of the Soviet Union on March 1, 1969, in Moscow, Russia. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale pictured in front of the Novodevichy monastery on March 1, 1969, in Moscow, Russia. | Source: Getty Images
Her last film project was in the Tunisian-Italian movie, “The Island of Forgiveness.” Of her continued presence on the screens when she was 77, Cardinale, expressed, “The most important thing is to stay active. I don’t like all these facelifts and plastic surgery, because you can’t stop time.”
An undated picture of Claudia Cardinale | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale in the 1950s
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “Upstairs and Downstairs,” 1959 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale pictured dancing on a terrace on January 1, 1959 in Rome, Italy. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “The Pink Panther,” 1962 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale photographed on January 1, 1965 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale pictured on January 1, 1968 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale pictured on January 1, 1970, in New York. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale photographed on December 3, 1970, in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale in the 1980s
Claudia Cardinale photographed on January 1, 1982, in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale pictured at the Deauville Festival on January 1, 1983, in France. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale photographed at her home on November 1, 1984, in Rome, Italy. | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale in the 1990s
Claudia Cardinale pictured on June 1, 1997 in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale attends the Lumières de Paris Awards ceremony on January 14, 1999, in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale on the set of “La Venexiana,” 1999 | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale in the 2000s
Claudia Cardinale at the screening of “Burn After Reading” during the 65th Venice International Film Festival on August 27, 2008, in Venice, France. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale presents her book “My Tunisia” on June 16, 2009, in Tunis, Tunisia. | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale in the 2010s
Claudia Cardinale attends the premiere of “Inside Out” in 2015 | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale attends the Giorgio Armani Prive show on July 7, 2015, in Paris, France. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale at the screening of “Italiani Brava Gente” during the 13th Rome Film Fest on October 27, 2018, in Rome, Italy. | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale in the 2020s
Claudia Cardinale during a photo session in the Tunisian capital Tunis on on May 27, 2022, in Tunis, Tunisia. | Source: Getty Images
Claudia Cardinale attends the inauguration of the Claudia Cardinale street on May 29, 2022, in La Goulette, Tunisia. | Source: Getty Images
Cardinale’s journey through the decades shows her enduring talent, grace, and resilience. As one of the most iconic stars of Hollywood’s golden age, she has not only left an indelible mark on the film industry but also served as an inspiration for embracing authenticity and natural beauty.
