Sophia Loren

"Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid faith in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent, but with great inner drive, go so much further than people with vastly superior talent." - Sophia Loren

Among all the stars in Hollywood, there are few alive who have achieved as iconic a status as Sophia Loren, a stunning beauty whose career started because of an appearance in a beauty pageant in Italy but quickly ascended to the top of the profession. Loren has won every kind of major award, from an Oscar to a Golden Globe, and she has too many lifetime achievements to count. Alongside Shirley Temple and Lauren Bacall, Loren is the only living actress who made the American Film Institute's list as one of the Top 50 actresses of the 20th century, and as one of just 13 on the list born outside the U.S., she is unquestionably Italy's most acclaimed and famous actresses.

Loren's glamorous appearances have been seen by millions of viewers over the last 50 years, but few are familiar with what a stark contrast there was between her status as a sex symbol and her difficult childhood. Born in Italy in 1934, Loren's family wasn't well to do, and she came of age during World War II, and being in Italy, her family constantly had to deal with Allied bombing campaigns. In fact, one bombing raid left Loren injured by shrapnel as she attempted to reach shelter. She would later note, "The facts of life are that a child who has seen war cannot be compared with a child who doesn't know what war is except from television." Nevertheless, shortly after the war, she entered a beauty pageant at the age of 14 and was discovered there, leading to a career spanning about 60 years.

Sophia Loren: The Life of Italy's Most Famous Actress examines the life and work of one of the world's most famous actresses. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Loren like never before.