Sophia Loren turns 91 today after a legendary career. The Italian actress broke into Hollywood in 1958 when she starred in Desire Under the Elms with Anthony Perkins. Sophia went on to become one of the most popular actresses in the world. In 1960, she became the first ever performer to win an Oscar for a non-English language performance, for the film Two Women. Sophia is a mom-of-two, to Carlo Ponti Jr., 56, and Edoardo Ponti, 52. The actress' last acting role was the 2020 film The Life Ahead, which was directed by her youngest son.
Sophia's personal life is just as iconic as her professional one. When she was just 16, Sophia married Carlo Ponti, who was 22 years older than her at 37. He had long been separated from his wife but was not legally divorced because it was illegal in Italy, and the pair struck up a romance.
During the first few years of their relationship, Sophia also had a tumultuous affair with co-star Cary Grant but in 1957 at the age of 23 she and Carlo wed by proxy – because he was still not divorced – with two male attorneys taking their place in Mexico. They lived in Hollywood for three years under the threat of being charged with bigamy if they returned to Italy.
In 1962 the pair chose to annul their marriage, and moved to France, along with Carlo's estranged wife Giuliana Fiastri, with whom he had two children, so that Carlo and Giuliana could legally divorce. In 1966 Sophia and Carlo then married again, and welcomed their sons. The two were together until his death in 2007 at the age of 94.
As Sophia celebrates this huge birthday, here are seven of her most iconic looks.
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© GettySophia had a difficult childhood
Until age 14, the actress was a skinny child and considered an ugly duckling. Her nicknames were "The Stick" and "Toothpick."
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© Getty ImagesSophia and her husband had an age-gap marriage
Sophia's husband Carlo was two years older than her mother. Carlo was an Italian film producer and is credited with reinvigorating and popularizing Italian cinema post-World War II.
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© Getty ImagesShe started her career in pageantry
Sofia participated in her first beauty pageant at the age of 15. Being one of the contestants at the 1950 Miss Italia competition, she earned the second place and was awarded "Miss Eleganza." In 2010, Sophia crowned the 71st Miss Italia pageant winner.
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© Ron Galella Collection via GettySophia received an honorary Oscar
In 1991, Sophia received an Honorary Academy Award for her lifetime contributions to cinema. To the ceremony, she wore a beaded black gown paired with a black shawl. That same year, Julia Roberts was nominated for her work in Pretty Woman.
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© GettySophia is a proud mom of two sons
Carlo is an acclaimed conductor, having worked at the Conductor's Institute in Connecticut, under the direction of Harold Farberman from 1994–96, in Los Angeles from 1997-99, before returning to Europe to work for the Russian National Orchestra from 2000 to 2018.
Edoardo is a producer and director; his first film, Between Strangers, also starred his mother Sophia Loren as well as Mira Sorvino, Gérard Depardieu, Pete Postlethwaite, and Malcolm McDowell, and premiered at Venice Film Festival.
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Sophia is a Grammy winner
In 2004, Sophia won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for her work in "Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf/Beintus" along with former US President Bill Clinton and former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev.
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© Mondadori Portfolio via Getty ImSophia loves glasses
Sophia was the first celebrity to have an eyewear eyeglasses brand. The collection is specifically designed for women over 40, embodying timeless elegance and sophistication.
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© GettySophia is Drew Barrymore's godmother
The actress is Drew Barrymore's godmother. Sophia served as a mentor and role model, with Drew spending summers at her ranch during her formative years. Sophia is friends with Drew's other godmother, Anna Strasberg.
