Virna Lisi
Biography
Virna Lisi was an Italian actress who started in films as a teenager after being discovered in Rome. Born in Ancona, she made her debut in La corda d'acciaio in 1953 and first appeared in musicals and parts that emphasized her looks before moving to more demanding work in The Doll That Took the Town, Eva, and Duel of the Titans (1961). In the late 1950s she acted at Piccolo Teatro di Milano, and in the 1960s she mixed Italian comedies with television dramas. Hollywood cast her as a blonde temptress in How to Murder Your Wife (1965) with Jack Lemmon. She appeared with Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra, and starred with Anthony Quinn in The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1969). Her later career included Casanova 70 (1965) and a career revival. For La Reine Margot (1994) she was named Best Actress at Cannes and earned the César for Best Supporting Actress as Catherine de' Medici. She died in 2014.
78years old at death
- Born Ancona
- Died Rome
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Virna Pieralisi (birth name)Also credited as Virna Lisa Pieralisi
Movie Career
- Films
- 17
- Career span
- 54 years1961 to 2015
Genres
First and latest
Photos
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A role that slipped away
Lisi declined the Tatiana Romanova part in From Russia with Love in 1963. Hollywood producers were looking for a new Marilyn Monroe, so she made her Hollywood comedy debut as a green-eyed blonde temptress opposite Jack Lemmon in How to Murder Your Wife in 1965.
First role
Lisi was discovered in Rome by the Neapolitan producers Antonio Ferrigno and Ettore Pesce and made her film debut in La corda d'acciaio in 1953.
Beyond film
At the Piccolo Teatro di Milano in the late 1950s, Virna Lisi took the stage in Federico Zardi's I giacobini, a production Giorgio Strehler directed.
A change of course
On Italian television, Lisi appeared in ads for a toothpaste brand. The slogan she delivered, "con quella bocca può dire ciò che vuole", turned into a catchphrase among Italians.
Virna Lisi movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Mario Feliciani appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Mario Feliciani's page
Alain Delon's page
Marcello Mastroianni's page
Michèle Mercier's page
Ennio Balbo's page
Marco Ferreri's page
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 1978 to 2002, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | |||
| 1994 | Best Actress | La Reine Margot | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| 2002 | Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress | Won | |
| 1997 | Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress | Won | |
| 1995 | César Award for Best Supporting Actress | La Reine Margot | Won |
| 1995 | Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress | Won | |
| 1990 | Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress | Won | |
| 1983 | David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actress | Won | |
| 1983 | Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress | Won | |
| 1980 | David di Donatello for Best Actress | Won | |
| 1978 | Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress | Won | |
| Ciak d'oro for career | Won | ||
| Globo d'oro for Livetime Achievement | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.