Sandra Milo Dies: Iconic Italian Actress Was 90
Veteran Italian actress Sandra Milo, best known for her roles in Federico Fellini‘s 8½ and Juliet of the Spirits, has died. She was 90.
According to Variety, Milo’s passing was confirmed on social media by her daughters, Debora and Azzura, and son Ciro, who revealed she died in her sleep on Monday (January 29) morning at her home in Rome.
Born Salvatrice Elena Greco on March 11, 1933, in Tunis, French Tunisia, Milo made her on-screen film debut in 1955’s The Bachelor. From there, she landed her first major role in Roberto Rossellini‘s 1959 drama film General Della Rovere; she also starred in Rossellini’s 1961 drama Vanina Vanini.
Milo briefly retired from acting after her first marriage but was convinced to return by Fellini to star opposite Marcello Mastroianni in his 1963 avant-garde classic 8½, which is available to stream on Prime Video and Apple TV. She also starred in Fellini’s 1965 comedy-drama Juliet of the Spirits.
Sandra Milo and Marcello Mastroianni in 8 1/2; The Everett Collection
Her film career died down towards the end of the 1960s, as she mostly appeared in television roles. Milo’s more recent work includes the 2010 comedy film Happy Family, the 2017 rom-com The Veil of Maya, and the 2018 comedy-drama, There’s No Place Like Home.
“The small and big screen are losing a great talented artist with overwhelming charisma,” Italian deputy culture minister Lucia Borgonzoni said in a statement. “A unique interpreter, capable of changing register with extreme simplicity, going from interpreting complex characters to lighter ones.
He continued, “In your very long career, you have fascinated and been the muse of great directors such as Federico Fellini and won the hearts of millions of Italians. She flies away a protagonist of Italian cinema.”
Milo received the David di Donatello Lifetime Achievement Award, Italy’s top film prize, in 2021, and, in 2022, returned to television in the reality show Quelle Brave Ragazze (Those Good Girls). The series followed three 80+ stars, including Milo, music impresario Mara Maionchi, and singer Orietta Berti, as they went on a road trip in a pink van.
In addition to her acting career, Milo also performed music, including a track on the 2018 album Voyages Extraordinaires.
Milo is survived by her three children, Debora, Azzura, and Ciro.
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