Italian goddess Virna Lisi was merely one of a plethora of European movie beauties who proved over the course of their long careers, that they were capable of more than just visual performances. Born in 1936 as Virna Pieralisi, she began her film career as a teenager in 1953. Cast more for her looks than talent at the onset, her early pictures ...
Cannes Best Actress Award, David di Donatello for Best Actress, David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actress, César Award for Best Supporting Actress, David di Donatello Special Award, Golden Globe for the Career
Movies
How to Murder Your Wife, La Reine Margot, Not with My Wife, You Don't!, Assault on a Queen, Duel of the Titans, The Secret of Santa Vittoria, The Black Tulip, The Birds, the Bees and the Italians, The 25th Hour, The Dolls, Casanova 70, The Best Day of My Life, Time for Loving, Bluebeard, I ragazzi d...
When asked by an interviewer in 1965 who she considered to be a great beauty, Brigitte Bardot said that in her opinion Virna Lisi was the most beautiful woman in the world.
One child from Franco Pesci: Corrado, born in July 1962.
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She has three grandsons: Franco (b. 1995), Federico and Riccardo (b. 2003).
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Was cast in the title role in Barbarella (1968), but she turned it down and returned to Italy.
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The '80s Argentinian band, Sumo (led by an Italian singer), made a song for her. The singer's brother is the actor Andrea Prodan, who appeared with her in the movie I ragazzi di via Panisperna (1988).
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Alternated filming activity with television and stage acting, namely at Piccolo Teatro di Milano, where she did "I giacobini" by Federico Zardi, under the direction of Strehler. She was one of the stars launched as a successor to Marilyn Monroe in the United States, in the late '60s.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Latin Lover
2015
Rita
Madre, aiutami.
2014
TV Mini-Series
Suor Germana
Baciamo le mani: Palermo-New York 1958
2013
TV Series
Donna Agnese Vitaliano
La donna che ritorna
2011
TV Mini-Series
Paola Silenti
Caterina e le sue figlie
2005-2010
TV Mini-Series
Caterina
Il sangue e la rosa
2008
TV Series
Lucrezia Sciarra
Fidati di me
2008
TV Mini-Series
Elena Donati
Donne sbagliate
2007
TV Movie
Anna Miglio
L'onore e il rispetto
2006
TV Mini-Series
Ersilia Fortebracci
A casa di Anna
2004
TV Movie
Anna
I ragazzi della via Pál
2003
TV Movie
Edit Horváth
Il bello delle donne
2001-2003
TV Series
Contessa Miranda Spadoni
Il più bel giorno della mia vita
2002
Irene
Le ali della vita 2
2001
TV Movie
Sorella Alberta
La memoria e il perdono
2001
TV Movie
Elena Satta
Occhi verde veleno
2001
TV Movie
Piccolo mondo antico
2001
TV Movie
Marchesa Orsola
Un dono semplice
2000
TV Movie
Le ali della vita
2000
TV Movie
Sorella Alberta
Cristallo di rocca - Una storia di Natale
1999
TV Movie
Sanna
Balzac: A Passionate Life
1999
TV Movie
Madame de Berny
Il deserto di fuoco
1997
TV Mini-Series
Christine Duvivier
Uno di noi
1996
TV Mini-Series
Occhio di falco
1996
TV Series
Va' dove ti porta il cuore
1996
Olga anziana
Queen Margot
1994
Catherine de Médicis
Passioni
1993
TV Series
I misteri della giungla nera
1991
TV Mini-Series
Sara Corishant
Buon Natale... Buon anno
1989
Elvira
E se poi se ne vanno?
1989
TV Movie
Anita
Cinema
1989
TV Movie
Maria
I ragazzi di via Panisperna
1988
Signora Majorana, la madre di Ettore
E non se ne vogliono andare!
1988
TV Movie
Anita Giuliani
Se un giorno busserai alla mia porta
1987
TV Mini-Series
Livia Bandini
I Love N.Y.
1987
Anna Cotone
Christopher Columbus
1985
TV Mini-Series
Dona Moniz Perestrello
Amarsi un po'...
1984
Principessa Maria Cellini
...e la vita continua
1984
TV Mini-Series
Giulia Betocchi
Time for Loving
1983
Adriana Balestra
Miss Right
1982
Anna
The Cricket
1980
Wilma Malinverni
Bugie bianche
1979
Luisa Herrighe
Ernesto
1979
Ernesto's Mother
Beyond Good and Evil
1977
Elisabeth Nietzsche
Challenge to White Fang
1974
Sister Evangelina
Philo Vance
1974
TV Mini-Series
Margaret Odell
White Fang
1973
Sister Evangelina
The Serpent
1973
Mrs. Annabel Lee
Bluebeard
1972
The singer
Les galets d'Étretat
1972
Alny
Roma bene
1971
Silvia Santi
Love Me Strangely
1971
Nathalie Revent
The Statue
1971
Rhonda Bolt
Giochi particolari
1970
Claude
Le temps des loups
1970
Stella Menzoni
The Secret of Santa Vittoria
1969
Caterina
L'arbre de Noël
1969
Catherine Graziani
If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium
1969
John's Beautiful Cousin in Rome
Meglio vedova
1968
Rosa Minniti
Tenderly
1968
Yolanda
Le dolci signore
1968
Luisa
Arabella
1967
Arabella
La ragazza e il generale
1967
Ada
The 25th Hour
1967
Suzanna Moritz
Not with My Wife, You Don't!
1966
Julie Ferris
Assault on a Queen
1966
Rosa Lucchesi
A Maiden for the Prince
1966
Giulia
The Birds, the Bees and the Italians
1966
Milena Zulian
Oggi, domani, dopodomani
1965
Dorotea (segment "L'ora di punta")
Made in Italy
1965
Virginia (segment "3 'La Donna', episode 1")
Casanova 70
1965
Gigliola
The Possessed
1965
Tilde
The Dolls
1965
Luisa (segment "Telefonata, La")
How to Murder Your Wife
1965
Mrs. Ford
Coplan prend des risques
1964
Ingrid Carlsen
La tulipe noire
1964
Caroline 'Caro' Plantin
Don't Tempt the Devil
1963
Gina Bianchi
The Shortest Day
1963
Naja, una spia austriaca
Una tragedia americana
1962
TV Mini-Series
Sondra Finchley
Eva
1962
Francesca Ferrara
Duel of the Titans
1961
Julia
5 marines per 100 ragazze
1961
Grazia
Sua Eccellenza si fermò a mangiare
1961
Silvia
Il caso Maurizius
1961
TV Mini-Series
Cenerentola
1960
TV Movie
Cenerentola
Cieli alti
1960
TV Movie
Angela
Un militare e mezzo
1960
Anita Rossi
Ottocento
1959-1960
TV Mini-Series
La contessa Castiglione
I masnadieri
1959
TV Movie
Caterina Sforza, la leonessa di Romagna
1959
Caterina Sforza
Il mondo dei miracoli
1959
Laura Damiani
Il padrone delle ferriere
1959
Claire de Beaulieu
Lost Souls
1959
Anna
Totò, Peppino e le fanatiche
1958
Ragazza
Leocadia
1958/II
TV Movie
Amanda
Il conte di Matera (Il tiranno)
1958
Greta Tramontana, figlia di Rambaldo
La cara ombra
1958
TV Movie
Angela
Donne in ermellino
1958
TV Movie
Sally Dutton
Orgoglio e pregiudizio
1957
TV Mini-Series
Elizabeth Bennett
The Doll That Took the Town
1957
Liliana Attenni
Vendicata!
1956
Lo scapolo
1955
Extra (uncredited)
Les hussards
1955
Elisa
La rossa
1955
Maria
Ripudiata
1955
Luna nova
1955
Lucia
Addio Napoli!
1955
Le diciottenni
1955
Maria Rovani
Il vetturale del Moncenisio
1954
Jeanne Thibaud, figlia di Jean Claude
Il cardinale Lambertini
1954
Maria di Pietramelara
Piccola santa
1954
Maria
La corda d'acciaio
1954
Stella
Lettera napoletana
1954
Anna Esposito
Violenza sul lago
1954
Laura, Marco's daughter
Desiderio 'e sole
1954
Laura
...e Napoli canta!
1953
Maria Mariani
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Latin Lover
2015
in memory of - as Virna
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Amen. Il pittore che fece sognare Hollywood
2012
Documentary
Herself
L'ultimo gattopardo: Ritratto di Goffredo Lombardo
2010
Documentary
Herself
Pietro Germi - Il bravo, il bello, il cattivo
2009
Documentary
Herself
Quelli che... il calcio
2009
TV Series
Herself
Ti lascio una canzone
2009
TV Series
Herself
Viaggio in corso nel cinema di Carlo Lizzani
2007
Documentary
Himself
Festival di Sanremo
2006
TV Series
Herself
Corazón, corazón
1996
TV Series
Herself
MTV Video Music Awards Brasil 1995
1995
TV Special
Herself - Performer
One Hundred and One Nights
1995
Herself - in Cannes
Cerimonia conclusiva della XLIV Mostra internazionale del cinema
1987
TV Movie
Herself
Stelle emigranti
1982
TV Movie documentary
Herself
Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny
1982
TV Movie
Herself
Samedi soir
1972
TV Series
Herself
The Barbara McNair Show
1971
TV Series
Herself
The Dean Martin Show
1970
TV Series
Herself
The Bob Hope Show
1969
TV Series
Herself
The Joey Bishop Show
1969
TV Series
Herself
The David Frost Show
1969
TV Series
Herself
The Ed Sullivan Show
1968
TV Series
Herself - Actress
The Eamonn Andrews Show
1967
TV Series
Herself
What's My Line?
1966
TV Series
Herself - Mystery Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1966
TV Series
Herself - Guest
The 38th Annual Academy Awards
1966
TV Special
Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Music Score Awards
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The 87th Annual Academy Awards
2015
TV Special
Herself - Actress (In Memoriam)
Walt Disney e l'Italia - Una storia d'amore
2014
Documentary
Herself
Dai nostri inviati: La Rai racconta la Mostra del cinema di Venezia 1980-1989
2013
TV Movie documentary
Herself
Hollywood sul Tevere
2009
Documentary
Herself
Il falso bugiardo
2008
Herself
Marcello, una vita dolce
2006
Documentary
Herself
Cinema mil
2005
TV Series
Herself
Kolossal - i magnifici Macisti
1977
Documentary
Julia (as V. Lisi)
Un sorriso, uno schiaffo, un bacio in bocca
1975
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2011
Pietro Bianchi Award
Venice Film Festival
2009
Career David
David di Donatello Awards
2005
Tribute Plate
Lecce Festival of European Cinema
2005
Taormina Arte Award
Taormina International Film Festival
2004
Career Golden Globe
Golden Globes, Italy
2002
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice Non Protagonista)
Il più bel giorno della mia vita (2002)
2002
Audience Award
Flaiano Film Festival
Best Actress
Il più bel giorno della mia vita (2002)
2000
Career Goblet
Golden Goblets, Italy
1997
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
Va' dove ti porta il cuore (1996)
1996
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, Italy
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice)
Va' dove ti porta il cuore (1996)
1996
Special David
David di Donatello Awards
For her prestigious career.
1995
Career Award
Flaiano International Prizes
Cinema
1995
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice Non Protagonista)
La reine Margot (1994)
1995
César
César Awards, France
Best Supporting Actress (Meilleure actrice dans un second rôle)
La reine Margot (1994)
1994
Best Actress
Cannes Film Festival
La reine Margot (1994)
1990
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
Buon Natale... Buon anno (1989)
1983
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice Non Protagonista)
Sapore di mare (1983)
1983
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice non Protagonista)
Sapore di mare (1983)
1980
Golden Goblet
Golden Goblets, Italy
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice)
La cicala (1980)
1980
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice)
La cicala (1980)
1978
Golden Goblet
Golden Goblets, Italy
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice)
Al di l (1977)
1978
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice Non Protagonista)
Al di l (1977)
1964
Golden Orange
Taormina International Film Festival
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2015
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
Latin Lover (2015)
1996
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
Va' dove ti porta il cuore (1996)
1995
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice non Protagonista)
La reine Margot (1994)
1990
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
Buon Natale... Buon anno (1989)
1969
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
Tenderly (1968)
2nd Place Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1965
Golden Laurel
Laurel Awards
New Faces, Female
Known for movies
Queen Margot (1994) as Catherine de Médicis
Il più bel giorno della mia vita (2002) as Irene
How to Murder Your Wife (1965) as Mrs. Ford
The Birds, the Bees and the Italians (1966) as Milena Zulian
$5 Million
