Monica Bellucci

She married her co-star Vincent Cassel in 1999. The two first met while shooting for the film, ‘The Apartment’. The couple has been blessed with two children, Deva and Leonie.

Vincent Cassel allegedly reported to have a number of affairs outside the matrimony. It is due to this reason that the two have announced their separation in August 2013.

Monica Bellucci was born to Brunella Briganti and Pasquale Bellucci in Citta di Castello, Umbria, Italy. She was the only child of the couple.

Coming from a relatively humble background, she spent much of her growing up years in San Giustino.

Completing her preliminary education, she enrolled at the University of Perugia to study law. Simultaneously, she started her career in modelling to pay for her tuition fees.

Her trysts in front of the camera started early at the age of 13. She posed for a local photo enthusiast. No sooner she gave up a legal profession to pursue modelling as a full time vocation.

As she started getting more modelling assignments, she No sooner she gave up legal profession to pursue modelling as a full time vocation.

In 1988, she moved to the epicentre of Europe’s fashion, Milan and signed a contract with the Elite Model Management. Within a year, she became a reputed name in the modelling circuit as she modelled in Paris and across the Atlantic in New York City.

During the peak of her career, she modelled for reputed and eminent fashions brands like, Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior and French Elle. Furthermore, she appeared on the cover of various magazines including Esquire and Maxim.

Modelling career apart, she tried her luck as an actor as well and took up acting classes to polish her artistic skills. In the early 1990s, she began her film career. Initially she was seen in a couple of minor roles for films such as ‘La Riffa’ and ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’.

In 1997, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Cesar Awards for her role in the film ‘The Apartment’.

In 2001, she recived a nomination in the category of Audience Award for Best Actress at the European Film Awards for ‘Malena’.

While Men's Health named her one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time", ranking her at No. 21, in 2002, she was ranked No. 1 on AskMen’s Most Desirable Woman list.

Her role of ‘Persephone’ in the Matrix series earned her the twenty-fifth spot in the ‘Sexiest 25 Characters in Cinema - The Women’ by the Empire magazine.

In 2003 she won a couple of nominations, beginning with Best Supporting Actress by Saturn Award for ‘Brotherhood for the Wolf’, Best Supporting Actress by David Di Donatello Awards for ‘Ricordati di me’, Best Female for Cinemascope Genre Face of the Future Award for ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘The Matrix Revolution.