Biography
Who is Ornella Muti?
Early life and real name
Ornella Muti was born with the real name Francesca Romana Rivelli in Rome, Italy, on March 9, 1955. Her father was Mario Rivelli, a Neapolitan journalist, and her mother was Ilse Renate Krause, a Russian Baltic German sculptor from Estonia. Her maternal grandparents had emigrated from Saint Petersburg, Russia to Estonia.
As a teenager, she worked as a model before starting her acting career. She made her film debut at the age of fourteen in the 1970 film La moglie piu bella, directed by Damiano Damiani.
Career highlights
In the early seventies, Ornella Muti starred in numerous comedies, mostly within the erotic genre. In 1974, she played in Mario Monicelli's Come Home and Meet My Wife, which brought her wide popularity. During the 1970s and 1980s, she worked alongside popular actors such as Ugo Tognazzi, Vittorio Gassman, and Marcello Mastroianni in successful comedies like Nobody's Perfect and Rich and Poor.
Outside of Italy, she achieved fame for her role as Princess Aura in the 1980 science fiction cult film Flash Gordon. She also worked with directors across Europe, appearing in films such as Swann in Love with Jeremy Irons and Alain Delon, and Hotel with Salma Hayek and David Schwimmer. In the United States, she appeared in films including Oscar and To Rome with Love.
Personal life
In 1999, Ornella Muti insured her breasts for 350,000 dollars. She introduced her own jewellery line in 2008 and subsequently opened several shops around the world. In 1994, she became a resident of Monaco.
In 2015, an Italian court sentenced her to eight months in prison for cancelling a theatrical performance due to a health problem while attending a social dinner with Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg. She avoided prison by paying 30,000 euros in compensation to the Verdi theatre. In July 2022, she faced criticism from right-wing politicians for supporting the legalisation of cannabis in Italy.
Family and relationships
Ornella Muti has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Alessio Orano, her co-star from The Most Beautiful Wife, lasting from 1975 to 1981. Her second marriage was to Federico Fachinetti, lasting from 1988 to 1996.
She has three children in total, including Naike Rivelli, who is also an actress and model.
Birthday and age
Ornella Muti was born on March 9, 1955, which makes Ornella 71 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Ornella shares the date with 64 other famous people.
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