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A living legend - Sophia Loren is the biggest diva of Italian cinema. Internationally, she can be compared to stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot.

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Persistence - But the Italian stunner actually had a hard time reaching Hollywood audiences.

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Origin -

Loren was born into a humble family and  grew up around Naples. Her mother was a piano teacher, while her father worked as an engineer.

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Miss Italia - In 1950, when she was 16 years old, Sophia Loren moved to Rome to participate in the Miss Italia beauty pageant. She took second place, with the jury finding her "too sexy" for the aesthetic values of that time.

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Surprised - Loren is shown relaxing while in her flat in Rome.

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Controversy - Before she became famous all over the world, Loren was at the center of various scandals. One of which was due to her relationship with producer Carlo Ponti, who was already married and 20 years older than the diva.

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The wedding - Since divorce was unacceptable back then, the couple kept their relationship a secret. Only in 1966 did they get married, but they were together until Ponti passed away in 2007.

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Children - They had two sons: Edoardo Ponti and Carlo Ponti Jr.

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Cleopatra - Sophia Loren's first leading role was in 'Two Nights with Cleopatra' (1954), directed by Mario Mattoli. In the movie, the actress plays the famous Egyptian queen.

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Worldwide success - The diva hit the headlines when she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures in 1958 for five movies.

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The first Oscar - Although by this time she was already popular in Hollywood, her first big award came thanks to the movie 'Two Women' (1960). She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first actress to win an Oscar for a non-English movie.

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Famed leading men - Loren worked with the top leading men of her era. This was true for 1961's 'El Cid,' in which she starred alongside Charlton Heston.

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Suitors -

In her memoir, the actress revealed that famed actor Cary Grant asked her to marry him. The two had worked together in 'The Pride and the Passion' (1957, pictured). Richard Burton, who was married to Elizabeth Taylor, was also reportedly an admirer of Sophia Loren, to whom he sent letters periodically.

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At the top of her career - In 1964, Loren reached the peak of her career with her role in 'The Fall of the Roman Empire,' for which she was paid US$1 million.

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Globetrotter - Sophia Loren starred in many movies around the world. For example, 'Arabesque' (1966), costarring Gregory Peck, filmed in both England and Wales. 

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More fun in England - The actress poses with British star Peter Sellers in 1959. The comedian, famous for 'The Pink Panther,' worked with Loren in 'The Millionairess' (1960), which was also shot in England.

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Comedian - In 'Marriage Italian Style' (1964), the actress starred with Marcello Mastroianni, a dear friend and colleague. She also scored a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role in the comedy.

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Scandal - Once again, Loren ended up on the front pages of newspapers. This time it was for a 1974 case involving tax evasion and, as a result, she spent 17 days in an Italian prison in 1982.

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The second Oscar - In 1991, the Academy presented her with their Honorary Oscar.

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Movie legend - In 1999, the prestigious American Film Institute named Sophia Loren one of the 25 greatest female stars of Classic Hollywood.

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Awards - In 2001, the actress received the Special Grand Prix of the Americas Award at the Montreal Film Festival for her career.

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Recent work - One of her latest movie appearances was in 2014's 'Human Voice,' a short film directed by her son, Edoardo Ponti.

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Maternal love - 'Human Voice' was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. Edoardo Ponti and his mother are also very close outside of work, spending a lot of time together.

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Beauty - As the decades have gone by, Sophia Loren hasn't lost her prominent beauty. At first, she was considered a sex symbol. Nowadays, she's an icon of elegance and classic beauty all over the world.

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Author - Sophia Loren has written a few books, the latest being 'Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: My Life,' published on her 80th birthday.

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Still influential - The actress has always been a style icon. At the age of 81, she launched her lipstick collection with Dolce&Gabbana.

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A vulnerable diva? - In 2015, the press began highlighting Loren's heart problems and struggles with arthritis.

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Health - Some sources have said that Loren hasn't been focusing as much on her appearance as of late, this due to her health issues.

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A return to Hollywood -

Sophia Loren returned to Hollywood for the 2009 musical 'Nine,' which also featured stars like Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, and Penélope Cruz. Since then she's taken on few roles, so you can imagine the excitement when it was announced she will star in the Netflix film 'The Life Ahead,' directed by her son Edoardo.

See also: How cinema's finest actors have aged. 

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