It’s hard to envision Monica Bellucci without instantly conjuring naughty thoughts, and there’s little doubt that she deserves all the salacious sentiments that have been hurled her way over the years. It’s also worth noting that unlike a lot of her contemporaries, Monica Bellucci has only become more attractive and alluring as time has passed.
A textbook example of the whole MILF phenomenon, Monica Bellucci has managed to retain her hourglass figure without the assistance of plastic surgery (as far as we can tell). It’s no surprise to note, then, that Monica Bellucci has become a staple of AskMen.com's Top 99 list over the years, having peaked in 2002 with a ranking of No. 1. She also ranked No. 18 in 2007, No. 22 in 2008 and No. 18 again in 2009.
Monica Anna Maria Bellucci was born on September 30, 1964, in Perugia, Italy. The daughter of a painter and a businessman, Monica grew up with dreams of becoming a lawyer -- though it eventually became clear that her calling lay in the arts. After kicking off her modeling career at the age of 16, Monica Bellucci remained determined to pursue a career in law, and she even used her modeling money to pay for her post-secondary education. Yet there came a point at which Monica Bellucci was powerless to resist the allure of the fashion industry, and she devoted herself full-time to modeling.
In 1988, Monica Bellucci signed with the prestigious Elite Model Management agency and moved to Milan where she began establishing herself as one of the most naturally talented and flat-out gorgeous up-and-coming models on the scene. Though her burgeoning fame ensured that she had little downtime, Monica Bellucci nevertheless decided to give acting a try and she made her debut in a 1990 made-for-Italian-TV movie. She spent the next several years taking on small roles in obscure films, and Monica Bellucci found herself developing a real affinity for the world of performance.
Monica Bellucci’s hard work and perseverance paid off in 1992 when she successfully auditioned for a part in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, in which she starred opposite such luminaries as Winona Ryder, Gary Oldman and Anthony Hopkins as one of Dracula’s three brides. Monica Bellucci worked steadily throughout much of the 1990s, appearing in a whole host of critically acclaimed foreign movies (including ‘96’s L’Appartement, which was eventually remade as the Josh Hartnett/Diane Kruger flick Wicker Park).
Though Monica Bellucci had already established herself as a bona fide star in Europe, she remained virtually unknown in North America -- something that changed dramatically with the emergence of the new century. She kicked off 2000 with a star-making performance in the drama Malena, which went on to receive Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. It was also around that time that Monica Bellucci married fellow actor and frequent costar Vincent Cassel, and in 2004, she gave birth to her daughter Deva.
After well-regarded turns in 2001’s Brotherhood of the Wolf and 2002’s Irreversible, Monica Bellucci reteamed with her Dracula costar Keanu Reeves with a stint as Persephone in 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. The following year proved to be even more fruitful for Monica Bellucci, as she appeared opposite Jim Caviezel in Mel Gibson’s extremely controversial The Passion of the Christ. Monica Bellucci took on a role alongside Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti in the ultra-violent and purposefully ridiculous action flick Shoot ‘Em Up.
Though Monica Bellucci is in her mid-40s, there’s little doubt that she remains one of the sexiest and alluring actresses working today. Her raw sensuality is unparalleled, and it’s certainly not difficult to see why she continues to outshine her younger and far more famous contemporaries.
In 2008, Monica Bellucci proved that she was still brimming with sex appeal as she ranked at No. 22 on AskMen.com's Top 99 list of Most Desirable Women and then moved up in the ranks in 2009, coming in at No. 18.
2010 is Bellucci’s most prominent year to date in English-language films, with The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, opposite Nicolas Cage and Jay Baruchel; The Whistleblower, opposite Rachel Weisz; and Joel Schumacher’s 1:30 Train. Did we mention that she’s 45?
"It doesn't mean anything, beauty. I mean, if I see a beautiful man, maybe I am surprised for three seconds, but then if I speak with him and he's completely stupid, I don't see his beauty anymore."
- Monica Bellucci
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