Gina Lollobrigida

Who is Gina Lollobrigida?

Luigina "Gina" Lollobrigida is an Italian actress, photojournalist and sculptor. She was one of the most popular European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s, when she was also considered a sex symbol. She received numerous awards and nominations for her performances in Italian and American films, working with many stars of Hollywood.

As her film career slowed, she established second careers as a photojournalist and sculptor. In the 1970s, she scooped the press by gaining an exclusive interview with Fidel Castro, the revolutionary Communist dictator of Cuba.

She has continued as an active supporter of Italian and Italian American causes, particularly the National Italian American Foundation. In 2008, she received the NIAF Lifetime Achievement Award at the Foundation's Anniversary Gala. In 2013, she sold her jewelry collection, and donated the nearly $5 million from the sale to benefit stem cell therapy research.