Sophia Loren's Life in Photos

Mar. 15, 2025

Sophia Loren in 1959.Photo:Tony Vaccaro/Getty

Tony Vaccaro/Getty

The Sophia Loren the rest of the world knows sizzled in films likeHouseboatandMarriage, Italian Styleand more recently,NineandThe Life Ahead.She’s lived quite the life, too, turning down a marriage proposal from Cary Grant, working withElvisand growing a family with her husband, the late producer Carlo Ponti.

Here, as the silver screen icon celebrates her 90th birthday, take a look at her life in pictures.

01of 14Sophia Loren’s Early YearsSophia Loren in ‘Boy on a Dolphin’.John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via GettyBorn in Rome, Italy, on Sept. 20, 1934,Loren finished as a finalistin the Miss Italia 1950 contest, and later enrolled in acting classes. She soon landed a bit part as an extra in Mervyn LeRoy’sQuo Vadis, which launched her career as a professional actress.

01of 14

Sophia Loren’s Early Years

Sophia Loren in ‘Boy on a Dolphin’.John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty

John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty

Born in Rome, Italy, on Sept. 20, 1934,Loren finished as a finalistin the Miss Italia 1950 contest, and later enrolled in acting classes. She soon landed a bit part as an extra in Mervyn LeRoy’sQuo Vadis, which launched her career as a professional actress.

02of 14Sophia Loren in 1959Sophia Loren in 1959.Tony Vaccaro/GettyBefore rising to international fame after signing a five-picture contract with Paramount Pictures in 1958, she worked on a series of Italian films.By 1960, she was starring in multiple movies a year, sharing the screen with Angela Lansbury, Clark Gable, Charlton Heston and more.

02of 14

Sophia Loren in 1959

Sophia Loren in 1959.Tony Vaccaro/Getty

Before rising to international fame after signing a five-picture contract with Paramount Pictures in 1958, she worked on a series of Italian films.

By 1960, she was starring in multiple movies a year, sharing the screen with Angela Lansbury, Clark Gable, Charlton Heston and more.

03of 14Sophia Loren in ‘Two Women’Sophia Loren in ‘Two Women’.Courtesy Everett Collection"I was 25 when I didTwo Women. The character was so powerful," Loren recalled to PEOPLE in 2009 of her star turn, a dramatic and devastating World War II film. “I didn’t need to think about it. Even though I was little during the War, I had lived it.”

03of 14

Sophia Loren in ‘Two Women’

Sophia Loren in ‘Two Women’.Courtesy Everett Collection

Courtesy Everett Collection

“I was 25 when I didTwo Women. The character was so powerful,” Loren recalled to PEOPLE in 2009 of her star turn, a dramatic and devastating World War II film. “I didn’t need to think about it. Even though I was little during the War, I had lived it.”

04of 14Sophia Loren Wins an OscarSophia Loren wins Best Actress.Hulton Archive/GettyHer leading role inTwo Womengave Loren her lone Oscar in 1962; she was nominated once again in 1965 forMarriage Italian Styleand received an honorary Oscar in 1991.Loren famously didn’t attend the 1962 ceremony. “I thought, if they do give it to me, I’m going to faint among the audience,” she told PEOPLE in 2001. “So it’s better to faint at home.“She has won five Golden Globe Awards in her time — including the coveted Cecil B. DeMille Award — and one Grammy, best spoken word album for children for 2004’sProkofiev: Peter and the Wolf/Beintus: Wolf Tracks.

04of 14

Sophia Loren Wins an Oscar

Sophia Loren wins Best Actress.Hulton Archive/Getty

Hulton Archive/Getty

Her leading role inTwo Womengave Loren her lone Oscar in 1962; she was nominated once again in 1965 forMarriage Italian Styleand received an honorary Oscar in 1991.

Loren famously didn’t attend the 1962 ceremony. “I thought, if they do give it to me, I’m going to faint among the audience,” she told PEOPLE in 2001. “So it’s better to faint at home.”

She has won five Golden Globe Awards in her time — including the coveted Cecil B. DeMille Award — and one Grammy, best spoken word album for children for 2004’sProkofiev: Peter and the Wolf/Beintus: Wolf Tracks.

05of 14Sophia Loren and Marcello MastroianniSophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via GettyLoren costarred with Marcello Mastroianni in more than a dozen films. She said the two “had chemistry; we didn’t know why. But I was in love with my husband, he was in love with his wife.”

05of 14

Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni

Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty

Loren costarred with Marcello Mastroianni in more than a dozen films. She said the two “had chemistry; we didn’t know why. But I was in love with my husband, he was in love with his wife.”

06of 14Sophia Loren and Cary GrantSophia Loren and Cary Grant.Ernst Haas/Hulton Archive/Getty"I was very fond of Cary, but we were not made for each other,” Loren told PEOPLE ofHouseboatandThe Pride and the Passioncostar Grant, who once proposed. “Leave my mother, my sister, to follow a man to another part of the world? I couldn’t.”

06of 14

Sophia Loren and Cary Grant

Sophia Loren and Cary Grant.Ernst Haas/Hulton Archive/Getty

Ernst Haas/Hulton Archive/Getty

“I was very fond of Cary, but we were not made for each other,” Loren told PEOPLE ofHouseboatandThe Pride and the Passioncostar Grant, who once proposed. “Leave my mother, my sister, to follow a man to another part of the world? I couldn’t.”

07of 14Sophia Loren in 1965Sophia Loren in 1965.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via GettyIn her heyday, Loren was as known for her acting as she was for her looks.“Sex appeal is 50 percent what you’ve got and 50 percent what people think you’ve got,” she once said.

07of 14

Sophia Loren in 1965

Sophia Loren in 1965.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty

In her heyday, Loren was as known for her acting as she was for her looks.

“Sex appeal is 50 percent what you’ve got and 50 percent what people think you’ve got,” she once said.

08of 14Sophia Loren’s Marriage and ChildrenSophia Loren introduce son Carlo Jr.Mondadori via GettyIn 1966, Loren wed producer Carlo Ponti, with whom she had two sons, Carlo Jr., now 54, and Edoardo, now 50.In 1969, Loren and Ponti introduced their first child to the press in a slightly unconventional way.“I think this was about a week after Carlo Jr. was born,” Loren recalled to PEOPLE of the photo above. “There were so many photographers that we could not give it exclusive to one. So the doctor said, ‘We have a room where we operate, and there’s a balcony all around. You can come in with the child and they can take pictures.’ "

08of 14

Sophia Loren’s Marriage and Children

Sophia Loren introduce son Carlo Jr.Mondadori via Getty

Mondadori via Getty

In 1966, Loren wed producer Carlo Ponti, with whom she had two sons, Carlo Jr., now 54, and Edoardo, now 50.

In 1969, Loren and Ponti introduced their first child to the press in a slightly unconventional way.

“I think this was about a week after Carlo Jr. was born,” Loren recalled to PEOPLE of the photo above. “There were so many photographers that we could not give it exclusive to one. So the doctor said, ‘We have a room where we operate, and there’s a balcony all around. You can come in with the child and they can take pictures.’ "

09of 14

Sophia Loren and Her Family

Sophia Loren with her husband Carlo Ponti and their children.Alfred Eisenstaedt/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Alfred Eisenstaedt/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock

Remembering this moment in a 2009 interview with PEOPLE, Loren shared, “We were in France here, in Carlo’s office in Paris. It was a very leisurely afternoon, playing together.”

10of 14Sophia Loren’s SonsSophia Loren with sons Edoardo and Carlo Jr.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via GettyCarlo Jr. “is a conductor and does very well,” Loren told PEOPLE. “He’s a little bit like me: shy, keeps things inside, laughs, is funny. Edoardo is like my sister: outgoing, sings very well and wants to be a director. And I love my grandchildren!“Carlo Jr. is married to musician Andrea Meszaros, and Edoardo is married to actress Sasha Alexander.

10of 14

Sophia Loren’s Sons

Sophia Loren with sons Edoardo and Carlo Jr.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Carlo Jr. “is a conductor and does very well,” Loren told PEOPLE. “He’s a little bit like me: shy, keeps things inside, laughs, is funny. Edoardo is like my sister: outgoing, sings very well and wants to be a director. And I love my grandchildren!”

Carlo Jr. is married to musician Andrea Meszaros, and Edoardo is married to actress Sasha Alexander.

11of 14

Sophia Loren in 2002

Sophia Loren at the 2002 Venice Film Festival.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

12of 14Sophia Loren in ‘Nine’Sophia Loren at the 2010 SAG Awards.WireImageLoren received her first and only Screen Actors Guild Award nomination forNinein 2010, alongside her star-studded cast. “It was a joy for me,” she said of filming. “A type of film that I’ve never done before. It was really like afesta. Oh yes, I enjoyed singing, but this was really hard physically and also mentally sometimes.”

12of 14

Sophia Loren in ‘Nine’

Sophia Loren at the 2010 SAG Awards.WireImage

WireImage

Loren received her first and only Screen Actors Guild Award nomination forNinein 2010, alongside her star-studded cast. “It was a joy for me,” she said of filming. “A type of film that I’ve never done before. It was really like afesta. Oh yes, I enjoyed singing, but this was really hard physically and also mentally sometimes.”

13of 14Sophia Loren in 2019Sophia Loren at the 2019 Governors Awards.Steve Granitz/WireImageSlowing down her work schedule, Loren made a splash in son Edoardo’s 2020 project,The Life Ahead.“I’m a perfectionist, but so is he,“she told theNew York Timesthat year.“Edoardo gives me security. He also never gives up until I give him my very best. He doesn’t settle for anything less than that, and he knows exactly what buttons to push to get something out of me. When Edoardo says ‘This is it’ after we film a scene, I know that my performance is exactly what he was waiting for. That’s a wonderful feeling for an actress, because you are sure of what you’re doing.”

13of 14

Sophia Loren in 2019

Sophia Loren at the 2019 Governors Awards.Steve Granitz/WireImage

Steve Granitz/WireImage

Slowing down her work schedule, Loren made a splash in son Edoardo’s 2020 project,The Life Ahead.

“I’m a perfectionist, but so is he,“she told theNew York Timesthat year.“Edoardo gives me security. He also never gives up until I give him my very best. He doesn’t settle for anything less than that, and he knows exactly what buttons to push to get something out of me. When Edoardo says ‘This is it’ after we film a scene, I know that my performance is exactly what he was waiting for. That’s a wonderful feeling for an actress, because you are sure of what you’re doing.”

14of 14

Sophia Loren Now

Sophia Loren in Milan in 2022.Marco Piraccini/Archivio Marco Piraccini/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty

Marco Piraccini/Archivio Marco Piraccini/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty

Though she stayed out of the public eye during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Loren stepped out in October 2022 to open her namesake restaurant in Milan.

source: people.com