"Sweet Life" by Swedish Marilyn Monroe
Even if you have not watched the famous film of the great film director Federico Fellini "Sweet Life", then you should have seen the replicated scene with a beautiful blonde with the face of an angel and the body of a goddess who was so fascinated by Rome that she decided to swim in the Trevi fountain at night. This bathing scene is still considered one of the most sensual and erotic in world cinema. And the role of the gorgeous blonde was played by Swedish actress, model and sex symbol Anita Ekberg, who became famous all over the world thanks to a few minutes of night splashing.
Subsequently, she starred in several more films by Federico Fellini, but she no longer aroused such interest among the public and critics. The actress even received a Golden Globe Award at the beginning of her career for her role as a Chinese woman in John Wayne's adventure film "Bloody Alley", but this remained the only evidence of her talent. Anita liked to repeat that it was she who made Fellini famous all over the world, and not the other way around. The actress also believed that the role in "Sweet Life" ruined her career in cinema, as she became a hostage of one image.
Anita Ekberg was born in Sweden in 1931 in a large family, she was the sixth child of eight. She started her modeling career early, in her teens.
At the insistence of her mother, Anita took part in the Miss Sweden beauty contest and won. She went to America for the Miss Universe pageant, but even though she didn't take any prize there, she stayed in the USA, as she was noticed and offered to sign a contract with Universal Film Studio.
The film studio obliged Anita to take acting lessons, English, dancing and horse riding. Ekberg later admitted that she was not serious about such an opportunity, often neglecting drama lessons, which is why she never received serious roles.
Ekberg made her Hollywood debut in the comedy "Abbott and Costello go to Mars", where she played a small role as a Venusian guard.
The actress received a Golden Globe Award in the nomination "The most promising newcomer among women" for her role in John Wayne's adventure film "Bloody Alley", where her colleagues on the screen were Wayne himself and Lauren Bacall.
In 1956, she played the role of Helen in King Vidor's large-scale epic War and Peace, where Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda became her partners.
In 1960, the cult film "Sweet Life" was released, which became almost the only decent work of the actress.
Anita became famous in Hollywood also thanks to her endless romances with leading actors.
Ekberg was always too outspoken in her interviews, often speaking negatively about a particular star.
In an interview, the actress said that it was to her that Federico Fellini owed world fame, and not vice versa.
The actress settled in the suburbs of Rome, was married twice, but both marriages ended in divorce, she had no children. Anita died at the age of 83 after a long illness. She was buried in Sweden.