Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni, professionally known as Raffaella Carrà, was a multifaceted Italian artist, born on June 18, 1943, and passed away on July 5, 2021. She was a renowned singer, dancer, television presenter, and actress, who gained widespread recognition across Europe and Latin America.
Carrà began her cinematic journey at the tender age of nine, in the 1952 film Tormento del passato. Prior to 1960, she appeared in five more movies before graduating from Italy's national film school. The same year, she made her debut in Long Night in 1943 and went on to star in numerous Italian peplum films, including Fury of the Pagans, Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops, Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules, Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules, Pontius Pilate, Caesar the Conqueror, as well as comedies and action films such as 5 marines per 100 ragazze, The Terrorist, The Organizer, and La Celestina P... R... (1965).
In 1965, Carrà signed with 20th Century Fox and moved to the United States, where she starred in the motion picture Von Ryan's Express alongside Frank Sinatra, Edward Mulhare, and Trevor Howard. The following year, she made a guest appearance in the American television series I Spy, playing the title character Sophia. However, feeling homesick, she decided to return to Italy, where she continued her acting career in various Italian and French films, including Le Saint prend l'affût, Il vostro super agente Flit, Why Did I Ever Say Yes Twice?, and Cran d'arrêt, as well as a few television shows.
Although her acting career slowed down significantly, with only a handful of television appearances, Carrà remained a beloved figure in the entertainment industry, widely regarded as a gay icon.
