Isabella Rossellini

Born: June 18 1952
Where: Rome, Italy

The former translator and TV journalist made her breakthrough as the abused chanteuse in David Lynch's Blue Velvet.

Best known as a model, she made her film debut opposite her mother, Ingrid Bergman, in Vincente Minnelli's best-forgotten A Matter of Time.

Rossellini's finest acting moments were in her starring roles in the Taviani brothers' The Meadow in 1979 and later Blue Velvet.

After this distinguished pair, she was often underused as dark-hearted and/or frigid Europeans in such films as Wild at Heart, Death Becomes Her, Fearless and Immortal Beloved.

She offered a strong portrayal of a loyal wife torn by her fear of and for her gangster husband (Chris Penn) in Abel Ferrara's The Funeral.

On TV, Rossellini starred in the cable movie Lies of the Twins and the Showtime series Fallen Angels in a segment that marked actor Tom Cruise's directorial debut.

In 1997, Rossellini co-starred in the independent drama Left Luggage, which was later released in 2000, and as the Veiled Queen in The Imposters.

She then joined Cambell Scott for the black comedy Roger Dodger, a film written and directed by first time filmmaker Dylan Kidd.

Former husbands include Martin Scorcese and long-time partner David Lynch and she was also engaged to actor Gary Oldman.

Upcoming projects include Peter Greenaway's The Tulse Luper Suitcases: The Moab Story and The Saddest Music in the World.