Monica Bellucci

Born: 30th September 1968
Where: Perugia, Italy

The former law student and fashion model first came to the attention in Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula in 1992.

While studying law at the University of Perugia, she did part-time modelling on the side which led to a contract with the Elite Modelling agency.

However, she gave that up for TV work until the call from Coppola and a career in cinema.

In 1996 she was nominated for a French Oscar for The Apartment and continued to work in French cinema until she was cast alonside Gene Hackman in Under Suspicion.

She followed this with director Giuseppe "Cinema Paradiso" Tornatore's Malèna, a romantic coming of age story.

Bellucci starred in the European chiller Brotherhood of the Wolf and then switched styles to play Cleopatra in the comedy Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatre.

Next came her most controversial role alongside husband Vincent Cassell as a rape victim in Gaspar Noe's brutal Irreversible.

Recent work includes the action thriller Tears of the Sun opposite Bruce Willis and the role of Persephone in The Matrix sequels.

She was also highly praised for her role as Mary Magdalene in Mel Gibson's biblical yarn The Passion.

Future projects include The Brothers Grimm, directed by Terry Gilliam, and Lord Of War starring Nic Cage.