Florinda Bolkan on AllMovie

Born Florinda Bulcao, this tall, leggy, brunette Spanish-Indian leading lady is proficient in several languages. She worked in the PR department of the Brazilian national airline, then went to Paris and studied art at the Sorbonne for two years. While visiting Italy in 1967, she met director Luchino Visconti, who felt she had potential as a screen actress; besides recommending her to several other directors, he also cast her (as a prostitute) in his The Damned (1969). With her classic features she soon became a popular star in Europe, gaining international recognition after her appearance in De Sica's A Brief Vacation (1973).