Sophia Loren, born Sofia Villani Scicoloneis an Italian singer and actress who was born in Rome and grew up in Pozzuoli, a town near Naples, Italy. Pozzuoli is often characterized by high levels of poverty. Nevertheless, Sophia was able to fight all odds against her and prevail in her career. She won many awards including Best Actress Academy Award and an Academy Honorary Award. Furthermore, she became the first woman to win the Academy Award for a non-English film. She is often known as the woman who has proved that beauty is timeless. She is also known as a woman who was brave enough to go against conventional beauty in the 50s.
Throughout her career, Sophia Loren always remembered and embraced her Italian roots especially when it came to her physical characteristics. One of her famous quotes is, “Everything you see I owe to spaghetti” which pertains to her hourglass figure.
Unlike other actresses in her day, Sophia had a much more exotic look. She began getting criticism for her appearance at the age of only 15. She was told that her nose was too long and her lips were too wide. She was often told to surgically change her features for a better chance to make it in Hollywood. Nevertheless, Sophia refused to change her appearance. She stayed true to herself and embraced her Italian features. Another famous Sophia Loren quote is, “Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.” Perhaps her ability to remain confident even after receiving criticism is something that inspires women the most.
