Famed Italian actress Claudia Cardinale, whose memorable works include the likes of 8 1/2 and The Pink Panther, has passed away at the age of 87 at Nemours in France. She was reportedly with her loved ones as she passed away.

Claudia Cardinale dies at Nemours in France, was 87

Claudia Cardinale, the Tunisian-born Italian star, passed away at Nemours in France in the company of her children, as per her agent Laurent Savry. “She leaves us the legacy of a free and inspired woman both as a woman and as an artiste,” Savry said in a statement about her demise.

Cardinale was born in 1938 in Tunisia to Sicilian parents. She was declared “the most beautiful Italian woman in Tunis,” after she won a beauty contest at the age of 16. This contest won her a trip to the Venice Film Festival. At the film festival, many directors and producers approached her.

This kick-started her journey in cinema, but it was plagued with challenges. She got pregnant as a teenager. Because of this, she gave birth in secret and introduced her son as her younger brother for a while.

Her big break came with Fellini’s Oscar-winning 8 1/2, which is still considered one of the finest films ever made. This opened the world up for the actress. She went on to star in many such era-defining movies, which remain popular today.

After a string of Italian films like Rocco and His Brothers (1960), Girl with a Suitcase (1961), Cartouche (1962), and The Leopard (1963), Cardinale went to Hollywood. She became a part of what would become one of the most iconic Hollywood movies, The Pink Panther. She went on to appear in films like Blindfold (1965), Lost Command (1966), and The Professionals (1966).

Cardinale went back to Italian and French cinema eventually. She starred in several other films that gained critical and commercial acclaim.

Claudia Cardinale remained a force in the industry. In 2011, the Los Angeles Times Magazine named Cardinale among the 50 most beautiful women in film history.