Producers quickly took notice of the radiant newcomer, but behind Claudia Cardinale’s
poised image was a painful secret—she was pregnant after a traumatic
experience with an older man. She declined most roles until producer
Franco Cristaldi offered her fame and protection. In 2017, Cardinale
opened up about the hardship she had endured as a teenager. Rather than
letting it define her, she chose to raise her child and continue pursuing her career,
even as the film industry preferred its stars to appear flawless and untouched
by adversity. “It was terrible,” she said, “but the most beautiful thing
is that my wonderful Patrick was born from that moment
