Despite the personal turmoil, Cardinale’s star rose quickly. She appeared in Three Strangers in Rome in 1958 and within a few years was sharing the screen with legendary actors in acclaimed films. In 1963, she starred in Federico Fellini’s 8½ and Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard, both considered masterpieces of world cinema. Her performances, marked by a balance of strength and vulnerability, earned her widespread acclaim.

She then conquered Hollywood, appearing in The Pink Panther with David Niven, Circus World alongside John Wayne and Rita Hayworth, and Once Upon a Time in the West, where her portrayal of a prostitute set against the brutal American frontier became one of her most celebrated roles. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Cardinale refused to conform to the Hollywood system. She prioritized substance over stardom and resisted the industry’s objectification of women.