Actress Monica Bellucci has had a long and illustrious career spanning over three decades. The Italian actress and model has starred in some of the biggest feature films and left an undeniable mark on the audience. However, only one movie that Bellucci worked on left a lasting impression on the actress, enough for her to call it career redefining.
In an interview, Bellucci spoke about her acting and the projects she has been a part of. While the actress shared the names of five movies that helped shape her career, only one of them can be truly considered career redefining. Here is which movie starring Bellucci is the one that the actress feels was the most important to her career and why.
Monica Bellucci Calls Her James Bond Role Career Redefining
Monica Bellucci made her acting debut in 1991 and has been a part of some of the most revolutionary and game-changing pieces of cinema. The actress spoke with A-Frame and discussed her lengthy career in depth.
During the interview, Bellucci was asked to reveal the names of the five movies that were the most important in shaping her career. While The Matrix Reloaded, starring Keanu Reeves, was on the list, Bellucci expressed that her role as Lucia Sciarra in Spectre, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, redefined her career.
“I was 50 years old, so when my agent called me, saying, ‘Listen, some people want to meet you for Spectre,’ I said, ‘Who am I going to play? M?!’ Actually, it was a revolutionary thing that a 50-year-old woman would be in a film like that.”
Bellucci also praised the film’s director, Sam Mendes, and stated that playing a Bond girl at the age of 50 was a beautiful experience for her. Similarly, in a separate interview with the Sunday Times (via The Guardian), Bellucci spoke about why she felt the role was revolutionary. Bellucci revealed she asked Mendes why he wanted to cast a woman her age as a Bond girl. According to Bellucci, Mendes stated that:
“For the first time in history, James Bond is going to have a story with a mature woman. The concept is revolutionary.”
Bellucci’s role in Spectre was certainly game-changing as it was not only unprecedented for James Bond to have involved himself with a mature woman, but the casting choice also lent some much-needed substance to the tired trope that Bond girls were reduced to in the spy franchise. Therefore, it is easy to understand why the role is among Bellucci’s favorite acting experiences.
Monica Bellucci Names Four Movies That Shaped Her Career
In the interview with A-Frame, Bellucci named four more movies that helped shape her career and establish her as a reliable performer, especially in the West. One of the films, the actress mentioned was Bram Stoker’s Dracula, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, which was released in 1992, and among Bellucci’s earliest works.
Bellucci also named The Matrix Reloaded and Malèna on the list, as both films garnered her international attention. The final name on Bellucci’s list of career-defining films is 2004’s The Passion of The Christ. Directed by Mel Gibson, the film features Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, a role that broke the perception of her acting skills. The role also Bellucci earned a nomination for a Nastro d’Argento in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Spectre is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video and The Matrix Reloaded can be streamed on Max. Passion of The Christ is streaming on Peacock, Tubi, and Plex.
