Ornella Muti
Biography
Ornella Muti, born Francesca Romana Rivelli on March 9, 1955, in Rome, Italy, is a prominent Italian actress. Born to a Neapolitan father and an Estonian mother, she has an older sister named Claudia. Before beginning her professional acting career, she worked as a model during her teenage years. Throughout her life, she has been married to Alessio Orano and Federico Fachinetti. She is recognized as one of the best-known Italian actresses and has maintained a long-standing career in the film industry, contributing to a wide variety of cinematic projects throughout her professional life.
Career overview
Ornella Muti began her film career at the age of 14 when she was cast by director Damiano Damiani in the 1970 film La moglie più bella, also known as The Most Beautiful Wife. This debut marked the start of an extensive career primarily focused on Italian cinema, where she collaborated with notable directors including Mario Monicelli, Dino Risi, and Marco Ferreri. Her work in Italy established her as a significant figure in European cinema, known for her versatility across various genres.
In 1980, Muti achieved international visibility with her role as Princess Aura in the British science fiction film Flash Gordon. She later expanded her presence in American cinema with appearances in the films Oscar in 1991 and Once Upon a Crime in 1992. Beyond her feature film work, she is also recognized by French audiences for her participation in a television commercial for Giovanni Panzani pasta. With over 140 known credits, Muti remains a well-regarded performer whose body of work spans several decades and multiple international markets.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Roma elastica (2026) as The TV Presenter
- Armony (2026)
- The Undecided Groom (2023) as Barbara
- Il était une fois Champs-Élysées (2022) as Self (archive footage)
- The Christmas Show (2022) as Grandma Rita
- La voglia matta di vivere (2022) as Self
- Sanremo 72. Il Festival da dove non l’avete mai visto (2022) as Self
- Ti vogliamo bene Francesco Nuti (2021)
- Quiz ohne Grenzen (2020) as Self
- Magical Nights (2018) as Federica, the diva
- Wine to Love (2018) as Anna
- Mare di grano (2018)
- Sirens (2017) as Ingrid
- Marco Ferreri: Dangerous But Necessary (2017) as Self
- Wer weiß denn sowas? (2015) as Self
- To Rome with Love (2012) as Pia Fusari
- Celebrity Nude Revue: Easy 80's Volume 1 (2011) as Self (archive footage)
- Deutschland gegen… – Das Duell (2010) as Self
- Celebrity Nude Revue: The Saucy 70's Volume 2 (2010) as (archive footage)
- Vittorio racconta Gassman: Una vita da mattatore (2010) as Self
- Francesco Nuti… e vengo da lontano (2010) as Self
- Doc West II : Triggerman (2009) as Debra 'Tricky' Downing
- Postcards from Rome (2008) as Ornella
- Io non ci casco (2008) as Professoressa Lamberti
- Il sangue e la rosa (2008) as Baronessa Barbara Forleis
- Il sangue e la rosa (2008) as Barbara Forleis
- Peopling The Palaces (2007) as Marchesa
- L'inchiesta - Anno Domini XXXIII (2007) as Maria Maddalena
- The Final Inquiry (2007) as Maria Maddalena
- Civico zero (2007) as Nina
- Semperopernball (2006) as Self
- French Fried Vacations 3: Friends Forever (2006) as Graziella Lespinasse
- Yo-Rhad - Un amico dallo spazio (2006) as Marianna (voice)
- La bambina dalle mani sporche (2005) as Wanda Rossi
- A Life in Suitcases: A History of Tulse Luper (2005) as Mathilde Figura
- The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 3: From Sark to the Finish (2005) as Mathilde Figura
- Kulturplatz (2004) as Self
- The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2004) as Grandmother
- People : Jet Set 2 (2004) as Aphrodita
- Say I Do (2004) as Francesca, la dircetora
- The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 2: Vaux to the Sea (2004) as Mathilde Figura
- After Life (2003) as Cécile Rivet
- On the Run (2003) as Cécile Costes
- The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 1: The Moab Story (2003) as Mathilde Figura
- The Lion (2003) as Sybil Bullit
- Lo zio d'America (2002) as Maria Monticelli
- An Amazing Couple (2002) as Cécile Costes
- Last Run (2001) as Danny
- Hotel (2001) as Flamenco Spokesperson
- A Long Long Long Night of Love (2001) as Egle
- Tomorrow (2001) as Stefania Zerenghi
- Favorite Son (2001) as Claudia Maccari
- The Unscarred (2000) as Rafaella
- Tierra del fuego (2000) as Armenia
- Jet Set (2000) as Camilla Balbeck
- Un Colpo al Cuore (2000) as Giulia Pascoli
- Dirty Linen (1999) as Bruna
- Esther (1999) as Königin Waschti
- Ciao Darwin (1998) as Presidente di giuria
- The Count of Monte Cristo (1998) as Mercédès Herrera
- Millionär gesucht! - Die SKL Show (1998) as Self
- Somewhere in the City (1998) as Marta
- L'Inconnu de Strasbourg (1998) as Madeleine Wals
- Widows (1998) as Maria Sommer
- Just for Laughs (1997) as Maître Alice Obini
- L'avvocato Porta (1997) as Chiara
- Mordbüro (1997) as Madame Behar
- Stella's Favor (1996) as Stella
- Die Harald Schmidt Show (1995) as Self
- Love Deal (1995) as Tatiana
- Il Grande Fausto (1995) as Giulia Occhini
- Zone interdite (1993) as Self
- The Bilingual Lover (1993) as Norma
- Once Upon a Crime (1992) as Elena Morosco
- Non chiamarmi Omar (1992) as Viola
- Oscar (1991) as Sofia Provolone
- Christmas Vacation '91 (1991) as Giuliana
- Especially on Sunday (1991) as Anna
- Il Conte Max (1991) as Isabella Matignon
- A Season of Giants (1990) as Onoria
- Tonight at Alice's (1990) as Alice
- The Voyage of Captain Fracassa (1990) as Serafina
- Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1989) as Maria
- 'o Re (1989) as Maria Sophie of Bavaria
- The Sparrow's Fluttering (1988) as Silvana
- Codice privato (1988) as Anna
- Sacrée soirée (1987) as Self
- Casanova (1987) as Henriette
- live - die ZDF-talkshow (1987) as Self
- Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1987) as Angela Vicario
- My Sister and I (1987) as Silvia
- Department Store (1986) as Se stessa / Luisa, commessa del reparto abbigliamento per bambini
- Stregati (1986) as Anna
- Blame it on Paradise (1985) as Celeste
- Swann in Love (1984) as Odette de Crécy
- The Future Is Woman (1984) as Malvina
- Bonnie and Clyde Italian Style (1983) as Rosetta Foschini
- Rich and Poor (1983) as Marta
- Champs-Elysées (1982) as Self
- The Girl from Trieste (1982) as Nicole
- Famous T & A (1982) as Lisa (archive footage)
- Wetten, dass..? (1981) as Self
- Madly in Love (1981) as Principessa Cristina
- Love & Money (1981) as Catherine Stockheinz
- Tales of Ordinary Madness (1981) as Cass
- Nobody's Perfect (1981) as Chantal
- The Taming of the Scoundrel (1980) as Lisa Silvestri
- Flash Gordon (1980) as Princess Aura
- Atrocious Tales of Love and Death (1979) as Lucia Navarro
- Life Is Beautiful (1979) as Maria
- Ciné regards (1978) as Self
- First Love (1978) as Renata
- Nest of Vipers (1978) as Elena Mazzarini
- Break Up (1978) as Ussena / Sena
- The Bishop's Bedroom (1977) as Matilde
- Death of a Corrupt Man (1977) as Valérie Agostinelli
- The New Monsters (1977) as l'autostoppista/la hostess
- Without Words (1977)
- The Last Woman (1976) as Valérie
- Pure as a Lily (1976) as Lucia Mantuso
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche (1975) as Self
- Numéro un (1975) as Self
- Leonor (1975) as Catherine
- La joven casada (1975) as Camino
- Spécial cinéma (1974) as Self
- Appassionata (1974) as Eugenia Rutelli
- Come Home and Meet My Wife (1974) as Vincenzina Rotunno Blasetti
- A Girl and an Older Man (1974) as Caridad
- Forbidden Passion (1974) as Maribel
- The Nun and the Devil (1973) as Isabella
- The Sensual Man (1973) as Giovanna
- All Sons of the Saintest Mother (1973) as Santazza
- Fiorina the Cow (1972) as Teresa - daughter of Betta
- Experiencia prematrimonial (1972) as Sandra
- The House of Doves (1972) as Sandra
- Summer Affair (1971) as Lisa
- Oasis of Fear (1971) as Ingrid Sjoman
- Rischiatutto (1970)
- The Most Beautiful Wife (1970) as Francesca Cimarosa
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- Sanremo Music Festival (1951) as Self - Co-host
- Bambi (1948) as Self