Swedish-born actress Anita Ekberg, who rose to prominence as a sex symbol in the Hollywood comedies of the 1950s, left an indelible mark on the film industry with her captivating performances and striking beauty.
While she garnered attention in numerous films, it was her iconic role in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita that solidified her place in cinematic history and achieved true immortality. In this celebrated film, Ekberg’s unforgettable portrayal of Sylvia became a symbol of Italian cinema and a cultural touchstone.
Ekberg passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2015, in Rome, at the age of 83. Her death marked the end of an era for a star whose legacy continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
Over her decades-long career, Ekberg not only captured the hearts of viewers but also showcased her versatility as an actress, transitioning from glamorous leading lady to a more reflective artist in her later years. Her contributions to film and her status as a cultural icon will be remembered long after her passing.
#1. La Dolce Vita
Ekberg achieved worldwide fame in Italy, starring as the seductive Sylvia in Fellini’s 1960 classic, La Dolce Vita.
#2. Pinup Girl
Anita Ekberg was born on September 29, 1931, in Malmö, Sweden. In 1951, she was discovered by organizers of the Miss Sweden competition while walking down the street.
Encouraged to enter, she won the title, which led her to the United States for the Miss Universe pageant.
Although she didn’t take home the crown, her modeling work in Hollywood opened doors to acting roles in films like Take Me to Town, Blood Alley (starring John Wayne and Lauren Bacall), and Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, where she played a voluptuous guard on the planet Venus.
#3. Artists and Models
Anita Ekberg starred alongside Dean Martin in the 1955 musical-comedy Artists and Models.
#4. Zarak
In Zarak (1956), Afghan bandit Zarak Khan, played by Victor Mature, develops a dangerous obsession with one of his father’s wives, portrayed by Anita Ekberg.
#5. Pickup Alley
In the 1957 thriller Pickup Alley, which follows Interpol’s efforts to dismantle a drug-smuggling ring, Trevor Howard stars as an international criminal. Anita Ekberg plays a woman who assists an American narcotics agent, portrayed by Victor Mature.
#6. Pickup Alley
Anita Ekberg finds herself in a precarious situation in Pickup Alley.
#7. Valerie
In the 1957 western Valerie, Sterling Hayden plays a rancher on trial for assaulting his wife, portrayed by Anita Ekberg. The film also stars Anthony Steel, who was Ekberg’s husband at the time.
#8. The Man Inside
In the British crime drama The Man Inside (1958), Anita Ekberg and Jack Palance team up to search for a cache of stolen diamonds.
#9. Screaming Mimi
In the thriller Screaming Mimi (1958), which promised “tension that’s too much to bear,” Anita Ekberg portrays a woman confined to a madhouse.
She escapes with her psychiatrist, only to find herself performing in a nightclub run by Gypsy Rose Lee.
#10. La Dolce Vita
In La Dolce Vita (1960), Anita Ekberg starred as a famous actress who becomes a magnet for the paparazzi.
#11. La Dolce Vita
In Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, Marcello Mastroianni plays a journalist enchanted by the dazzling actress portrayed by Anita Ekberg, a role that catapulted her to international stardom.
#12. La Dolce Vita
In one of cinema’s most iconic scenes, Sylvia (Anita Ekberg) frolics in Rome’s Trevi Fountain in La Dolce Vita. Reflecting on the experience in 2005, Ekberg recalled shooting the scene in February, saying, “I was freezing… They had to lift me out of the water because I couldn’t feel my legs anymore.”
Although she mentioned she could no longer bear to watch the scene after seeing it “too many times,” she acknowledged, “It was beautiful at the time.”
#13. La Dolce Vita
Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni in “la Dolce Vita.”
#14. The Mongols
Jack Palance plays the son of Genghis Khan in The Mongols, starring alongside Anita Ekberg.
#15. Boccaccio ’70
In the anthology film Boccaccio ’70 (1962), Anita Ekberg appears as herself, directed once again by Federico Fellini.
#16. Boccaccio ’70
Anita Ekberg is seen on the set of Boccaccio ’70 alongside director Federico Fellini.
#17. Call Me Bwana
Anita Ekberg portrayed a secret agent in the Bob Hope comedy Call Me Bwana (1963).
#18. 4 for Texas
In the western comedy 4 for Texas (1963), Anita Ekberg played the romantic interest of a riverboat gambler, portrayed by Frank Sinatra.
#19. The Alphabet Murders
In The Alphabet Murders (1965), a comedic adaptation of Agatha Christie’s The A.B.C. Murders, Anita Ekberg comes under suspicion from the famous detective Hercule Poirot, played by Tony Randall.
#20. Way … Way Out
In the 1966 comedy Way … Way Out, Jerry Lewis and Connie Stevens star as the first American couple to live on a moon base, where they must deal with their Russian neighbors, including a dark-haired Anita Ekberg.
#21. Intervista
Anita Ekberg appeared as herself in Federico Fellini’s mock documentary Intervista (1987).
#22. Artists and Models
Anita Ekberg’s last credits include the 1998 feature Le nain Rouge and the TV series Beauty Centre (2002). She passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2015.
