The actress Lea Massari, dramatic interpreter for great Directors such as Mario Monicelli, Sergio Leone, Dino Risi and Michelangelo Antonioni, died at the age of 91 at her home in Rome.
A discreet diva, of obvious beauty but never ostentatious, the actress approaches the world of cinema thanks to her friend Piero Gherardi, set designer and costume designer. Born as Anna Maria Massatani, she made her debut on the big screen at only 22 years old, in 1954 with Proibito by Mario Monicelli. It is on this occasion that the actress decides to take the stage name for which she is known, a name she chooses in memory of her boyfriend Leo, who died in a tragic accident just before the wedding.
Fame comes with I sogni nel cassetto (1957) by Renato Castellani, where she plays the character of the young bride. A few years later Michelangelo Antonioni chooses her for L’avventura (1960), where she plays Anna, the one who mysteriously disappears on the island.
During her career, the actress collected several first prizes: David di Donatello as Best Actress for Una vita difficile (1961) by Dino Risi and for I sogni muoiono all’alba and Nastro d’Argento as Best Supporting Actress for La prima notte di quiete (1972) by Valerio Zurlini and for Cristo si è fermato a Eboli (1979) by Francesco Rosi.
Her fame doesn’t stop at the Italian cinema. In fact, she has starred in several international titles such as La città prigioniera (1962) by Joseph Anthony and I cavalieri della vendetta (1963) by Carlos Saura. But it is above all in France that it conquers the public by acting alongside Jean Paul Belmondo, Yves Montand, Jean Louis Trintignant and Michel Piccoli.
Of her career the numerous literary characters played in the black and white dramas of Rai and the theater where she made her debut in 1960 with Due sull’altalena by William Gibson, directed by Arnoldo Foà, cannot fail to be mentioned.
During the 1980s film performances of the actress declined: in 1984 she works on the thriller Il settimo bersaglio by Claude Pinoteau, while in 1985 he plays a small but intense role in Segreti segreti by Giuseppe Bertolucci. Her last appearance on the big screen dates back to 1990, in Viaggio d’amore by Ottavio Fabbri with Omar Sharif.
Credits: Cavarrone at the Italian Wikipedia project., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
