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At the time of its release in December 1960, the most famous actor in Two Women (La ciociara) was Sophia Loren. While the film also featured Jean-Paul Belmondo, who was rapidly becoming a sensation in France following the release of Breathless (À bout de souffle) earlier that same year, Loren was already an established international superstar and a global sex symbol with a major Hollywood presence.
By 1960, Sophia Loren had transitioned from a popular Italian actress to a world-renowned icon. She had signed a high-profile five-picture contract with Paramount Pictures in 1956, which launched her career in English-language cinema. At the time Two Women was released, she was arguably the most famous Italian woman in the world, known for her "earthy" beauty and charisma.
Her performance in Two Women was a turning point in her career; she originally bought the film rights intending to play the daughter, but at the urging of director Vittorio De Sica, she took the role of the mother (Cesira). This role transformed her image from a "sex symbol" into a critically respected dramatic actress.
Before starring in Two Women, Loren had already appeared in several major international and Italian productions:
Loren’s fame reached its absolute zenith due to Two Women. For her portrayal of Cesira, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1962, making her the first actor (male or female) to win an Oscar for a performance in a non-English language film. She also won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival and a BAFTA for the role.
It is worth noting that Jean-Paul Belmondo, who plays Michele in the film, was the "rising star" of the production. His casting was a requirement of the French co-producers. Although he had just become the face of the French New Wave with Breathless (1960), his international fame at that specific moment was still nascent compared to Loren’s established global "A-list" status.
The summary omits the crucial fact that Anna Magnani was originally cast as the mother (Cesira) with Loren as the daughter. Magnani refused the role because she didn't want to play the mother of the 'tall' Loren, which forced the casting change.
The summary does not mention that Jean-Paul Belmondo performed his role in French (or broken Italian) and was dubbed into Italian for the final film.
At the time of Two Women's release in 1960, Sophia Loren was the most famous actor in the film, having already established herself as a major international star through a contract with Paramount and roles in films like Houseboat (1958) and The Pride and the Passion (1957). Her co-star Jean-Paul Belmondo was a rising sensation in France due to Breathless (1960) but had not yet achieved Loren's global status. Loren originally intended to play the daughter, Rosetta, while Anna Magnani was cast as the mother, Cesira. However, Magnani refused to play the mother to Loren's daughter, leading Loren to take the lead role, for which she won the 1962 Academy Award for Best Actress—the first ever for a non-English language performance.