Monica Bellucci

Monica plays the title role in Giuseppe Tonatore's new film Malena: a 40 year-old woman whose beauty turns heads, until tragedy strikes. Monica turns heads, but her beauty is a delight to the eye.

By Michèle Dokan
(02/2002)

Which perfume are you wearing today?

I don't wear perfume often. I like light and sweet perfumes. Sometimes I wear a brandless vanilla-scented perfume, which I like. Otherwise I don't wear any. I use a scented body cream and that's enough. I change brands often.

What don't you like in a perfume?

I can't stand women who leave a heavy perfume trail on their way. They disturb me.

What was your first perfume?

I think my penchant for the smell of vanilla stems from the fact that I have always liked milk since I was a child. Vanilla has a sweet, childlike taste that is engraved in my memory... unconsciously. It seems to me that I have always liked vanilla scents because of that, but I don't really remember my first perfume.

How about your mother's?

I don't remember it either. We were not very rich, so I am not certain she wore any

Which scent do you like to smell on your companion?

Natural smell, the smell of cleanliness. I can't think of a men's fragrance that has really made an impression on me.

What is your beauty secret?

I splash ice-cold water on my face before applying make-up. It relaxes my skin instantly and fixes make-up better.

How does it feel to be seen as one of the most beautiful women in the world?

I think beauty is a double-edge sword. What's behind the obvious is what matters. If there is anything there, people will keep talking about your beauty because it's interesting. It has a soul. Otherwise, people tire of it very quickly as there are so many beautiful women in the world! Of course, my beauty is my asset but I don't pay too much attention to it. I should be more careful with my diet and watch what I eat, and also do some exercise, but I don't dislike my flaws enough to worry about them. As a good Italian, I like drinking wine and eating pasta.

Is it hard to be constantly subjected to the prying eyes of people?

I come from a small province in Southern Italy, and like Malena, I know quite well what it feels like when I walk down the street with people looking at me. They either covet or envy me. It's normal: beauty triggers such reactions. But my family gave me a lot of love, and I had a lot of friends so I was able to draw strength from them. My childhood was simple and uneventful. I lived like a bird sheltered in its cage until the time it can fly on its own.

Photos Arnaud Bani