Daniela Rocca is an Italian actress and model. Widespread fame came to her after playing the title role in the comedy melodrama "Divorce in Italian", directed by Pietro Germi, which was released in 1961.
The creative biography of the actress began with the modeling business. At the age of 15, she won a beauty contest in Italy and immediately attracted the attention of show business representatives.
Rocca entered the cinema in 1954. She has 27 roles in television and film projects.
Biography facts
Daniela was born in Italy in the fall of 1937. All her childhood was spent in the small town of Acireale. Since childhood, the girl was fond of creativity, was engaged in dancing and singing.
Daniela had an attractive appearance and acting talent. During her school years, she often performed on stage, participated in various events and concerts. In high school, the girl was noticed by representatives of the modeling business and invited to take part in a beauty contest. In 1953, Daniela won the Miss Catania title. After winning, she went to a national competition and won another victory, becoming Miss Italy.
Success in a beauty contest opened the way for Daniela to show business. She worked as a model for some time and starred for many famous Italian magazines. But the girl did not want to work only in the modeling business. She was attracted by cinema, she dreamed of a career as an actress.
Film career
Rocca made his film debut in 1954. She got a small role in the melodrama "La Luciana" directed by Domenico Gambino. The next shooting for the actress took place in the sports drama "Il nostro campione" by Vitorio Duzze.
In 1955, the young actress played a small role again in the comedy-drama Italian film My Patron. This was the first work of director and screenwriter Franco Brusati. The film was screened at the Venice International Film Festival.
In the film "Judith and Holofernes" (second title: "The Tyrant's Head") Rocca played the role of Naomi. The film, co-produced by Italy and France, was released in 1959 and was directed in the Basque genre, which was popular in those years. The tape was based on the story of Judith beheading Holofernes. The film was directed by Fernando Cerchio, starring M. Girotti, R. Baldini and I. Corey.
In the same year, the actress appeared in several films at once: the comedy by M. Mattoli “We Don't Lose Our Heads”, the fantastic thriller by R. Fed and M. Bov “Kaltiki, the Immortal Monster”, in the war drama by V. Cottafvi “Legions of Cleopatra” and in the adventure tape by J. Turner and M. Bove "Marathon Giant, or Marathon Battle".
In 1960, Roca played a small role in the historical drama Austerlitz directed by A. Hans, which tells about the battle of the French army led by Napoleon against the Russian-Austrian troops under the command of Alexander I and Franz I.
Then the actress appeared on the screen in the films: "The Queen of the Amazons", "Esther and the Tsar", "Revenge of the Barbarians", "Rome 1585".
In 1961, the movie Divorce in Italian, directed by Pietro Germi, was released, which brought Daniela world fame and fame. She played the main role of Rosalia Cefalu. The famous Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni became her partner on the set.
The film is set in Italy. Ferdinando is a wonderful family man and has been married to Rosalia for 12 years. But one day he meets his young and very attractive cousin Angela and falls in love with her. The girl reciprocates and then Ferdinando decides to divorce his wife. But in those years in Italy, it was almost impossible to file a divorce, so the husband comes up with a cunning plan to get rid of Rosalia forever, and begins to implement it.
The film won the Cannes Film Festival for Best Comedy and was nominated for the Palme d'Or grand prize. Mastroianni received a Golden Globe, a British Academy Award and an Oscar nomination for his role. Glory has not spared Daniela either. She was nominated for a British Academy Award. The film also won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
The further career of the actress was tragic. Due to a failed romance with director P. Jermie, Daniela tried to commit suicide. As a result, she was sent to a psychiatric clinic for treatment. After that, she was unable to return to normal work. Rokka occasionally appeared on the screen in secondary roles, but the representatives of the film industry generally preferred not to have any contact with her.
In the following years, Daniela starred in several more films: Summer Sins, The Captive City, Don Giovanni from the Cote d'Azur, Symphony for Massacre, Razinya, Boredom. She last appeared on the screen in the drama "A Day-Long Life."
Personal life
The former beauty queen and rather successful actress never found her happiness.
While filming Italian Divorce, she fell in love with director Pietro Germi.
After a short romance, Pietro said that further relations between them were impossible. This was a real blow for the actress. She tried to commit suicide, as a result was placed in a psychiatric hospital, where she spent several months.
The girl did not manage to fully recover from the shock, on this her acting career actually came to an end. She tried to return to work, but in cinematic circles, Daniela was recognized as "unstable" and was no longer invited to shoot. Nobody wanted to deal with a hysterical and mentally unstable performer.
Daniela appeared on the screen several times in secondary roles, but in 1970 she completely completed her acting career.
Rocca spent the last years of her life in a nursing home, where she devoted all her time to writing novels. She passed away at the age of 57 in the spring of 1995.
