Monica Bellucci is an Italian actress and model, born on September 30, 1964, in Città di Castello, Umbria, Italy. She is the only child of Brunella Briganti and Pasquale Bellucci. Initially pursuing a career in law, Bellucci attended the University of Perugia but began modeling to earn money for her studies. Her modeling career took off when she moved to Milan in 1988 and joined Elite Model Management. Bellucci transitioned to acting in 1990, making her American film debut in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).

Bellucci gained international fame with her role in the French thriller The Apartment (1996), which earned her a nomination for the French equivalent of an Oscar. She is widely recognized for her performances in films such as Malena (2000), Under Suspicion (2000), and Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001). Bellucci also appeared as Lucia Sciarra in the James Bond film Spectre (2015), becoming the oldest actress to play a Bond girl at age 51. Fluent in multiple languages, including Italian, English, French, Persian, and Spanish, Bellucci has established herself as a versatile and accomplished actress in both European and American cinema.