Ilaria Occhini

Ilaria Occhini (28 March 1934 – 20 July 2019) was a distinguished Italian actress renowned for her work across stage, television, and film, accumulating over 30 film credits throughout her career. Born in Florence into a literary family—her mother was Gioconda Papini and her father Barna Occhini—she was primed for a life in the arts. Occhini began her cinematic journey at just 19, featuring in Luciano Emmer's comedy *Terza Liceo* under the pseudonym Isabella Redi. She honed her craft at the Accademia d'Arte Drammatica in Rome, graduating in 1957.

That same year marked a significant resurgence in her career as she starred in Mario Monicelli's *Il medico e lo stregone* and made her stage debut in Luchino Visconti's *La ragazza delle smirne*. Her early television work included a leading role in Anton Giulio Majano's adaptation of *Jane Eyre* and a notable appearance in *The Vicar of Wakefield* in 1959.

Occhini's theatrical performances, especially in collaboration with Visconti and at the Piccolo Teatro of Naples, garnered critical acclaim. She was a familiar face in RAI television productions and took on a variety of film roles, often in supporting capacities. Among her accolades, she received the Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress in 1992 for *Benvenuti in Casa Gori*, and in 2008, she was honored as Best Actress at the Locarno International Film Festival for *Mar Nero*. Her exceptional career culminated in a David di Donatello award in 2010 for *Loose Cannons*.

Occhini was married to screenwriter Raffaele La Capria, with whom she had a daughter named Alexandra.