Maria Pia Conte, originally named Maria Pia Vaccarezza, was born in Genoa to a carpenter. She spent her early years in Sestri Levante before relocating to Genoa to pursue her passion for classical ballet. After some initial forays into acting as a child, Conte gained recognition as a model for fotoromanzi. This prompted her to focus on acting, leading her to enroll in the prestigious Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, from which she graduated in 1962.
Conte made her acting debut in 1961 with a role in Marco Bellocchio's short film, La colpa e la pena. Following this, she appeared in various films and television series, frequently taking on supporting roles, and she was sometimes credited as Mary P. Count. In addition to her on-screen performances, she also contributed her talents as a voice actress and dubbing artist. Conte chose to retire from the industry in the late 1970s.
In her personal life, she was married to actor Giuseppe Rinaldi, who lived from 1919 to 2007, and together they raised a daughter, Francesca Rinaldi, who also pursued a career in acting.
