Biographie

Best known by the public for her role as Sylvia Rank in Federico Fellini's La dolce vita (1960), which features the famous scene of her cavorting in Rome's Trevi Fountain, clad in a black gown with a plunging neckline.

In December 2011, Ekberg was destitute following three months in a hospital with a broken thigh in Rimini, during which her home was robbed of jewelry and furniture, and her villa was badly damaged in a fire. She applied for help from the Fellini Foundation, which also found itself in difficult financial straits.

Was considered for the role of Honey Rider in the first James Bond film James Bond 007 contre Dr. No (1962), which went to Ursula Andress. Ekberg later co-starred with Andress in the Western comedy Quatre du Texas (1963).

Had a long involvement with Tyrone Power that began when she was uncredited in his film Le gentilhomme de la Louisiane (1953). She was involved with him during his subsequent tour of "John Brown's Body" and showed up in New York while he was filming Tu seras un homme, mon fils (1956). At one point, he took her to Cincinnati with him to meet his family. This all took place while he was married to Linda Christian. Christian describes the affair, but never mentions Ekberg's name, in her autobiography.

Miss Sweden 1950.

How can I know who's PM or in government in Sweden? It's been 40 years since I moved abroad! Oh!

I'm very proud of my breasts, as every woman should be. It's not cellular obesity, it's womanliness.

I'm very much bigger than I was, so what? It's not really fatness, it's development.

When you're born beautiful, it helps you start in the business. But then it becomes a handicap.

They would like to keep up the story that [Federico Fellini] made me famous, Fellini discovered me. So many have said they discovered me.