Monica Bellucci is an actress whose signature hallmarks are beauty, elegance, sex appeal, and Italianness. From her early days as a model, she stood out for the way she brought traditional Italian looks into the realm of high fashion where they were rare. She achieved the same effect in international cinema, reviving memories of the visual presence of the Italian stars of the past, and a much older heritage of Italian pictorial beauty, while venturing into contemporary genres like neo-noir and science fiction. By speaking little, Bellucci—who lacked professional training—constituted herself as an icon to be admired from afar, a glamorous dark lady whose refined appeal was more readily harnessed by French and American filmmakers than Italian ones. She is an interesting example of a star who has carefully managed quite specific (and in some respects limited) resources to maximize her multimedial impact over time, adding postmodern complexity to a conventional image.