After earning her high school diploma, Francesca Dellera moved to Rome where she began working as a model.
Her physical beauty, in this phase of her career, landed her image on the covers of national and international publications. Her portrait was taken by the greatest names in photography including Helmut Newton, Dominique Isserman, Greg Gorman, Michael Comte, Andre Rau and many others. Francesca Dellera was born to be a model, but it wasn’t long before the film industry took notice of her.
Thanks to her voluptuous beauty, director Tinto Brass debuted her in his movie Capriccio (Love & Passion), while she played a role in the 3-part TV miniseries La Romana directed by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, the television adaptation of the film of the same name directed by Luigi Zampa in 1954, which in turn was adapted from the novel by Alberto Moravia (Francesca, Sofia Loren, Claudia Cardinale and Stefania Sandrelli were chosen by the great author for one of his very rare interviews). The miniseries attracted a television audience of more than 10 million viewers who watched her play the lead, supported by Gina Lollobrigida. Her work in this role earned her a Telegatto in 1989, but it was her work in the movie La Carne directed by one of the greatest names in Italian cinema, Marco Ferreri, that earned her international fame. Ferreri’s muse and his inspiration, he has said of Francesca that she has “the most beautiful skin in Italian cinema”. The film debuted to great acclaim at Cannes.
Beloved in France for her Mediterranean sensuality, she was one of the international actresses present in the book that Cannes dedicated to the 50th anniversary of its Film Festival.
Her success continued in France and, after filming L’Ours en peluche by Jacques Deray alongside international stars such as Alain Delon, she became a favourite model of Jean Paul Gaultier, who used her in his fashion shows, a privilege only afforded to great stars such as Madonna.
After spending a few more years in France, Dellera returned to Rome to play the lead role in Nanà, a 2-part television miniseries directed by Alberto Negrin, which was an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Émile Zola.
She was also the star of the television movie La Contessa di Castiglione, co-produced with a French television production company, directed by French director, Josée Dayan, in which she played alongside Sergio Rubini and Jeanne Moreau.
The advertising campaigns in which Dellera appeared have also had enormous impact. She was recognized for her work in the best advert of the year, directed by Maurizio Nichetti for “IP”. Dellera has also been the testimonial in several other successful campaigns for famous brands.
“The physical presence of Francesca Dellera speaks for itself. She has that something special that only the most riveting screen actresses have. She is right at home in front of the camera; when she is clothed, she seems naked and when she is naked she seems clothed.” (Tullio Kezich)
“Unlike the asexual canons of beauty of our times, Francesca Dellera is a throwback to the beauty of the past; her soft, white skin is rarely seen any more. Today, femininity is vulgar and completely asexual, as television and fashion demands”. (Natalia Aspesi)
