Claudia Cardinale , an actress popular for her roles in “The Pink Panther” and “Once Upon a Time in the West,” has died. She was 87.

The Italian movie star died Tuesday in Nemours, near Paris. Her agent, Laurent Savry, confirmed her death to the French news agency AFP.

Cardinale rose to fame in the ‘60s, becoming one of Italy’s most prominent female stars working with legendary filmmakers like Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti.

“She leaves us the legacy of a free and inspired woman both as a woman and as an artiste,” her agent told AFP .

The Tunisian-born Cardinale was declared “the most beautiful Italian woman in Tunis” after winning a beauty contest at the age of 16. The prize, a trip to Venice Film Festival, led her to be approached by many different filmmakers and ultimately

See Full Page