We all remember her from the Fontana di Trevi scene of Federico Fellini’s masterpiece “La Dolce Vita”. If you have seen some of Fellini’s drawings, you would notice that she is literally just like out of a Fellini’s dream.
On the 13th of February 2013 the Swedish-born actress Anita Ekberg gave a master class on the start of her acting career in the Berlinale Talent Campus. The discussion was moderated by Peter Cowie – film historian and author of more than thirty books on film.
Being an almost religious admirer of Federico Fellini’s magical cinema, I really wanted to see Anita Ekberg live and hear what she had to say about Il Maestro. Anita Ekberg, 81 years old, has not lost her charm, beauty and sense of humour. She is what I would call a real diva, a living legend.
At the end of the 50s, while being in Rome for a photo session and driving around in her cabriolet with her long blond hair. Anita Ekberg was spotted by Fellini as his Sylvia in “La Dolce Vita”. Anita still recalls that lunch she has had with him and her agent when the Italian director persuaded her to play in the film that would become a milestone in film history. Even though she did not speak any Italian at that time, she remembers how charming, educated and gentle Fellini was. Famous for not giving too much information beforehand to his actors, when Anita asked him to see the script, Fellini simply replied that there is not any. As for the lines, she could just make them up as she wants to. And so she did.
After shooting “La Dolce Vita” Anita Ekberg fell incurably in love with Rome and never returned back to Hollywood. Until this day Italy is her home.
Asked whether she would like to act again, she replied: “For a television production NO; in the cinema – YES. Betty Davis played until her 90s.” She has got style indeed.
I know you know it, but here it is once again: the legendary scene on the Trevi fountain. As it was shot in January, you could imagine that it would take courage to get into the cold water just in an evening dress. I personally am glad that Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni found that courage and created history:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKN1T3K1idg
