Isabella Rossellini is the daughter of screen legend Ingrid Bergman, and director Roberto Rossellini. She is sister to twin Ingrid, brother Robertino, and half-sister Pia Lindström, from her mother's first marriage.
      Interestingly, the five-foot-eight Isabella didn't begin her career on stage or film, but as a journalist for RAI Television in Italy. From there she went on to appear as part of an ensemble on the Italian version of Saturday Night Live, and it was during this time she was introduced to photographer Bruce Weber, who obviously saw the same alluring beauty her mother possessed. He insisted on taking her picture which led Isabella to a modeling career in both the magazine and fashion industries. For fourteen years her face was present in numerous magazines and television commercials as she held the title of exclusive spokesmodel for Lancôme cosmetics. Once her contract came to an end, she developed her own line of cosmetics, Manifesto, from Coty.
      Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world in both 1990 and 1991, Isabella was first seen by American audiences in Taylor Hackford's White Nights opposite Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines. In 1986, she starred as Dorothy Vallens in David Lynch's haunting and controversial Blue Velvet. In more recent years, she seems to have found a comfortable niche in television mini-series such as: Merlin, The Odyssey and Don Quixote, exposing herself to a wider range of audiences.
      Considered by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history, Isabella was once married to director Martin Scorsese, then later Jonathan Wiedemann, with whom she had daughter Elettra with. She also has an adopted son, Roberto.
Photo © Andre Rau/SYGMA

Bio info taken from several sources. Please let us know of any errors.