Sophia Loren came from a humble beginning, but by the 50s and the 60s, she was all the rage in Hollywood.

She made her film debut with a starring role in Aida in 1953 and starred in 1957’s The Pride and the Passion and 1958’s Houseboat alongside Cary Grant.

Then came the 1960s Two Women. The film proved Loren was not only one of Hollywood’s stunningly beautiful women but also one of the most talented. In the movie, she played a mother struggling to provide for her 12-year-old daughter in war-torn Italy.

She became the first artist to win an Academy Award for a performance in a foreign-language film.

The actress continued building her credits through the 70s and left a lasting mark on European and American movies. 

But by the early 80s, she had been absent from the silver screens, and her most recent work was in 2010. This led fans to wonder, 

Is Sophia Loren Still Alive?

Loren is very much alive. In fact, she is the only one of the American Film Institute’s 25 greatest female screen legends who is still alive today.

In 2020, Loren returned to the cinema after an 11-year absence with the Netflix drama The Life Ahead. The movie was directed by her son, Edoardo Ponti, who is married to Sasha Alexander.

Loren stars as Madame Rosa, a Jewish Holocaust survivor who cares for the children of deceased sex workers with whom she once worked. She then strikes an enduring friendship with Ibrahima Gueye’s Momo, a 12-year-old Senegalese orphan who snatches Rosa’s bag.

During an interview with the New York Times, she opened up about her return and why she had slowed down.

“I didn’t slow down just a little: I was simply not working anymore. Not because I didn’t love working; I wanted to know more about my family because I was often living at the studio,” said the actress. 

She told herself she could work later and was very happy with her decision as she got to see her children grow up, get married, and start their own families. 

Sophia Loren Inspired by ‘The Life Ahead’

Speaking of her decade-long absence, the actress said it was not because she did not get any offers but because none of them inspired or challenged her. 

Italian actress Sophia Loren when she was younger

Italian actress Sophia Loren when she was younger. (Source: Twitter)

Finally, a decade later, she was intrigued by Madame Rosa, a character that spread “messages of tolerance, love, and inclusion."

As a self-described perfectionist, the actress alluded her collaboration with her son was what she was looking for as an actress. “I’m a perfectionist, but so is he. Edoardo gives me security. He also never gives up until I give him my very best. He knows exactly what buttons to push to get something out of me,” said the actress.

She added that when her son told her "this is it" after they filmed a scene, she knew her performance was what it needed to be. 

When asked if she had plans to stop acting any time soon, Loren made sure the answer was a resounding no — "If I like acting, why should I stop?"