Serena Grandi is an Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 actress, famous as an icon

Icon

An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...

 and sex symbol

Sex symbol

A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...

 in Italian cinema of 1980s and 1990s. Known for her junoesque

Juno (mythology)

Juno is an ancient Roman goddess, the protector and special counselor of the state. She is a daughter of Saturn and sister of the chief god Jupiter and the mother of Mars and Vulcan. Juno also looked after the women of Rome. Her Greek equivalent is Hera...

 body and voluptuous measurements, she was considered one of the main pin-up girls of Italy.

Biography

Serena Grandi is the stage name for Serena Faggioli, born in Bologna

Bologna

Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...

. Some films credited her as Vanessa Steiger. She started her acting career in 1980 playing a supporting role in the comedy La Compagna di viaggio by Ferdinando Baldi

Ferdinando Baldi

Ferdinando Baldi was an Italian film director, film producer and screenwriter. He was born on 19 May 1927 in Cava dei Tirreni, in the Province of Salerno.-Career:...

.

In 1980, credited as Vanessa Steiger, she played the role of Maggie in the controversial film The Anthropophagous Beast

The Anthropophagous Beast

Antropophagus, released in the UK as Anthropophagous: The Beast also known in some places as Zombie 7: Grim Reaper after 1981, the release year of Absurd and in the US as Anthropophagus: The Grim Reaper, is a 1980 Italian language horror film, directed by Joe D'Amato and co-written by D'Amato and...

, directed by Joe D'Amato

Joe D'Amato

Joe D'Amato, was a prolific Italian filmmaker who directed roughly 200 films, usually at the same time acting as producer and cinematographer, and sometimes providing the script as well...

. This film is well known among horror movie fans for its extreme gore sequence. After several films, she took a starring role in Tinto Brass

Tinto Brass

Giovanni Brass , better known as Tinto Brass, is an Italian filmmaker. He is noted especially for his work in the erotic genre, with films such as Così fan tutte , Paprika, Monella and Trasgredire...

' Miranda, which gave her the status of sex symbol in her native Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 and set the path for her stardom.

Through the 1980s, she made nearly 20 films, appearing in sexy comedies, sword epics such as Avventure dell'incredibile Ercole and some horror films. In 1987 Lamberto Bava

Lamberto Bava

Lamberto Bava is an Italian film director, specializing in horror and fantasy films.Bava was born in Rome, Italy, the son of cinematographer/director Mario Bava, and grandson of cameraman Eugenio Bava...

 gave her the role of Gloria in his film, Le foto di Gioia.

In the 1990s, she started to back away from the spotlight a bit. Still, she had appearances in television series and some films. In the late part of the decade, she married Beppo Ercole. They have a son, Eduardo.

Filmography

• Il papà di Giovanna (2008)
• Monella (1998)
• Radiofreccia
  Radiofreccia
  Radiofreccia, released in 1998, is the first movie directed by Italian rock singer-songwriter Luciano Ligabue, based on his 1997 debut novel Fuori e dentro il Borgo....
  
  (1998)
• Anni '50 (1998, mini TV series)
• Ragazze di Piazza di Spagna, Le (1998, TV series)
• Ladri si nasce (1997, TV)
• Gli inaffidabili (1997)
• La strana storia di Olga O. (1995)
• Delitto passionale (1994)
• Il prezzo della vita(1993, TV)
• Graffiante desiderio (1993)
• Donne sottotetto (1992)
• Saint Tropez, Saint Tropez (1992)
• Vendetta: Secrets of a Mafia Bride (1991, TV)
• Per odio per amore (1991, TV)
• In nome del popolo sovrano (1990)
• L'insegnante di violoncello (1990)
• Delirium
  Delirium (1987 film)
  Delirium, also known as Photo of Gioia and Delirium: Photo of Gioia is a 1980 Italian giallo film directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Serena Grandi.-Plot:A former prostitute is in charge of a successful men's magazine...
  
  (1987)
• Les exploits d'un jeune Don Juan (1987)
• Teresa (1987)
• Rimini Rimini (1987)
• Roba da ricchi (1987)
• Abbronzatissima (1987)
• Zanzibar(1986, TV)
• Le avventure dell'incredibile Ercole (1985)
• Miranda(1985)
• Sogni e bisogni (1985, TV miniseries )
• La signora della notte (1985)
• Desiderando Giulia (1985)
• Acapulco, prima spiaggia... a sinistra (1983)
• Sturmtruppen II (1983)
• Malamore (1982)
• Pierino la peste alla riscossa (1982)
• Pierino colpisce ancora (1982)
• Teste di cuoio (1981)
• Antropophagus (1980, as Vanessa Steiger)
• Tranquille donne di compagna (1980)
• La compagna di viaggio (1980)

External links