It's impossible not to notice Italian actress Violante Placido. She possesses the kind of stunning beauty that makes men forget their names, particularly if she's showing off her considerable natural gifts in a movie like "The American."
After her scene-stealing performance opposite George Clooney, it's no wonder Hollywood came calling again to offer her a sexy role in the action sequel "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." Placido plays the kind of fiercely protective mother who would gladly put a bullet in you if it meant saving her kid. With her alluring charm and acting pedigree, Placido should be a household name in no time.
Age: 35
Hometown: Rome, Italy
What She's Done: Placido started acting as a teenager in her native Italy, appearing in more than 30 film and television projects there. She made her Hollywood movie debut playing an Italian prostitute whom George Clooney's character employs and then falls for in the 2010 hit-man thriller "The American." Anyone who saw the film will remember their steamy, skin-bearing love scenes.
What She's Doing Now: She's the female lead in the Nicolas Cage-starring action sequel "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." Placido plays Nadya, a Romanian mother whose young son Danny is wanted by the devil (Ciaran Hinds). Nadya, who has a secret dark past, must accept help from Johnny Blaze (Cage), the devil's bounty hunter, to protect Danny from evil.
Also Check Out: New "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" Trailer Is on Fire
Reminds Us of: The curvy Italian import exudes sexuality like French actress Eva Green. She also has the same beautiful-but-badass appeal of Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie. And although we don't use this comparison lightly, we can't help but consider her a possible successor to the queen of Italian sex symbols, Sofia Loren.
Fun Facts: Placido isn't just an actress, she's a singer-songwriter who released the 10-track album "Don't Be Shy" (under the name Viola) in 2006.
Quotable: "My parents never pushed me to be an actress. You can come from a family of actors, and sometimes there have been families that grow you up as an actor, but this wasn’t my situation. It’s very important to find your own way because it’s something you then have to confront yourself," she told Indie London.
Famous Friends: Forget famous friends, Placido has famous parents. Her father is actor-director Michele Placido, who's starred in or directed more than 90 films; and her mother, actress Simonetta Stefanelli, is best known to American audiences for playing Michael Corleone's gorgeous (and doomed) Sicilian wife in "The Godfather."
What's Next: Placido stars in her father's upcoming crime thriller "Le guetteur," or "The Lookout," starring French leading man Daniel Auteuil as a detective on a mission to find the sharpshooter (Mathieu Kassovitz) who ruined his elaborate plan to catch a ring of bank robbers.
