Greta Scacchi

Greta Scacchi was born in Milan, Italy, to Pamela Carsaniga, an English dancer and Luca Scacchi, an Italian art dealer and painter. She grew up in Milan and Sussex, England. In 1975, her mother and second husband moved to Australia, where, after she left school, Greta worked as an Italian interpreter on a ranch. At age 18, she returned to England and trained at the Bristol Old Vic, paying her way through college by working as a model for catalogues. Played small parts as a stage actress before she made her first appearance on British television, then the young film makerDominik Grafdirected her inDas zweite Gesicht (1982). She learned German for this movie. (She also speaks fluent Italian and French.) AfterHeat and Dust (1983),she played parts in French, Italian and English movies and Australian television, working with the Taviani Brothers, Margareta von Trotta and Diana Kurys. She turned down Hollywood for many years but after appearing inWhite Mischief (1987)agreed to co-star inPresumed Innocent (1990),Shattered (1991)andThe Player (1992).