Considering Sophia Loren has been a screen legend since the '50s, it's hard to imagine the star living in anything besides complete opulence, but she came from extremely modest beginnings. According to Vanity Fair, Loren (then Sofia Scicolone) was "born in a charity ward for unwed mothers in Rome" in 1934. As revealed by The Irish Times, Riccardo Scicolone, her father, was out of the picture, "leaving Loren to grow up in grinding poverty with her grandparents [and mother, Romilda Villani] in Naples."
With a total of eight people crammed in her grandparents' apartment, the situation only got worse with the start of World War II. As Vanity Fair writes, at this time, "they were starving, living on rationed bread, [and] hiding from the air raids at night." Because food was so scarce, Loren's classmates teased her with the nickname "Sofia Stuzzicadenti," meaning "toothpick."
Finally, at the age of 14, the future star began developing her now-famous looks, and her mother entered her in a beauty contest. With nothing to wear, Loren's grandmother fashioned a gown out of their pink curtains. In awe of the other contestants all in "real gowns, jewels, and flowers," Loren managed to compose herself in front of the judges and "was chosen as one of the 12 princesses" — winning herself a ticket to Rome.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunB%2FkXJtcXFfqbWmedSnq6iklGLBs8HToWSonl2ovLG0yJpkpaeimrtw