His photos, even today, amaze with their extraordinary and delicate beauty. And its story, wrapped in the glories of the golden years of American cinema, fascinates those who listen to it for the first time: it is the story of Anna Maria Pierangeli, the first Italian in Hollywood. The diva is also known for being the only great love of the beautiful and damned James Dean. But the astonishing rise of America's sweetheart - as she was often called - then stopped, getting lost in the US star system.

Born in Cagliari in 1932, daughter of an architect and a good family, Anna Maria soon moved to Rome where she attended art school. Hers was the charm of the classic girl next door, different from Loren, Magnani and Lollobrigida. And someone soon noticed it, stopping her during a walk through the streets of the capital. The watchful eye was that of Vittorio De Sica.

That meeting earned her a ticket first to Cinecittà and then to Hollywood, where she was hired by Metro Goldwyn Mayer for seven years with a golden contract.

In Los Angeles her life changes quickly, between exclusive parties, luxury cars and an endless line of suitors. But it was James Dean who stole Anna Maria's heart, with whom she experienced an intense love story. The relationship between the two, opposed by her family, ends when Dean refuses to marry her. So the diva - after the disappointment - got married to a young singer, Vic Damone. His popularity, however, suffered a sharp decline and he soon ended up in a spiral of depression. She died very young, at just 39 years old. But her story continues to live on today in the memory of those who do not forget this charismatic, modern and very courageous woman.

Her life and that of many others in "Stories of special women" .

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