Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini was born on June 18, 1952, in Rome, Italy. She is the daughter of Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman and Italian film director Roberto Rossellini. She has three siblings: a twin sister, Isotta Ingrid Rossellini, and two half-siblings, Robertino Rossellini and Pia Lindström. Rossellini was raised in Rome and Paris. She moved to New York City at the age of 19 to attend Finch College and later worked as a translator and television reporter.
Rossellini’s career began in the late 1970s as a magazine model. She became one of the world’s most successful models, appearing on numerous magazine covers, including Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire. She was the exclusive spokesperson for Lancôme cosmetics for 14 years, from 1982 to 1996.
Rossellini began her acting career in Italian cinema, appearing in films such as “Il Prato” (1979). Her American film debut was in “White Nights” (1985). She gained international recognition for her role as the tortured nightclub singer Dorothy Vallens in David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” (1986). She has since appeared in a variety of films, ranging from independent productions to mainstream Hollywood movies.