Anita Ekberg : International Blonde

Complicates and challenges widespread perceptions of Swedish actor Anita Ekberg An examination of an icon of glamour and excess An appreciation of the work of celebrity and performance A look at a star across nations, genres and phases of life A range of critical approaches in the study of a key star and celebrity Anita Ekberg was a major international star now chiefly remembered for her half-hour appearance in La dolce vita. She was a Swedish film star who worked extensively in the USA, Italy and elsewhere in Europe but never in Sweden. She was seen as a curvaceous blonde in the Marilyn Monroe mould whose roles and style were nothing like Monroe’s. She was celebrated or looked down on for her fabulous looks but never appreciated for her performance. This collection looks at all these facets of Ekberg’s career, examining the nature of her star image and discussing her skills as actress and celebrity. It considers the perception of her body in different national contexts and genres and as she aged, the significance of casting, directors, dress and performance and the role of the press, class, ethnicity and her own agency in the production of this fascinating personality.