Isabella Rossellini: Why the Quirky Star is a Role Model for Following Dreams and Aging Gracefully

Isabella Rossellini has long been a modern-day icon of sophistication and elegance, with the impressive pedigree to match.

A well-known face of the '80s thanks to her modeling contract with Lanc?me cosmetics, the stunning star earned raves for her performance as a tortured nightclub singer in the artsy 1986 classic Blue Velvet, and roles in mainstream '90s films like Death Becomes Her (1992), Fearless (1993), Wyatt Earp (1994) and Big Night (1996) cemented her A-list status.

Now 72, Isabella Rossellini has been staying busy with roles in films like La Chimera and Spaceman, and she has a number of upcoming projects in the works. The actress has lived a truly fascinating life — read on for some facts you may not have known about her.

Isabella Rossellini was born to be in the spotlight

Rossellini was born to Casablanca star Ingrid Bergman and the trailblazing Italian director Roberto Rossellini in Rome in 1952. There was a major scandal around her famous parents, as their relationship started as a torrid affair, and Bergman gave birth to Isabella's older brother before her divorce from her first husband.

Reflecting on her famous mom, who died in 1982, Isabella said, "If I could say anything to Mama, I would say, 'Thank you.' I think of her every day. When people pass, the relationship with the person remains at the moment when they passed. But they often don't evolve. But for me — 'as time goes by,' to quote Casablanca, I find myself understanding Mama even more. The admiration for my mom has augmented."

She was married to a famous director before she became a star

Rossellini was destined to be an actress, but started out working as a translator and reporter for the Italian station RAI. One day, the young Rossellini was sent to interview Taxi Driver director Martin Scorsese, and they ended up getting married in 1979.

Scorsese and Rossellini divorced in 1982, and she didn't act in any of his films. Scorsese, a huge admirer of her father's work, told her after they split that it felt important "to think that he was in a relationship with Roberto Rossellini’s daughter."

Her modeling career was longer than most

Rossellini had a relatively late start to modeling, and got into the fashion industry at age 28. In the early '80s she appeared on the cover of many fashion magazines and was shot by all the top photographers of the day. She even had a nude appearance in Madonna's infamous Sex book!

Rossellini's contract with Lanc?me lasted from 1982 to 1996, when she was fired at 43 for being "too old." She had the last laugh, though, as the brand brought her back in 2016.

She has a surprising area of expertise

Rossellini has a lifelong passion for animals, and in 2007, she want back to school at Hunter College to get a Master's Degree in Animal Behavior. Shortly after, she put this degree to good use when she created, wrote and starred in the video series Green Porno, a collection of eclectic short films about the mating habits and sexuality of various animals in which she donned a series of kooky costumes to play the critters herself.

Rossellini also trains seeing eye dogs and lives on a farm. In an interview, she called the science of animal behavior her muse, and said that her dedication to studying animals was a natural progression.

As she described it, "A lot of people were surprised, they’d say, 'Why does she want to be a worm? Or, how can she play a fly? She has been on the cover of Vogue! What is this?” But my family wasn’t surprised. They said, 'Oh, we’re not surprised she does that.'"

She has an admirable attitude about aging

Rossellini is the epitome of aging gracefully. In a New York Times interview this year, she said, "You know, they all talk about wrinkles, but talk about the freedom that comes with old age. When you’re young, there is a lot of expectation. You have to make a career; you have to prove that you can be financially independent, you can raise your children, you’re successfully married — there are so many things that you have to prove. But then as you become older, you just are lucky to be alive and healthy. And then you start saying: Well, what do I want? Let me do what I want... There is a great serenity. "

Now that's a philosophy we can get behind.