Quick Facts
Biography
Eva Riccobono (born 7 February 1983) is an Italian model, actress, and television presenter.
Early life
Riccobono was born in Palermo, Sicily, the daughter of an Italian father and a German mother. She has three older sisters and a brother who died aged 19 when she was four. Riccobono began modeling in Sicily before moving to Milan at the age of 18, where she pursues her fashion career and appears in two Italian music videos. In 2002 she made her television debut after being scouted by Fiorello for his RAI show Stasera Pago Io ("Tonight I'll Pay"), which hosted many international stars such as Joe Cocker, Lenny Kravitz and Celine Dion.
Career
Modeling
Riccobono was first photographed by Marco Glaviano, who saw her in Sicily. In 2002 she entered a contract with Dolce & Gabbana. Bruce Weber photographed her for the 2003 Pirelli Calendar. She has since modelled for designers such as Giorgio Armani, Gianfranco Ferré and Emanuel Ungaro. She has worked for photographers including Miles Aldridge, David Bailey, Gilles Bensimon, Patrick Demarchelier, Arthur Elgort, Annie Leibovitz, Peter Lindbergh, Craig McDean, Paolo Roversi, Mario Testino and Ellen von Unwerth.
Riccobono posed for Lavazza Calendar 2009, with photographs of Annie Leibovitz. She has been the face of Argentovivo campaign by Marco Glaviano, and testimonial for Swarovski in 2012. She was also engaged to present a commercial for new Sky Channel High Life TV, about luxury and lifestyle.
During the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Riccobono walked for the fund-raising show Fashion for Relief, founded by friend Naomi Campbell and Franca Sozzani to benefit victims of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Television and films
Riccobono debuted in television as a presenter in the 2002 program Stasera Pago Io alongside Fiorello. Seven years later, Fiorello called her for another of his show, Il Più Grande Spettacolo Dopo il Weekend ("The Greatest Show After The Weekend"). She presented in 2012 a scientific divulgation programme for Rai 2 entitled Eva.
In 2004, she starred in the short film Eva, by Italian artist and filmmaker Valerio Rocco Orlando, a conceptual story shot on the Hudson River. When she was famous as a model, Riccobono was hosted by television programmes on MTV, Rai 1, LA 3, and in the jury of Miss Italia 2011.
Her first movie role came aged 25 in 2008 Carlo Verdone's comedy Grande, Grosso e Verdone ("Big, Large and Verdone"). In this film she portrays Blanche, the main character's dream woman.
In 2012 she plays the part of a toxic prostitute in And They Call It Summer, winner at the Rome Film Festival. For her performance in Marco Ponti's A Liberal Passion, Riccobono in 2013 won a Golden Ciak for Best Supporting Actress and got a nomination for the Silver Ribbon. In the same year she is in the movie Niente può fermarci ("Nothing Can Stop Us"), a comedy about the juvenile fears for the future. She recently shot La Vita Oscena ("The Obscene Life"), Renato De Maria's film adaptation of the homonym tale by writer Aldo Nove.
Riccobono is set to host the opening and closing nights of the 70th Venice International Film Festival, with Bernardo Bertolucci as president.
Personal Life
From 2002 to 2005 Riccobono lived and studied in New York City. She currently resides in London, engaged since 2004 to DJ Matteo Ceccarini.
Riccobono is the vocalist in Labbra ("Lips"), a song recorded in bed with her partner. For this track she also filmed the music video.