Lara Wendel

Born Daniela Barnes in Munich, Wendel is the daughter of German actress Britta Wendel and of the American football player and film actor Walt Barnes. She made her debut at just four years old as a model for ads, and at the age of seven she made her film debut in the Tonino Valerii's giallo film My Dear Killer (1972). She also appeared as Mario Adorf's daughter Rita in Manhunt (1972), directed by Fernando Di Leo, and as the young Silvia in The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974), directed by Francesco Barilli.

Wendel had her first main role at 12 years old in the controversial erotic drama Maladolescenza (1977), which involved both nudity and simulated sex. Later she appeared in other controversial films, characterized by plots involving incest and improper relations between adults and adolescents, such as La petite fille en velours bleu (Little Girl in Blue Velvet, 1978), Mimi (1979), and Desideria: la vita interiore (it) (1980).

In the 1980s Wendel was mainly active in horror films, working with Dario Argento (Tenebrae, 1982), Lamberto Bava (Midnight Killer, 1986), Joe D'Amato (Killing Birds, 1988), and Umberto Lenzi (Ghosthouse, 1988) among others. She was also in a number of art films, including Michelangelo Antonioni's Identification of a Woman (1982) and Federico Fellini's Intervista (1987). She also appeared on television, notably playing a role of weight in the second season of the TV-series La piovra. Her last film was Mauro Bolognini's erotic drama Husband and Lovers (1991), and she retired at just 26 years old.

• My Dear Killer (1972)
• Manhunt (1972)
• Redneck (1973)
• The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974)
• Maladolescenza (1977)
• La petite fille en velours bleu (Little Girl in Blue Velvet) (1978)
• Ernesto (1979)
• Mimi (1979)
• Ring of Darkness (it) (Satan's Wife) (1979)
• Desideria: la vita interiore (it) (1980)
• The Hawk and the Dove (it) (1981)
• Identification of a Woman (1982)
• Tenebrae (1982)
• Vai alla grande (it) (1983)
• Fatto su misura (1985)
• A me mi piace (it) (1985)
• Midnight Killer (1986)
• Intervista (1987)
• Killing Birds (1988)
• Ghosthouse (1988)
• I frati rossi (it) (The Red Monks) (1988)
• Husband and Lovers (1991)