A bakery worker, she was crowned Miss Italy in 1947. Made her film debut in De Santis's Non c'è Pace tra gli Ulivi / Under the Olive Tree (1950) and soon after demonstrated her ability to handle subtle psychological roles in Antonioni's Cronaca di un Amore / Story of a Love Affair and La Signora senza Camelie / The Lady Without Camelias. She also figured prominently in Bardem's Death of a Cyclist and Buñuel's Cela s'appelle l'Aurore but retired from the screen in 1956 to marry the famous bullfighter Luis-Miguel Dominguin. Returned to films in the late 60s after their separation.