Her voice is hoarse and she exudes a dramatic and troubling sort of sensuality: Monica Bellucci has made her mark on cinema–in fact, she has been making movies for over two decades. She has shot with everyone from Spike Lee, Francis Ford Coppola to the Wachowski Brothers. She’s played a variety of roles, from Mary Magdalena to Cleopatra.

On the eve of her fiftieth birthday, the face of Dolce & Gabbana has been cast in a number of films, including one by Emir Kusturica called “Love and Peace.”

Many happy returns to la bella donna.