Hollywood has long been brimming with stars. Some remain in the limelight for decades, while others peak abruptly before vanishing as fast as they appeared.
Legendary actresses such as Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Jayne Mansfield, Raquel Welch, and Jean Harlow have received a great deal of attention throughout the years, thanks to their natural skill and stunning appearance.
Even while they sat on the throne as industry queens, others were constantly waiting in the wings, yearning for the opportunity to take over. Sydne Rome, known as the “golden girl of the American Midwest,” was one such actress.
Sydne did not follow the same road as other actresses to success in the entertainment industry. Instead, she traveled to Europe, and spectators were captivated by her blonde hair and blue eyes. It has been rumored that she once dated David Bowie.
Rome may have had the it factor, but she didn’t remain in the limelight long. Despite this, she remains quite busy and has raised her own family throughout the years. Unfortunately, one accident left her face disfigured for life.
Sydne Rome was born in Akron, Ohio, on March 17, 1951. Her father worked in plastic manufacture, while her mother was, as Sydne put it, a “born hippie.”
She comes from an upper-middle-class family and grew up in Upper Sandusky, a little town of 5,000. It was said to have the greatest per capita income of any municipality in the United States.
Sydne Rome – Early Life
Throughout Hollywood history, we have seen numerous cases of performers’ offspring being successful in their own right. Some examples are Miley Cyrus, the daughter of country musician Billy Ray Cyrus; Dakota Johnson, whose parents, Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, were actresses; and Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson’s daughter, Kate Hudson.
Alternatively, the phrase “nepo baby” is employed. Sky calls it “a catchier way to say the successful child of a celebrity—someone who rode to fame on the coattails of their talented parent, often making a name for themselves in the same or an adjacent industry.”
For some, having a famous mom or dad offers a fantastic opportunity, presenting them with contacts within the entertainment industry. Others, however, find it difficult since it puts them under pressure to equal their parents’ successes and star status.
Sydne Rome didn’t have to worry about this. Her family members had never considered a career in the entertainment world.
“There was nothing in my family that should have given me this craze for acting,” she told the Daily News in 1974. “My father had a plastics firm, and my mother is justMom.’ I have two sisters and two younger brothers.”
Rome proceeded to secondary school in Ohio, but by then she had developed a strong interest in acting. The young girl had made plans for her future, but all changed when she chatted with those close to her.
Instead, the word “nepo baby” is used. Sky defines this term as “a catchier way to say the successful child of a celebrity—someone who rode to fame on the coattails of their talented parent, often making a name for themselves in the same or an adjacent industry.”
For some, having a famous mother or father provides a tremendous chance, introducing them to contacts in the entertainment world. Others, however, find it challenging since it puts them under pressure to emulate their parents’ success and celebrity position.
Sydne Rome did not have to worry about this. Her family members had never contemplated working in the entertainment industry.
“There was nothing in my family that should have given me this craze for acting,” she told the Daily News in 1974. “My father had a plastics firm, and my mother is just Mom.’ I have two sisters and two younger brothers.”
Rome attended secondary school in Ohio, although she had already established a keen interest in acting. The young girl had made plans for her future, but everything changed when she spoke with people closest to her.
After finishing her schooling in Pennsylvania, the young actress moved to California. She joined the Pasadena Playhouse and proceeded to excel on stage.
Despite having starred in Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Tennessee Williams shows, Rome’s first foray into Hollywood was a catastrophe. She missed out on her first important role in the film Candy, which was sent to Rome by her agency, and after another year at the Pasadena Playhouse, she tried her luck again in Europe.
There was no denying she was a stunning woman. However, in that era, simply looking beautiful in clothing was insufficient.
“I had a terrible time in Rome with young Italian directors who wanted me to play in the nude,” she told the Daily News. “I did not want to do it. Now I have a new viewpoint. Playing naked has become part of our trade. It’s fine with me as long as it’s clearly needed in the screenplay and doesn’t entail horrific love scenes.”
Sydne Rome primarily appeared in modest Italian films in the 1970s.
Compared with Brigitte Bardot
Then, in 1972, she had her big break when she collaborated with filmmaker Roman Polanski on the film What? Though reviewers panned the film, it was a significant step forward for Sydne. In 1973, she also married Emilio Lari, a photojournalist and cameraman.
By then, the young American actress had been linked to Brigitte Bardot. In 1979, the Sunday Telegraph named her “the up-and-coming Jean Harlow or Raquel Welch, the ticking Sex Bomb of the nineteen-eighties.”.
That analogy may have added a lot of strain to a young actress’s shoulders. Sydne, however, took it in stride.
[Brigitte] is beautiful, dynamic, extremely open, and incredibly available. She’s every man’s fantasy. Perhaps at first glance, I appear less available. However, I believe that audiences will reconsider and form alternative opinions. “And I’m a better actress than Bardot,” she stated.
Rome appeared to have all it required to succeed in Hollywood, but she never seemed to take the last step. Her debut picture, Some Girls Do, was released in 1969, but it had little impact on her career. Instead, she tried her luck in a different region of the world, appearing in several French, Italian, and German films.
As the 1970s came to a conclusion, Rome won a role in David Hemmings’ film Just a Gigolo, co-starring with the legendary David Bowie.
“We were pals. When I went to Berlin for the initial [script] readings, I was told that they hadn’t found the leading guy. He [Bowie] was interested in Germany throughout the interwar time, so I thought David could be interested in doing this portion. I contacted him to ask whether I could email him the script. “We did it, and he agreed,” she told NME in 2021.
Romance with David Bowie.
It was even claimed that the two were dating at one time, which she acknowledged in a subsequent interview with Italian television.
“I met him because he called me to accompany him to Paris to see the premiere of his film, and I accepted [the offer for Just a Gigolo] immediately,” Rome told me. “We were together for one year. He was really entertaining and tasty.”
Rome relocated to Rome, where she lived for more than a decade. She became a musician in the 1980s, releasing many albums that, regrettably, did not take off.
Synde appeared in several projects, including the 1980 film L’uomo puma [The Pumaman]. With a mere 2.2 out of 10 rating on the International Movie Database, it doesn’t take a film specialist to determine its success. Rome also began producing films, including one on Formula One, which was shot in Rio de Janeiro.
While her desire of being a huge celebrity remained, she was concerned that the film industry had evolved into something more than just wonderful films.
“I’m well-known worldwide except in America,” she told me. “I enjoy creative work, but I dislike the commercial aspect of my ‘job.’ An actress may come to believe that she is nothing more than a commercial asset, that no one cares about her other than what she represents in terms of a contract.
“Being in films can be terrible for a woman—no, it’s not just having passes made; I can take care of that,” Sydne droned. “But it takes years of hard work before anyone truly respects you. Actresses are not meant to have brains.”
She continued, “Perhaps that is why so many actors and actresses, particularly women, feel insecure.” I have a few actress pals, and we weep on each other’s shoulders. Actors make friends easily since they don’t fit into any single class—they’re not aristocrats, middle-class, or lower-class. “They can fit in anywhere.”
A car accident left Sydne Rome permanently wounded.
Rome’s marriage to Emilio, unfortunately, did not last. She remarried doctor Roberto Bernabei, and the couple opted to adopt two sisters, Vanessa and Jesse, from São Paulo’s favelas, according to Corriere. He rose to prominence as a medical professional, eventually becoming Pope Francis’ personal physician in 2021.
Rome’s career continued, and she appeared in several projects, but her big break never came in the United States. Despite this, she discovered more essential things in life, such as a quiet and caring family.
Then, in 2009, Sydne Rome’s life altered permanently. She was engaged in a major accident while driving her automobile, which was also carrying one of her eight-year-old kids.
In an appearance with the Italian chat program Vieni da Me, Rome said that she had driven her automobile for the first time after three weeks in the garage.
Sydne was driving with her kid when she veered off the road and collided with a tree. The airbag burst up on her face, causing significant injuries.
“I went to the hospital, and they stitched up my skin,” Rome recalled, adding that the physicians were unaware that the mishap had injured her face muscles. “That part of my face, after a while, became paralyzed, and so 10 years ago I had physical therapy, and today I’m a little bit better.”
Looking over old images, Sydne stated that she couldn’t identify her face due to the alteration to her right side.
“I know it’s me, but it’s like seeing another person again,” Sydne Rome said today.
Despite her severe wounds, Sydne refused to give up. She continues to work in the entertainment sector, most recently starring in the Italian film La Quattordicesima Domenica Del Tempo Ordinario, which was released in 2023.
Moreover, Sydne, now age 72, had a recurring role in the Italian television series Don Matteo, appearing in 53 episodes between 2021 and 2022.
Sydne Rome didn’t become the next Brigette Bardot, but has always done what she enjoyed. Despite the sad accident, she has continued to follow her passion.
