Do You Remember: When Lancôme Sacked Isabella Rossellini, Age 42, for Being Too Old

One of the world’s most famous beauties got revenge on a cosmetics giant for their ageism

Isabella Rossellini has been famous from before her birth. Her mother was Ingrid Bergman, and when she left her husband to shack up with Roberto Rossellini, the king of Italian neo-realism, she was denounced on the floor of the U.S. Senate as "a powerful influence for evil." She came to America, married and divorced Martin Scorsese, and became known as one of the great beauties of her generation through modelling and film. She was photographed by everyone. She's in Madonna's Sex book. She caused an industry-wide scandal by starring in Blue Velvet (she then dated David Lynch!) On a famous episode of Friends, she was on Ross's hall pass list (but not the laminated one.) Recently, she graduated with her Master's degree in animal behaviour and conservation. She’s in my favourite film of 2024. I love her. She's a true legend, one who's only become more fun and proudly weird as she's gotten older. Who else would have made Green Porno?

(Image via MUBI.)

She's currently on the awards trail with Conclave and might land her first Oscar nomination for playing a shady nun. It's a nothing role but she's a scene-stealer who has the kind of on-screen presence that can't be replicated. Truly, Rossellini is one of a kind, and she knows it. At 72, she’s still blazing trails. She's front and centre in ads for French cosmetics giant Lancôme, having been hired by the company in 2016. It was a victory lap for Rossellini, after the company she once represented had dropped her at the age of 42 for being "too old."