Anita Ekberg Net Worth

Anita Ekberg was a Swedish actress and model who had an estimated net worth of $100,000 at the time of her death in 2015.

Ekberg rose to international fame during the 1950s and 1960s, becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable sex symbols. She is best remembered for her unforgettable role as Sylvia in Federico Fellini’s 1960 classic La Dolce Vita, particularly the iconic Trevi Fountain scene that remains one of cinema’s most celebrated moments. Throughout her career, she starred alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Audrey Hepburn, and Bob Hope.

Early Life

Anita Ekberg was born Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg on September 29, 1931, in Malmö, Sweden.

She was the sixth of eight children and developed an interest in modeling during her teenage years. At her mother’s encouragement, she entered the Miss Malmö beauty competition in 1950, winning the title before going on to become Miss Sweden.

Her success earned her the opportunity to represent Sweden at the 1951 Miss Universe competition in the United States. Although she did not win the crown, finishing among the finalists proved to be the turning point in her career.

Career

Following her Miss Universe appearance, Ekberg received a contract with Universal Studios.

The studio provided acting, dancing, fencing, horseback riding, and speech training as it prepared her for Hollywood. She made early appearances in films such as:

• The Mississippi Gambler (1953)
• Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953)
• Take Me to Town
• The Golden Blade

Although her early roles were relatively small, Anita quickly became one of Hollywood’s most photographed stars. Her beauty, glamorous lifestyle, and high-profile relationships kept her in the spotlight, making her a favorite of entertainment magazines.

During the mid-1950s, she appeared in productions including Blood Alley, Artists and Models, War and Peace, Back from Eternity, Zarak, Hollywood or Bust, Valerie, and Paris Holiday.

International Success with La Dolce Vita

Anita Ekberg’s career reached its peak after she moved to Italy to film Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita in 1960.

She portrayed Sylvia, a glamorous movie star who captivates the film’s main character. The famous Trevi Fountain sequence became one of the most iconic scenes in film history and cemented Ekberg’s status as an international screen legend.

Following the film’s success, she chose to remain in Rome, where she continued building her acting career in European cinema.

Over the following decades, she appeared in numerous productions, including:

• Sheba and the Gladiator
• The Call Girl Business
• Behind Closed Doors
• The Mongols
• How I Learned to Love Women
• Way… Way Out
• Woman Times Seven
• Death Knocks Twice
• Intervista (1987)

Ekberg remained active in film and television into the early 2000s before retiring from acting in 2002 after a career spanning more than five decades.

Personal Life

Anita Ekberg was married twice.

She married British actor Anthony Steel in 1956, but the marriage ended in divorce three years later.

In 1963, she married American actor Rik Van Nutter, who was known for portraying Felix Leiter in the James Bond film Thunderball. Their marriage lasted until 1975.

Ekberg also had a long-term relationship with Italian businessman Gianni Agnelli, the influential industrialist behind Fiat. Although their romance attracted significant media attention, the couple never married.

She never had children, though she spoke publicly at different times about her mixed feelings regarding motherhood.

Financial Challenges

Although Anita Ekberg enjoyed enormous success during the height of her career, her later years were marked by financial hardship.

After suffering health problems, she spent time in an assisted living facility in Italy. During her stay, thieves reportedly broke into her home in Rome, stealing valuable possessions and leaving the property damaged.

Media reports in 2011 described the actress as struggling financially, a stark contrast to the glamorous life she had led during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Death

Anita Ekberg died on January 11, 2015, at the age of 83 in Rocca di Papa, near Rome, Italy.

She passed away from complications related to several chronic illnesses.

Following a funeral service in Rome, her body was cremated, and her ashes were buried in Sweden according to her wishes.

Also Read: Federico Fellini Net Worth