Leading Italian actress Valentina Cervi was only in her early twenties when she started landing major roles in internationally produced features, such as Jane Campion's Portrait of a Lady (1996) (Cervi's first English-language role). The granddaughter of famed actor Gino Cervi (best known for playing the communist Mayor Peppone opposite Fernandel in the Don Camillo film series), Cervi made her film debut at age ten in Carlo Cotti's Portami la luna (1986). She went on to appear in several more films, including Mignon E Partita (1988). Cervi earned acclaim for essaying the title role in Artemisia (1997).