Born in Milan in 1941, Mariangela Melato made her film debut in 1970 with "Thomas e gli indemoniati" by Pupi Avati, after acting for years in theaters with directors such as Luchino Visconti, Dario Fo and Luca Ronconi. 

In the seventies she achieved success mainly thanks to the collaboration with director Lina Wertmüller and the partnership with Giancarlo Giannini with whom she starred in various grotesque comedies such as The seduction of Mimì, Love and anarchy and Swept Away... by an Unusual Destiny in the Blue Sea of August .

Throughout her career, Mariangela Melato has won numerous awards, including six David di Donatello as Best Actress, as well as five Silver Ribbons, two Italian Golden Globes and a Golden ciak. For her performances in theater she won two Ubu awards and two Eleonora Duse awards, always as best actress. She returned in the theatres in the last part of her life, preferring the stage to the screen.