Hollywood has always been filled with stars. While some remain in the limelight for decades, others experience a meteoric rise before fading into obscurity.
Legendary actresses such as Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Jayne Mansfield, Raquel Welch, and Jean Harlow captivated audiences with their natural talent and striking beauty. Yet, behind the scenes, other hopefuls patiently waited for their turn to shine. One such actress was Sydne Rome, often referred to as the “golden girl of the American Midwest.
Unlike many of her contemporaries, Rome took an unconventional route to stardom. Rather than carving out a career in Hollywood, she found her success in Europe, where her golden hair and piercing blue eyes enchanted audiences. At one point, she was even rumored to have been romantically involved with music icon David Bowie.
Despite possessing the qualities of a star, Rome’s time in the spotlight was brief. However, she focused on building a family and remained active over the years. Tragically, an accident left her with a lifelong facial injury.
A Small-Town Upbringing
Born on March 17, 1951, in Akron, Ohio, Sydne Rome was raised in the town of Upper Sandusky, which, according to reports, had the highest per capita income in the U.S. at the time. She came from an upper-middle-class background—her father worked in the plastics industry, and her mother was described as a “born hippie.”
Throughout Hollywood history, many successful entertainers have been the children of famous parents. Examples include Miley Cyrus, daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, Dakota Johnson, whose parents are actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and Kate Hudson, daughter of Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson.
These individuals are sometimes referred to as “nepo babies”—a term used to describe the children of celebrities who gain fame through their family connections. Some see this as an advantage, granting them access to influential industry figures, while others struggle with the pressure of living up to their parents’ legacy.
For Sydne Rome, this was never a concern. No one in her family had pursued a career in the entertainment industry.
“Nothing in my family should have given me this craze for acting,” she told the Daily News in 1974. “My mother is just Mom, and my father owned a plastics company. I have two sisters and two younger brothers.”
Her passion for acting emerged early, but her career plans shifted after conversations with her family.
Finding Her Footing in the Entertainment World
Rome attended secondary school in Ohio before continuing her education in Pennsylvania. Determined to follow her passion, she later moved to California, where she trained at the prestigious Pasadena Playhouse.
Despite her talent and dedication—performing in works by Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, and Chekhov—her initial foray into Hollywood was unsuccessful. She had been considered for a major role in the film Candy but ultimately lost out. Rather than giving up, she took a chance on Europe, where her agency had sent her for an audition in Rome.
While her beauty was undeniable, it wasn’t enough to secure roles.
“I had a horrible time in Rome with young Italian directors who wanted me to play in the nude,” she revealed in an interview. “I was unwilling to do it. I have a different perspective now. Our trade now includes playing naked. As long as it’s obviously necessary for the plot and doesn’t involve gory romantic scenes, I’m cool with it.”
Throughout the 1970s, Rome primarily appeared in low-budget Italian films.
Comparisons to Brigitte Bardot
Her big break came in 1972 when she starred in What?, directed by Roman Polanski. Though the film received mixed reviews, it was a significant milestone in her career. Around this time, she also married photographer Emilio Lari in 1973.
By then, she was being compared to Brigitte Bardot. In 1979, The Sunday Telegraph called her “the up-and-coming Jean Harlow or Raquel Welch, the ticking Sex Bomb of the nineteen-eighties.”
While such comparisons could have been overwhelming, Rome embraced them.
“[Brigitte] is lively, gorgeous, highly available, and very open. Every man’s dream is her. Maybe I seem less available at first look,” she said. “But I think viewers will change their minds and come up with different ideas. And I’m a better actress than Bardot.”
Despite her talent and appeal, she never quite reached the heights of Hollywood stardom. Her first film, Some Girls Do (1969), made little impact. Instead, she worked in French, Italian, and German cinema, hoping for a breakthrough.
A Connection with David Bowie
As the 1970s drew to a close, Rome was cast alongside David Bowie in Just a Gigolo, directed by David Hemmings.
“We were friends,” she later recalled. “When I traveled to Berlin for the first [script] readings, they hadn’t found the leading man yet. I felt David might be interested because he was fascinated with Germany during the interwar period. I sent him the script, and he agreed.”
Rome later admitted on Italian television that she and Bowie had been romantically involved.
“I accepted [the offer for Just a Gigolo] right away, and I met him because he invited me to the Paris premiere of his film,” she said. “We spent a year together. He was delicious and quite amusing.”
Following this, Rome settled in Italy for nearly a decade. She tried her hand at music in the 1980s, releasing several albums, though they failed to find commercial success.
She also starred in the 1980 film L’uomo Puma (The Pumaman), which was poorly received, earning a low rating of 2.2/10 on IMDb. Rome then moved into filmmaking, including a Formula One project shot in Rio de Janeiro.
Though she remained ambitious, she grew frustrated with the industry’s emphasis on business over artistry.
“I’m famous all over the world, except in America,” she once said. “I like doing creative work, but I don’t like the business side of my ‘job.’ It’s easy to feel like just another business asset.”
She also noted the challenges women faced in the industry, saying, “Before you are genuinely respected, you must labor hard for years. Actresses aren’t supposed to be intelligent.”
A Life-Changing Accident
Rome’s marriage to Emilio Lari eventually ended, and she later married doctor Roberto Bernabei. Together, they adopted two sisters, Vanessa and Jesse, from the favelas of São Paulo. Bernabei became a well-respected physician and was named Pope Francis’ personal doctor in 2021.
Despite continuing to act, Rome never found mainstream success in the U.S. However, she discovered fulfillment in family life.
In 2009, tragedy struck. While driving with her eight-year-old child, she lost control of her car and crashed into a tree. The impact of the airbag left her with severe facial injuries.
“I went to the hospital, and they stitched up my skin,” she later explained. “But the doctors didn’t realize I had suffered facial muscle damage. Over time, part of my face became paralyzed.”
She underwent physical therapy and, though she saw some improvement, she admitted, “When I look at old photos, I see someone else. I know it’s me, but it feels like looking at a stranger.”
A Resilient Spirit
Despite her injuries, Rome never let adversity defeat her. She continued working in entertainment, appearing in the 2023 Italian film La Quattordicesima Domenica Del Tempo Ordinario. From 2021 to 2022, she starred in 53 episodes of the Italian television series Don Matteo.
Although she never became the next Brigitte Bardot, Sydne Rome always followed her own path. Even after a tragic accident, she remained committed to her passion and continued doing what she loved.