Laura Morante

Laura Morante (born 21 August 1956) is an Italian film actress. --- She was born in Santa Fiora, province of Grosseto (Tuscany), and is the niece of renowned Italian novelist Elsa Morante. Formerly a dancer, Morante started her acting career in the theater before her film debut in Oggetti Smarriti (Lost Belongings). Oggetti Smarriti was directed by Giuseppe Bertolucci whose brother would direct the second film in which Morante would appear, La Tragedia di un uomo ridicolo (The Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man). Under the auspices of the Bertolucci brothers, Morante's career had a successful beginning. Morante's roles include La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo (1981), directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, and Bianca (1984) and The Son's Room (2001), both directed by Nanni Moretti. She also starred alongside Javier Bardem in The Dancer Upstairs (2002), the directorial debut of John Malkovich, and in Remember Me, My Love (2003) directed by Gabriele Muccino. Morante attracted considerable attention with her performance as the neglected Madame Jourdain, with whom the young Molière, played by Romain Duris, falls in love, in the 2007 release Molière. She also provided the voice of Helen Parr/Elastigirl in the Italian-dubbed version of the Pixar animated film, The Incredibles.