The Truth About Sophia Loren's Relationship With Cary Grant

Per Vanity Fair, Sophia Loren's break came when she appeared as Aida in a filmed version of the famous opera at the age of 19. That same year, she began a relationship with Carlo Ponti. She described their relationship as "father-daughter, man-woman, producer-actress, friends and conspirators." There was seemingly no possibility that Ponti could divorce his wife; it just wasn't done in the extremely Catholic atmosphere of Italy at that time. Ponti got Loren the lead in "The Pride and the Passion," costarring Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. Grant had reportedly wanted Ava Gardner for the part, but he took a liking to Loren, despite their 30-year age difference and the fact that he was married to his third wife. He began sharing stories about his past and confiding in her. They started going out together each night after filming, and he went on to give her two gold bracelets, telling her, "these will keep you safe."

Loren, however, was secretly engaged to Ponti at this point. In a 2014 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Loren discussed choosing between the two men: "They were very different men. It was difficult ... Many times I needed help with the language and Cary would help me ... Cary belonged to another world in America. I felt that I would never fit in there ... I was scared to change completely in life without knowing if this relationship or quasi relationship was going on."

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