This actress departed from Hollywood after a horrible event that left her damaged for life

Stars have long been abundant in Hollywood. Some stay in the spotlight for decades, while others reach a sharp peak and then quickly fade away.

Because of their innate talent and gorgeous looks, iconic actresses like Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Jayne Mansfield, Raquel Welch, and Jean Harlow have drawn a lot of attention over the years.

Others were continuously waiting in the wings, aching for the chance to take over, even as they sat on the throne as industry queens. One such actress was Sydne Rome, dubbed the “golden girl of the American Midwest.”

Sydne’s path to success in the entertainment world differed from that of other actresses. Rather, she went to Europe, where her blue eyes and golden hair enthralled onlookers. She allegedly dated David Bowie at one point.

 

Rome didn’t stay in the spotlight for very long, even though she possessed the it factor. In spite of this, she has raised her own family over the years and is still very active. Unfortunately, she suffered a lifelong facial disfigurement from one mishap.

On March 17, 1951, Sydne Rome was born in Akron, Ohio. According to Sydne, her mother was a “born hippie,” and her father was employed in the plastic manufacturing industry.

She was raised in Upper Sandusky, a small town of 5,000 people, and comes from an upper-middle-class family. According to reports, it has the highest per capita income of any American municipality.

Early Life in Sydne Rome

There have been many instances of performers’ children being successful in their own right throughout Hollywood history. Miley Cyrus, the daughter of country music artist Billy Ray Cyrus, Dakota Johnson, whose parents were actresses Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and Kate Hudson, the daughter of Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson, are a few instances.

As an alternative, “nepo baby” is used. “A catchier way to say the successful child of a celebrity—someone who rode to fame on the coattails of their talented parent, often making a name for themselves in the same or an adjacent industry,” according to Sky.

Some people see having a famous parent as a great chance that gives them access to contacts in the entertainment industry. Others, on the other hand, struggle because they feel pressured to match their parents’ achievements and celebrity status.

This was not a concern for Sydne Rome. None of her relatives had ever thought about pursuing a career in entertainment.

She told the Daily News in 1974 that “nothing in my family should have given me this craze for acting.” “My mother is just Mom, and my father owned a plastics company.” I have two sisters and two younger brothers.

Rome continued on to secondary school in Ohio, but at that time, she was really interested in acting. The little girl had goals for the future, but after talking to her loved ones, everything changed.

The phrase “nepo baby” is used instead. “A catchier way to say the successful child of a celebrity—someone who rode to fame on the coattails of their talented parent, often making a name for themselves in the same or an adjacent industry,” is how Sky defines this term.

Some people have a great opportunity to make contacts in the entertainment industry since their parents are well-known. Others, on the other hand, find it difficult since they are compelled to follow in their parents’ footsteps of success and fame.

This was not a concern for Sydne Rome. None of her relatives had ever considered a career in show business.

She told the Daily News in 1974 that “nothing in my family should have given me this craze for acting.” “My mother is just Mom, and my father owned a plastics company.” I have two sisters and two younger brothers.

Rome had already developed a strong interest in acting, but she went to secondary school in Ohio. After talking to those closest to her, the young girl’s intentions for the future were completely altered.

The young actress relocated to California after completing her education in Pennsylvania. She went on to become a standout performer at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Rome’s initial attempt at Hollywood was a failure, even though he had starred in Tennessee Williams, Shakespeare, and Chekhov productions. After spending another year at the Pasadena Playhouse, she tried her luck in Europe after missing out on her first significant role in the movie Candy, which her agency sent to Rome.

She was unquestionably a beautiful woman. But in those days, it wasn’t enough to just look good in clothes.

She told the Daily News, “I had a horrible time in Rome with young Italian directors who wanted me to play in the nude.” “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.

In the 1970s, Sydne Rome mostly starred in low-budget Italian movies.

In contrast to Brigitte Bardot
She then got her big break in 1972 when she worked on the movie What? with director Roman Polanski. Despite the negative reviews, the movie was a big step forward for Sydne. She also wed Emilio Lari, a photographer and reporter, in 1973.

Brigitte Bardot had been associated with the young American actress by that point. She was dubbed “the up-and-coming Jean Harlow or Raquel Welch, the ticking Sex Bomb of the nineteen-eighties” by the Sunday Telegraph in 1979.

A young actress might have been under a lot of stress as a result of that similarity. Nevertheless, Sydne accepted it.

[Brigitte] is lively, gorgeous, highly available, and very open. Every man’s dream is her. Maybe I seem less available at first look. But I think viewers will change their minds and come up with different ideas. She said, “And I’m a better actress than Bardot.”

Rome never seemed to take the next step, even though she seemed to have everything she needed to be successful in Hollywood. The 1969 release of her first film, Some Girls Do, had minimal effect on her career. Rather, she made appearances in a number of French, Italian, and German films while trying her luck in a new part of the world.

 

As the 1970s came to an end, Rome was cast alongside the renowned David Bowie in David Hemmings’ film Just a Gigolo.

“We were friends. I was informed that they hadn’t located the leading man when I traveled to Berlin for the first [script] readings. I felt David could be interested in completing this part because he [Bowie] was interested in Germany during the interwar period. I asked him if I could send him the script via email. In 2021, she told NME, “We did it, and he agreed.”

Make love to David Bowie.
In a later appearance with Italian television, she confessed that the two were allegedly dating at one point.

Rome told me, “I accepted [the offer for Just a Gigolo] right away, and I met him because he called me to go to Paris to see the premiere of his film.” “We spent a year together. He was delicious and quite amusing.

Rome moved to Rome, where she spent almost ten years. She started playing music in the 1980s and put out a number of albums that unfortunately did not do well.

Among the many productions in which Synde starred was the 1980 motion picture L’uomo puma [The Pumaman]. It doesn’t take a movie expert to figure out its success, as the International Movie Database only gives it a 2.2 out of 10 grade. Rome also started making movies, such as one on Formula One that was filmed in Rio de Janeiro.

She still wanted to be a big star, but she was worried that the movie business had changed beyond merely making amazing movies.

She told me, “I’m famous all over the world, except in America.” “I like doing creative work, but I don’t like the business side of my ‘job.’” It is possible for an actress to feel that she is merely a business asset and that her value is solely determined by the conditions of her contract.

Sydne rambled, “I can take care of that; it’s not just having passes made; being in movies can be awful for a woman.” But before you are genuinely respected by others, you must labor hard for years. Actresses aren’t supposed to be intelligent.

“Perhaps that is why so many actors and actresses, especially women, feel insecure,” she added. My friends who are actors weep on each other’s shoulders. Since they don’t belong to any one class—they’re neither aristocrats nor middle-class or lower-class—actors find it easy to make acquaintances.

Sydne Rome suffered permanent injuries in an automobile accident.
Unfortunately, Rome and Emilio’s marriage did not endure. According to Corriere, she remarried doctor Roberto Bernabei, and the two decided to adopt two sisters, Vanessa and Jesse, from the favelas of São Paulo. He became well-known as a doctor and, in 2021, was appointed as Pope Francis’ personal doctor.

Rome’s career went on, and she starred in a number of films, but the US was never the place where she got her big break. In spite of this, she found more important things in life, including a peaceful and loving family.

Then, in 2009, things changed forever in Sydne Rome’s life. While operating her vehicle and transporting one of her eight-year-old children, she was involved in a serious collision.

Rome claimed to have driven her car for the first time after three weeks in the garage during an interview with the Italian chat show Vieni da Me.

When Sydne swerved off the road and struck a tree, she was traveling with her child. She suffered serious injuries when the airbag exploded on her face.

Rome added, “I went to the hospital, and they stitched up my skin,” adding that the doctors were not aware that she had suffered facial muscle damage in the accident. “After a while, that part of my face became paralyzed, so I had physical therapy ten years ago, and I feel a little better today.”

Looking at previous photos, Sydne said the change to her right side made it impossible for her to recognize her face.

Sydne Rome remarked today, “I know it’s me, but it’s like seeing someone else again.”

Sydne was severely wounded, but she was determined not to give up. She is still employed in the entertainment industry; her most recent role was in the 2023 release of the Italian film La Quattordicesima Domenica Del Tempo Ordinario.

In addition, Sydne, who is currently 72 years old, appeared in 53 episodes of the Italian television series Don Matteo between 2021 and 2022.

Despite not becoming the next Brigette Bardot, Sydne Rome has always pursued her passions. She has persisted in pursuing her interest in spite of the tragic accident.