Asia Argento Biography:

Asia Argento is one of the most sought-after actresses of the moment. She made her debut when she was only nine years old in Sergio Citti's "Sogni e bisogni" (1984) (mini). In 1988 she had the leading role in Cristina Comencini's first film Zoo (1989) and was part of the cast of Chiesa, La (1988), directed by Michele Soavi. The following year she played Nanni Moretti's daughter in Palombella rossa (1989) (also directed by Nanni Moretti).

It was with Amiche del cuore, Le (1992), written and directed by Michele Placido that Asia's career really took off and she was able to move on from playing very young girls to more mature, complex roles. The movie was well received at Cannes film Festival. In 1993 she worked for the first time with her father, in the movie Trauma playing an anorexic girl in search of her parents' killer.

Asia's absorbed, intense style of acting was well-used in Giuseppe Piccioni's Condannato a nozze (1993). In 1993 she co-starred in Carlo Verdone's Perdiamoci di vista! (1994) in which she played Arianna, a physically disabled girl - an intricate, difficult role which won her the David di Donatello for best actress ('93-'94). She also had a featured role in the international cast of Reine Margot, La (1994) directed by Patrice Chereau. In 1995 she worked with Michel Piccoli in Peter Del Monte's Compagna di viaggio (1996), which again won her a David di Donatello and a Grolla d'oro.

In 1994, Asia turned her hand to directing two short films: 'Prospettive' (an episode of the film DeGenerazione (1994)) and 'A ritroso'. In 1996 she directed a documentary on her father, and in 1998 one on Abel Ferrara which won her the Rome Film Festival award. In 1999 Asia made her debut directing a feature film entitled Scarlet Diva (2000) for which she is the leading actress and author of the screenplay. Scarlet Diva has been released in May 2000 in Italy, and the rest of the world. The movie won an award at the Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival. In 2001 after directing a number of music videos she gave birth to her first daughter, Anna Lou. In 2002 she has starred in Sirène rouge, La (2002) by Olivier Megaton with Jean-Marc Barr. And of course the American action thriller XXX directed by Rob Cohen, with Vin Diesel.

In 2003 she will be appearing in The Keeper, an action/horror flick with Dennis Hopper. She will also reprise her role from XXX in XXX2, scheduled for release in 2005.