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In the romantic thriller L’Appartement](http://www.moviefone.com/movie/lappartement/1095428/main?icid=movsmartsearch), Vincent Cassel’s character Max describes the girl he has fallen for to a friend. "She’s dark, very dark … something special about her. I don’t know, a sort of sadness, a tragic aspect … " Actress Monica Bellucci](Monica Bellucci | Moviefone) plays the object of Cassel’s affections and I can’t think of a more perfect way to describe her. Her stunning visage is widely admired (she was once exclusively a fashion model), but the Italian actress shouldn’t be desired solely for her sex appeal. She’s also a talented performer.
Belluci’s had a strange career. She’s more recognized in Europe, where she’s been nominated for awards for her work in films like L’Appartment and the romantic drama Malèna](Malena (2000) - Movie | Moviefone). American audiences mostly know her from her performances in movies like *The Matrix Reloaded *and Shoot Em Up](Shoot 'Em Up (2007) - Movie | Moviefone), primarily because Hollywood seems intent on only allowing her to play the femme fatale or sexy love interest based on her appearance – despite career achievements like winning the 2009 Women’s World Award. Bellucci did team up with director Gaspar Noé and her husband Vincent Cassel in 2002’s Irréversible](Irreversible (2003) - Movie | Moviefone) for a role that showed real depth in terms of character and stands out for portraying the actress in a slightly different light than her previous work.