In her seemingly innocent facade in 1948, Ingrid Bergman, the renowned Swedish actress known for her role as a nun in “The Bells of St. Mary” and as a saint in “Joan of Arc,” concealed a dark secret.
While still married to her first husband, she ventured into an illicit affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini, resulting in a pregnancy that scandalized the public eye.
Hollywood swiftly turned its back on Bergman, banning her from the industry and subjecting her to public denouncement on the US Senate floor.
It wasn’t until nearly a decade later, in 1957, that morality norms shifted, allowing her to make a comeback to the US and revive her career.
This harsh treatment by Hollywood draws parallels to the scrutiny faced by Jada Pinkett Smith, who, in a moment of marital separation with husband Will Smith in 2016, admitted to an “entanglement” with rapper August Alsina during an episode of her Facebook talk show in July 2020.
In Laurence Learner’s biography, “As Time Goes,” Bergman’s first husband, Dr. Petter Lindström, depicted her as a woman who, in her late 20s, spiraled into selfishness and alcohol consumption.
Amidst her marriage to Lindström, she engaged in a rumored affair with photographer Robert Capa, alongside other clandestine liaisons that strained her relationship.
The infamous love affair between Bergman and Rossellini transpired during the filming of “Stromboli” in 1950, tarnishing Bergman’s pristine image and leading to a series of commercial failures in subsequent films they collaborated on.
Despite the tumultuous nature of their relationship, Bergman found solace in the romance, adventure, and creative synergy she shared with Rossellini.
Bergman’s romantic entanglements didn’t end there; Gregory Peck, a reputed actor, was also linked to her romantically during the shooting of “Spellbound” in 1945.
Peck, a devout Catholic, had his share of marital discord before finding lasting devotion with his second wife, Veronique Passani, whom he remained faithful to until his passing in 2003.
Her complex love life unfolded further as she bore children with Rossellini, including twin daughters Isabella and Isotta, before their eventual divorce in 1956.
Following a tumultuous journey of marriages and divorces, Bergman’s illustrious career culminated in a second Academy Award win for her role in “Murder on the Orient Express” in 1974, amidst a battle with bre-st cancer.
Tragically, Bergman’s final performance came in the TV movie “Golda” in 1982, coinciding with her passing on her birthday at age 67 in London.
By then, she had parted ways with her third husband, Lars Schmidt, leaving behind a legacy that inspired her daughters, Pia and Isabella, to follow in her footsteps as actresses.
Despite the controversies that once plagued her reputation, Bergman’s daughters fondly commemorated her as a “wonderful,” “warm,” and “open” mother, highlighting a softer side of the legendary actress who navigated a tumultuous love life amidst the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
