Belén Rodríguez

Biography

María Belén Rodríguez (Latin American Spanish: [maˈɾi.a βeˈlen roˈðɾiɣes]; born 20 September 1984), better known as Belén Rodríguez or simply Belén, is an Argentine-Italian television personality, actress and model. Based in Milan since 2004, Rodríguez has hosted variety shows and appeared in television commercials and films in Italy.

== Biography ==

=== Early life === Rodríguez was born on 20 September 1984 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Gustavo Rodríguez and Veronica Cozzani de Rodríguez. Veronica, of Italian origin, is the daughter of immigrants from La Spezia, in Liguria. Rodríguez has a younger brother, Jeremías, in addition to her younger sister Cecilia. At age 4, she moved to Pilar, Buenos Aires, with her family. Rodríguez' sister, Cecilia (born on 18 March 1990 in Pilar, Buenos Aires), has been a model in Italy since 2008. In January 2014, Cecilia became Belén's business partner. Jeremías, Gustavo and Veronica have lived in Milan since August 2015, and Jeremías (born on 11 November 1988 in Pilar) has been active in Italian show business since 2017.

=== Personal life === From August 2004 to December 2008, Rodríguez was the girlfriend of AC Milan footballer Marco Borriello. From January 2009 to April 2012, she was in a relationship with Fabrizio Corona; they broke up when she met dancer Stefano De Martino, whom she married. They had a son named Santiago on 9 April 2013 in Milan, and married on 20 September of that year. Rodríguez and De Martino separated on 22 December 2015, and divorced on 24 January 2017 after signing a judicial agreement at the Court of Milan; as part of the divorzio breve (fast-track divorce), De Martino was ordered to pay €1,000 per month in child support. They officially divorced in 2024. From September 2020 to January 2022 Rodríguez had a relationship with the hair-stylist Antonino Spinalbese: on 12 July 2021 their daughter, Luna Marì Spinalbese, was born.

== Career == She has lived in Italy since 2004, hosting variety shows and appearing in films and television commercials and programs. Considered a sex symbol of the 2000s and 2010s, Rodríguez posed in Italy for Playboy and several nude calendars. The tabloid press in Italy and abroad have closely followed her life and career. The international press called Rodríguez "the Rioplatense Sophia Loren" and "the Italian Sara Carbonero". In February 2011 she hosted the Sanremo Music Festival, the festival's third Argentine host (after Valeria Mazza and Lola Ponce). Rodríguez has worked with Gerry Scotti, Maria De Filippi, Paolo Bonolis, Michelle Hunziker and Gianni Morandi.

=== Singing === During the run of Tintoria on Rai 3 in 2007, singer Taiyo Yamanouchi suggested that Rodríguez (Yamanouchi's co-host) pursue a musical career; however, she preferred to continue her modeling and acting career. Rodríguez appeared with Claudia Galanti in the Boyfriend video clip for Coolio's 2008 Steal Hear album. During 2009, Rodríguez made her vocal debut with "Dai muovi muovi" by Mario Gardini, Giovanni Paolo Fontana and Roberto De Luca (the theme song of Sarabanda, hosted by the singer on Canale 5). The following February she sang Toto Cutugno's "Aeroplani" at the Teatro Ariston, which she also sang at the 2010 Sanremo Festival with Cutugno. Rodríguez (using the stage name Maria Belén) sang "Amarti è folle", written and arranged by Fortunato Zampaglione for the film Non c'è due senza te, at the Sanremo Music Festival 2015.

=== Acting === She made her acting debut during 2010 in the cinepanettone Natale in Sudafrica, directed by Neri Parenti and released on 17 December of that year. Rodríguez appeared in Se sei così, ti dico sì (directed by Eugenio Cappuccio and released on 15 April 2011) and the episode "Il campo del vasaio" of the Rai 1 television series Il commissario Montalbano, which premiered on 14 March 2011. Rodríguez guest starred in several episodes of the second season of Così fan tutte, an Italia 1 sitcom directed by Gianluca Fumagalli, in 2011–2012. She dubbed her voice in the animated film Gladiatori di Roma, directed by Iginio Straffi and released on 18 October 2012. During 2014 Rodríguez appeared in Non c'è 2 senza te, directed by Massimo Cappelli and released on 5 February 2015. In August 2015 Lux Vide and RAI Fiction announced that she would guest-star in "La colpa", a tenth-season episode of the Rai 1 TV series Don Matteo which premiered on 7 January 2016.

=== Business === Rodríguez introduced two perfumes in 2011: Belén Rodríguez (Gold) and Belén Rodríguez (Eau de Parfum). In January 2014 the Italian weekly magazine Il Mondo reported that she and Cecilia were founding the Family Factor, a company to oversee their family's Italian business activities. Arnoldo Mondadori Editore published Bella Belén, a photo-book, in early 2014. In June 2015 Rodríguez opened Ricci, a restaurant in Milan, with three partners. Around that time she opened beauty salons for Cotril, an Italian company in which she is a spokesperson and business partner. In December 2017, Ricci was closed and sold.