Maria Zanoli (Milan, October 26, 1896 – Milan, November 15, 1977) was an Italian theater and film actress. A theater-trained actress, she established herself in post-war cinema as one of the most effective and sought-after character actresses, specializing in dramatic roles. Her career featured collaborations with the major directors of the era, including Luchino Visconti, for whom she played her most famous role: that of Rosaria Parondi, the Lucanian matriarch in the masterpiece *Rocco e i suoi fratelli* (1960). For this intense performance, she won the Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress in 1961. Her other significant appearances include *Miracolo a Milano* (1951) by Vittorio De Sica, *Le amiche* (1955) and *Il grido* (1957) by Michelangelo Antonioni, and *Un maledetto imbroglio* (1959) by Pietro Germi. Her face and her incisive acting made her a memorable figure of post-war Italian cinema, capable of embodying authoritarian or tormented mother figures with great strength.