Ava Gardner (1922-1990) was an American actress, a beauty and sensuality icon of Hollywood's Golden Age. She began her career under contract with MGM, but her breakthrough role was that of the sensual Kitty Collins in *The Killers* (1946), which established her as one of cinema's leading femme fatales.

Gardner specialized in roles of strong, enigmatic, and often tormented women, combining exotic charm and vulnerability. Among her most celebrated performances are *Mogambo* (1953), for which she earned an Academy Award nomination, *The Barefoot Contessa* (1954), *On the Beach* (1959), and *The Night of the Iguana* (1964). Her acting style was characterized by a magnetic screen presence and a profound ability to express passion and fragility.