Greta Scacchi
An actress of luminous, enigmatic presence who built an international career on a fearless willingness to inhabit complex, sensual characters.
Born 1960 (age 66)·Italian-born actress·Birthday: February 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Greta Scacchi's allure has always been intellectual as much as it is physical. Born in Milan and raised across England and Australia, she developed a chameleonic, continental sophistication that served her perfectly in a career without borders. She broke through in the 1980s with a series of daring roles, most notably in 'The Coca-Cola Kid' and the scandalous 'Heat and Dust,' where her performance as a woman unraveling colonial conventions announced a major talent. Scacchi never shied from nudity or emotional exposure, but she invested every scene with a sharp intelligence that prevented her from being merely a screen siren. She moved seamlessly between European art-house projects, Hollywood dramas like 'Presumed Innocent,' and later, acclaimed television work in Australia and the UK, earning an Emmy for 'The Browning Version.' Her career is a testament to the power of an actor who is truly, compellingly unplaceable.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Greta was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Greta Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Greta's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an International Emmy Award for Best Actress for her role in the TV film 'The Browning Version.'
- Received a Primetime Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in 'Rasputin.'
- Earned widespread critical praise for her performance in the Merchant Ivory period drama 'Heat and Dust.'
- Starred opposite Tom Berenger in the hit thriller 'Shattered.'
Did You Know?
She is fluent in Italian, English, and French.
She turned down the role of Catherine Tramell in 'Basic Instinct,' which later went to Sharon Stone.
Her daughter, Leila George, is also an actress.
She was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) for her services to the performing arts.
“I'm not interested in being a star; I'm interested in being an actress.”
