'Dolce Vita' Star Turns 80 in Roman Hospital

| Thu, 09/29/2011 - 03:28

Swedish actress Anita Ekberg has told reporters that she is lonely in her Italian hospital room. The La Dolce Vita muse will celebrate her 80th birthday convalescing in an infirmary near Rome.

The former Miss Sweden has lived in Italy for decades and vowed that she will only return to her native country to be buried there. After her starring role in Fellini's 1960 Roman film La Dolce Vita, Ekberg eventually settled in a villa in Genzano, about 30 kilometers outside of the Italian capital.

The actress has been recovering from two broken femurs and was admitted to the hospital in 2009.

"A year ago, I broke my left femur. Then in mid-August my right one cracked. The operation went well. They're trying to put me back on my feet now", she told an Italian newspaper.

"And when I think that Fellini used to love the way I walked..." she continued wistfully.

Ekberg described the days at the Italian hospital as "infinitely long" and complained of loneliness, explaining that she had no husband or children, but she also had no regrets.

The Fellini star said that the hospital staff will organize a nice dinner for her to celebrate turning 80 on the 29th of September 2011.

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