Raffaella De Laurentiis Biography

Fast Facts

• Was named head of production at the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, where she held the position until 1988 before starting her own company, Raffaella Productions
• Attended the Academy of Rome, where she majored in architecture
• Aunt of Food Network renowned chef Giada De Laurentiis
• Followed in the footsteps of her movie-directing father Dino De Laurentiis, getting her start in her movie career working on the set of the movie "Hurricane" in 1977 with her father
• Produced her first solo movie "Beyond the Reef" in 1980, only three years after getting her start in the film industry
• Filmed "Beyond the Reef" with a largely native cast in the same location in Bora Bora where her father shot "Hurricane․"
• Helped propel actor Arnold Schwarzenegger to stardom when she made him the lead role in her movie "Conan the Barbarian․"