Fame, Family & Sacrifice

THE THREE-TIME OSCAR WINNER AND CASABLANCA STAR PAID A HUGE PRICE FOR FALLING IN LOVE

- Louise A. Barile

At 12, Ingrid Bergman knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. “Her diary starts, ‘I’m very glad my dad gave me this diary because I can keep a daily note — record of when I will become a very famous actress,’ ” her daughter Isabella Rossellini recalls.

A dreamy child who lost her parents at a young age, Ingrid earned a scholarship to the same Swedish drama school that Greta Garbo attended. By the 1940s, she’d become one of Hollywood’s most popular stars, with roles in films like Gaslight (which won Ingrid her first Oscar), The Bells of St. Mary’s, Joan of Arc, Anastasia, Spellbound and, of course, Casablanca.

Despite her success, Ingrid grew bored of the roles she was offered by the big studios. “I’m not knocking Hollywood, because I had a very good time,” said Ingrid. “I wanted to do something different.”