Sophia Loren reflects on working with Charlie Chaplin, John Wayne: ‘I was so nervous’

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Sophia Loren has starred alongside some of the most iconic actors in Hollywood – but only a few made a lasting impression.

On Tuesday, the 86-year-old reflected on her decades-long career in Hollywood for the Actors/Directors/Screenwriters issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine. The actress looked back at some of her most memorable photos from over the years and gave some tidbits about her life for fans.

The Italian screen icon observed one photo of herself from 1967’s "The Countess from Hong Kong," also known as Charlie Chaplin’s last film. The actor passed away in 1977 at age 88.

"I was so nervous working with him," Loren told the outlet. "He’s such a master. But on the first day on the set, I realized he was just as nervous. If you care and love something, you get nervous. I’m suspicious of people who don’t ever get nervous." 

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Charlie Chaplin looking a film negative through a magnifying glass while sitting close to actress Sophia Loren during filming on the set of the movie 'A Countess from Hong Kong' at the Pinewood Studios in London, 1966 (Getty)

And then there was one snap from 1966’s "Arabesque," which paired Loren with Gregory Peck.

"Gregory Peck was so wonderful and people don’t know how very funny he was," she said. "It was hard to keep a straight face when working together."

Loren also revealed that one of her first English-speaking roles was that of Dita in 1957’s "Legend of the Lost," which also starred John Wayne. 

"My English was not great, the crew would sometimes make fun of me, but John Wayne always would stick up for me," she said. 

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Sophia Loren and Gregory Peck on the set of 'Arabesque.' (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

And today, Loren is still pursuing her love of acting. Most recently, she starred in 2020’s "The Life Ahead," which was directed by her son Edoardo Ponti. The film tells the story of a Holocaust survivor who takes in a 12-year-old who previously robbed her.

"Since I was born, I’ve wanted to be an actress," Loren told the outlet. "I wanted to work, I wanted to be on the screen, I wanted to do wonderful things in my mind. Just listening to me, it was ridiculous at the time, but it was something I had inside. I think I’m stuck with acting forever."

John Wayne and Sophia Loren laying in the sand in a scene from the film 'Legend Of The Lost', 1957.  (United Artists/Getty Images)

Back in 2019, Loren spoke to Fox News about her famous striptease scene in the 1963 comedy "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow."

"Ah, the strip scene," she said at the time. "Well, it was part of the picture, part of the scene we had to do. And it was really fun to give Marcello Mastroianni a chance to be terribly funny, as he was, actually. And that was, I think, really the brilliancy of the film. We had a lot of fun bringing that scene to life. And I think that still shows today. I love that people still appreciate it and it makes them laugh a lot. It makes me happy to still make audiences smile."

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Italian actress Sophia Loren performs a striptease in a scene from the film 'Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.' (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Loren also revealed she’s too busy to think about how she would want to be remembered.

"Oh, it’s a little bit too early to think about that," she said. To be remembered? I’m still alive. I’m full of pep! I’m full of things I want to do. It’s a little bit premature to think about that. No, no, no — it’s too early."