“I was the shyest human ever invented,” Ingrid Bergman once admitted. “But I had a lion inside me that wouldn’t shut up.” It’s a fitting metaphor for the legendary actress, whose inner strength powered her through a life filled with triumphs and trials. Perhaps no one understood this duality better than her daughters: Pia Lindström, 81, and twins Isabella and Ingrid Rossellini, 67. Speaking exclusively to Closer Weekly, Pia opened up about her mother’s dual nature. “She was one of those people who loved to transform herself with clothes and makeup,” Pia explained. “When you become that character, you feel fearless. But deep down, I believe she was incredibly vulnerable.”
A Childhood Shaped by Loss
That vulnerability stemmed from Ingrid’s early years, which were marked by profound loss. Born and raised in Sweden, Ingrid faced unimaginable heartbreak at a young age. She lost her mother when she was just two years old, and a decade later, her father passed away too. “She moved in with aunts and uncles, and she was truly very lonely,” Pia recalled. Yet, even in her sorrow, Ingrid found inspiration. Her father, recognizing her talent, took her to the opera, where she discovered her passion. “She saw the stage,” Pia said, “and immediately declared, ‘That’s what I want to do.’”
A Life in the Spotlight
In search of stability, Ingrid married an older man, Petter Lindström, at the age of 21. A year later, Pia was born, and Ingrid’s career skyrocketed when producer David O. Selznick brought her to America to star in the 1939 film Intermezzo. Over the next decade, she delivered unforgettable performances in iconic films like Casablanca, Gaslight, and Notorious. Her portrayal of a nun in The Bells of St. Mary’s and the titular role in Joan of Arc cemented her status as a Hollywood icon. Public perception painted her as a loving wife and devoted mother. “My mother was always presented to the American public as a paragon of virtue,” Pia noted.
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The Scandal That Changed Everything
But that image was shattered in 1949 when Ingrid had an affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini and became pregnant with their son, Renato. The backlash was swift and severe. Ingrid was condemned on the floor of the U.S. Senate as “a horrible example of womanhood and a powerful influence of evil.” Hollywood turned its back on her, unofficially blacklisting her from the industry. “She was deeply hurt,” Isabella recalled. “She felt betrayed by the public and the press, who invaded her privacy and violated her personal life.”
Pia, who was ten when her parents separated, saw her mother only once during the following eight years. “I didn’t like the fact that she left us,” Pia admitted. “But I remained close to her. She was my hero, and I adored her.”
Ingrid and Isabella shared the same admiration. “We lived in Rome with our sister and father, while Mama stayed in Paris,” Ingrid explained. “But whenever she was with us, she was incredible. She was my hero, just like our father. They were the greatest people in the world to me.”
