Monica Bellucci (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmɔːnika belˈluttʃi], born 30 September 1964) is an Italian actress and fashion model. Bellucci began her career as a model and made a transition to Italian films. She is known in Hollywood films as Persephone in the 2003 science fiction films The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, and as Mary Magdalene in the 2004 biblical drama The Passion of the Christ.