Selen
Encyclopedia
Luce Caponegro is an Italian
actress and TV presenter and a renowned former pornographic actress who also goes by her stage name of Selen, by which she is still better known today.
industry. She attended courses in singing, classical dance, and horse-riding as a child. After leaving home and marrying at the age of 18, she lived in a commune
without running water or heating until the age of 20. In addition to Italian
, she also speaks French
and English
.
and, in her words, her passion for sex and the need to rebel against society. Her parents disapproved of her career, which was out of embarrassment at their daughter's career choice. Her breakthrough came in 1993 at the age of 27 when the director Alex Perry
offered her a role in the film Signore scandalose di provincia, a film with a high budget and international cast. From that moment her popularity grew rapidly and she adopted the stage name Selen. She has been called Italy's favourite porn star. She made appearances at the Hot D'Or
pornographic festival in Cannes
and Erotica in Turin and won 17 prizes during her career as a famous pornographic actress from 1993-98.
Her last hardcore
scenes were released in 2001 with the movie Millennium. Although her last sex scene was filmed in 1998, she continued to appear afterwards in films as clips were used in later hardcore movies. She has stated that she would not return to porn in the future – in her words, she was not enjoying the profession enough to continue.
(Dracula, Sceneggiata napoletana, Concetta Licata), Silvio Bandinelli (Il rosso e il nero, Cuore di pietra) and Joe D'Amato
(Selvaggia, Sahara, Selen regina degli elefanti). She played the title role in Cindy, directed by Luca Damiano
. She directed or co-directed other films in which she also starred.
, Zensa Raggi
and the Hungarians Frank Gun
and Jolth Walton. Kelly Trump
was one of her lesbian partners.
She has had a number of supporting roles in films and mainstream television. She has presented the music programme "Hot" She has made appearances in radio (hosting the show "Lezioni di sesso" (Sex Lessons) ), theatre and advertisements and in 2004, she starred in the reality show
La Fattoria. She has also appeared in The Maurizio Costanzo Show, Uno Mattina, Domenica In, I Fatti Vostri and Omnibus.
She has attended the Palme D'Or
film festival in Cannes as a mainstream actress; some of her films have been shown at the festival.
She had a small part in Asia Argento
's film Scarlet Diva
, which won a Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival Award for Best New Director.
. She has two sons, the first of whom (Kangi) was born in 1988 during her marriage with Fabio Albonetti (which has since ended in divorce
). The second (Gabriele) with Nicola Zanone was born in 2006. In 2006 she passed her school leaving exams and expressed a desire to enroll at a university.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
actress and TV presenter and a renowned former pornographic actress who also goes by her stage name of Selen, by which she is still better known today.
Early life
Her father was an Italian industrialist active in the petroleumPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
industry. She attended courses in singing, classical dance, and horse-riding as a child. After leaving home and marrying at the age of 18, she lived in a commune
Commune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
without running water or heating until the age of 20. In addition to Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, she also speaks French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Career as porn star
At 20 she first ventured into the adult industry, appearing in establishments for adults and moving on to her first amateur hardcore video "Orgia di compleanno" directed by Cesare Geromini. Her decision to pursue a career in porn was driven by exhibitionismExhibitionism
Exhibitionism refers to a desire or compulsion to expose parts of one's body – specifically the genitals or buttocks of a man or woman, or the breasts of a woman – in a public or semi-public circumstance, in crowds or groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers...
and, in her words, her passion for sex and the need to rebel against society. Her parents disapproved of her career, which was out of embarrassment at their daughter's career choice. Her breakthrough came in 1993 at the age of 27 when the director Alex Perry
Alex Perry
Alex Perry is an Australian fashion designer, particularly noted for his designs in womenswear. After graduating from East Sydney Technical College in 1984, Perry worked as a model agent representing Australian models for international modelling agencies. In 1992 Perry opened his first atelier...
offered her a role in the film Signore scandalose di provincia, a film with a high budget and international cast. From that moment her popularity grew rapidly and she adopted the stage name Selen. She has been called Italy's favourite porn star. She made appearances at the Hot D'Or
Hot d'Or
Hot d'Or was an adult film industry Pornographic award, awarded annually from 1992 to 2001 in Cannes, France by the French magazine Hot Vidéo. It has been described as the porn equivalent of the Palme d'Or or the Academy Awards. The analogous American honor is the AVN Award...
pornographic festival in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
and Erotica in Turin and won 17 prizes during her career as a famous pornographic actress from 1993-98.
Her last hardcore
Hardcore pornography
Hardcore pornography is a form of pornography that features explicit sexual acts. The term was coined in the second half of the 20th century to distinguish it from softcore pornography. It usually takes the form of photographs, often displayed in magazines or on the Internet, or films. It can also...
scenes were released in 2001 with the movie Millennium. Although her last sex scene was filmed in 1998, she continued to appear afterwards in films as clips were used in later hardcore movies. She has stated that she would not return to porn in the future – in her words, she was not enjoying the profession enough to continue.
Directors
Selen starred in films by well-known Italian porn directors including Mario SalieriMario Salieri
Mario Salieri, born Mario Altieri, on November 29, 1957 in Naples, is an Italian porn director. He started with semi-amateur films in Amsterdam for the Italian market. Since early 1990s he has directed and written many porn titles with divas like Zara Whites and the Italian actress Selen. He is...
(Dracula, Sceneggiata napoletana, Concetta Licata), Silvio Bandinelli (Il rosso e il nero, Cuore di pietra) and Joe D'Amato
Joe D'Amato
Joe D'Amato, was a prolific Italian filmmaker who directed roughly 200 films, usually at the same time acting as producer and cinematographer, and sometimes providing the script as well...
(Selvaggia, Sahara, Selen regina degli elefanti). She played the title role in Cindy, directed by Luca Damiano
Luca Damiano
Luca Damiano is an Italian film director who began his career as an assistant to Vittorio de Sica...
. She directed or co-directed other films in which she also starred.
Co-stars
Well-known male porn actors she had intercourse with on more than one occasion include Rocco SiffrediRocco Siffredi
Rocco Siffredi is the stage name of an Italian pornographic actor, director and producer of pornographic movies, famous for his rough sex scenes...
, Zensa Raggi
Zensa Raggi
Zenza Raggi is a porn actor born in Casablanca on October 24, 1970. He has been active since 1991.-Awards:*2009 AVN Award nominee – Male Foreign Performer of the Year...
and the Hungarians Frank Gun
Frank Gun
Frank Gun is a Hungarian pornographic actor.- External links :...
and Jolth Walton. Kelly Trump
Kelly Trump
Kelly Trump is the stage name of German pornographic actress Nicole Heyka.She has performed in story-driven German adult films, such as German Beauty , Eiskalte Engel , the 00Sex series and Ariella the Mermaid...
was one of her lesbian partners.
Mainstream career
Although now a mainstream actress and no longer active in the branch which made her famous, she remains very popular in Italy and has given many interviews, which describe her as intelligent, shy, pleasant, good-humoured and charming in addition to being beautiful.She has had a number of supporting roles in films and mainstream television. She has presented the music programme "Hot" She has made appearances in radio (hosting the show "Lezioni di sesso" (Sex Lessons) ), theatre and advertisements and in 2004, she starred in the reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
La Fattoria. She has also appeared in The Maurizio Costanzo Show, Uno Mattina, Domenica In, I Fatti Vostri and Omnibus.
She has attended the Palme D'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
film festival in Cannes as a mainstream actress; some of her films have been shown at the festival.
She had a small part in Asia Argento
Asia Argento
Aria Asia Anna Maria Vittoria Rossa Argento is an Italian actress, singer, model and director.-Family and early life:...
's film Scarlet Diva
Scarlet Diva
Scarlet Diva is a 2000 Italian movie by actress and first time director and writer Asia Argento.The film won a Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival Award for Best New Director, which actually tied with two other films.-Plot summary:...
, which won a Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival Award for Best New Director.
Personal life
Caponegro is a well-known animal lover, and has always lived in coastal RomagnaRomagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
. She has two sons, the first of whom (Kangi) was born in 1988 during her marriage with Fabio Albonetti (which has since ended in divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
). The second (Gabriele) with Nicola Zanone was born in 2006. In 2006 she passed her school leaving exams and expressed a desire to enroll at a university.
External links
- List of Selen's works at Adult Movie DatabaseInterview with Selen at Libero.it (Italian)Interview with Selen at nautilus.tv (Italian)Interview with Selen at Libero.it (Italian)Interview with Selen at Libero.it (Italian)Interview with Selen at Libero.it (Italian)Interview with Selen at Libero.it (Italian)Opinions on Selen at Libero.it (Italian)Interview with Selen at Libero.it (Italian)Interview with Selen at Libero.it (Italian)