Film star Sydne Rome disappeared from Hollywood – a tragic accident left her scarred

Hollywood has always been full of stars. Some remain in the spotlight for decades, while others rise quickly and disappear just as fast.

Over the years, many legendary actresses like Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, and Jean Harlow have received a lot of attention thanks to their natural talent and beauty. But even when they were at the top of their careers, there were always others hoping for their chance to shine. One of these was Sydne Rome, an actress from the American Midwest.

Sydne didn’t follow the typical path to stardom. Instead of staying in America, she moved to Europe, where her blonde hair and blue eyes made her popular. It’s said she even once dated David Bowie.

Although Rome had the looks and charm, she didn’t stay in the limelight for long. However, she is still active today and has a family of her own. Unfortunately, an accident left her with a scarred face.

Sydne Rome was born in Akron, Ohio, on March 17, 1951. Her father worked in plastic manufacturing, and her mother was what Sydne described as a “born hippie.”

She grew up in Upper Sandusky, a small town in Ohio with a population of 5,000 people. The town had the highest per capita income in the U.S. at the time.

Unlike some famous actors who come from families in the entertainment business, Sydne had no such connections. Her family wasn’t involved in acting at all.

“There was nothing in the family that should have given me my craze for acting,” she said in a 1974 interview. “My father had a plastic company, and my mother is just ‘mom.’ I have two sisters and two brothers, all younger.”

Sydne went to high school in Ohio but was already interested in acting. She originally planned to move to Illinois, but instead, she moved to Pennsylvania to attend the famous Carnegie Tech School of Acting at Pittsburgh University.

At Carnegie Tech, Sydne learned the craft of acting under respected teachers. She starred in plays like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Sea Gull.

After finishing her studies, she moved to California and joined the Pasadena Playhouse, where she continued to act. However, her first shot at Hollywood fame didn’t go well. She missed out on a major role in the film Candy and, after another year at the Playhouse, she tried her luck in Europe.

While in Europe, Sydne faced some challenges. Despite her beauty, many directors asked her to appear nude, something she wasn’t comfortable with at first.

“I had a terrible time in Rome with young Italian directors who wanted me to play in the nude,” she said. “I didn’t want to do it. Now my view is different. Playing in the nude has become part of our trade.”

Sydne starred in some minor Italian films in the early 1970s, but her big break came in 1972 when she worked with director Roman Polanski on What? The film wasn’t well-received, but it was an important step in her career. In 1973, she also married photographer Emilio Lari.

By the mid-1970s, Sydne was compared to actresses like Brigitte Bardot. In 1979, the Sunday Telegraph called her the “up-and-coming Jean Harlow or Raquel Welch.”

Sydne took this comparison in stride. She said, “Brigitte is wonderful, exciting, very open, terribly available. She is every man’s dream. Perhaps at first look, I seem less available. But I think audiences will take a second look and think differently. And I am a better actress than Bardot.”

Though she had everything needed to succeed in Hollywood, she never quite reached the top. Her first film was Some Girls Do in 1969, but it didn’t boost her career. So, she focused on French, Italian, and German films.

By the late 1970s, Sydne landed a role in Just a Gigolo, a film starring David Bowie. It was rumored they were romantically involved, and she confirmed in later interviews that they dated for about a year.

Sydne moved to Rome and lived there for over ten years. In the 1980s, she became a musician and released several albums, but none of them became hits. She also appeared in movies like The Pumaman (1980), which didn’t do well.

Although she was well-known internationally, Sydne struggled in America. She grew tired of the business side of the industry, saying, “An actress can get to feel she’s just a business asset – that no one cares about her, but only what she represents in terms of a deal.”

In 2009, Sydne’s life took a tragic turn when she was involved in a car accident. While driving with one of her daughters, she lost control and hit a tree. The airbag hit her face, causing serious damage.

“I went to the hospital and they stitched up my skin,” she said. “But my facial muscles were damaged, and part of my face became paralyzed. I had physical therapy, and today I’m a little bit better.”

Sydne admitted that looking at photos of her from before the accident felt strange, as she didn’t recognize the right side of her face.

Despite the injury, Sydne didn’t let it stop her. She continued acting and appeared in the 2023 Italian film La Quattordicesima Domenica Del Tempo Ordinario. She also had a recurring role on the Italian TV series Don Matteo.

Though she didn’t become the next Brigitte Bardot, Sydne has always pursued what she loves. Despite the accident, she continues to follow her passion.

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