FREDDIE MERCURY
We are sure that you know this music industry icon! The Queen front man was a great producer, singer, and songwriter with an amazing vocal range and unique personality. He has been called one of the best rock ‘n’ roll artists in history. However, you might not know that Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, Tanzania. He came from a British-Indian family and spent his childhood years in India. Thanks to his dad’s job, they ended up going back to Zanzibar. Due to the revolution, they left and moved to Middlesex, England in 1964. It was there that he launched his very successful music career.
SOPHIA LOREN
Sofia Villani Scicolone, better known as Sophia Loren, was born in Rome. She did not have it easy early in life, but she has come a long way from her modest beginnings. After going to Hollywood, she made it big and met the man who became her husband. With Carlo Ponti, she went through hard times. Italy and the Vatican refused to accept their union since they did not recognize his earlier divorce. On top of that, they went as far as to accuse him of bigamy and called the actress his concubine! This is why they left the country and lost their Italian citizenship. The couple went to France and earned citizenship there. He was eventually able to get a divorce lawyer to handle the paperwork so they could finally marry.