Catrinel Menghia was supposed to be a runner. Her father had competed in the Olympic 400 metres hurdles, and as a teenager in Iași she followed him onto the track. Then a local model agent spotted her at sixteen, and within months she had left for Bucharest, then Milan, and a career with Giorgio Armani and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
Today she works under the name Catrinel Marlon, and the runway is only the first chapter. She has acted for Matteo Garrone and Corneliu Porumboiu, and since 2022 she has written and directed her own films, winning a prize at the Rome Film Fest for her first short. This profile follows that unusual path.
Who Is Catrinel Marlon?
Catrinel Marlon, born Catrinel Menghia, is a Romanian-Italian model, actress, producer and director. As a model she worked with Giorgio Armani and Lise Charmel and appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. As an actress she is known for Luigi Lo Cascio’s La città ideale, Matteo Garrone’s Tale of Tales and Corneliu Porumboiu’s The Whistlers (La Gomera). She directed the short Ossa (2022) and the feature Girasoli (2023).
How Old Is Catrinel Marlon?
Catrinel Marlon is 41 years old. She was born on 1 October 1985 in Iași, Romania.
Early Life
Marlon grew up in Iași with a younger sister, Lorena. Following her father, a former Olympic hurdler, she trained as an athlete before an agent discovered her at sixteen. Six months later she moved to Bucharest to start modelling, and she competed in Ford’s Supermodel competition, which launched her international career.
Career
Modelling
Signed by Major Model Management in Milan, she worked for fashion houses including Giorgio Armani and became a face of the French lingerie brand Lise Charmel. She also appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. In 2013 she launched her own line of handbags, Catherinelle.
Acting (2012 to 2020)
After taking acting classes, she played the female lead in actor-director Luigi Lo Cascio’s La città ideale (2012) and that year made a guest appearance as Elisabetta in CBS’s CSI. She appeared in Matteo Garrone’s English-language fantasy Tale of Tales (2015), and in 2016 received the Kineo award as Italy’s breakthrough performer of the year at the Venice Film Festival. Her most acclaimed role came in Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu’s The Whistlers (La Gomera, 2019), which competed at Cannes; she played Gilda, a femme fatale at the centre of a heist. She also appeared in Giovanni Veronesi’s family comedy Tutti per 1 – 1 per tutti (2020).
Directing (2022 to present)
Marlon wrote and directed her debut short film, Ossa (2022), which won an award at the Rome Film Fest. She followed it with Girasoli (2023), which she also wrote. In 2023 she was chosen as the madrina, the official host, of the 41st Torino Film Festival.
What Is Catrinel Marlon Doing Now? Latest Updates
Marlon continues to split her time between acting and directing. Film databases list her in Guerrieri – The Rule of Balance, a 2026 production, in the role of Clodine.
Personal Life
Marlon holds Romanian and Italian citizenship. She was married to former footballer and lawyer Massimo Brambati for six years; they separated in 2011. Since 2012 she has been in a relationship with film producer Massimiliano Di Lodovico. She has two children, the second of whom, a son, was born when she was 38.
Belloria’s View
Marlon’s choice of directors tells you what she wanted from acting: Garrone and Porumboiu are not obvious stops for a swimsuit model, and she took small, strange roles to work with them. Moving behind the camera was the logical next step. Her films so far are small, but a Rome Film Fest prize for a first short is a genuine credential, and it sets her apart from the many models who tried acting and stopped there.
Social Media Stats
| X (Twitter) | IMDb | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| @catrinelmarlon | No official page found | No official account found | IMDb |
| Official account | IMDb profile |
Social media figures are approximate and may change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Catrinel Marlon the same as Catrinel Menghia?
Yes. Catrinel Menghia is her birth name; she works professionally as Catrinel Marlon.
Who did Catrinel Marlon play in The Whistlers?
She played Gilda in Corneliu Porumboiu’s The Whistlers (La Gomera, 2019), which competed at Cannes.
Has Catrinel Marlon directed films?
Yes. She directed the short Ossa (2022), which won an award at the Rome Film Fest, and the film Girasoli (2023).
Where is Catrinel Marlon from?
She was born in Iași, Romania, on 1 October 1985.
Does Catrinel Marlon have children?
Yes, she has two children.
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