Celebrated actress Ingrid Bergman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on August 29, 1915, the daughter of Swedish photographer Justus Bergman and his German wife Friedel.

Ingrid was much loved by her parents and had an almost idyllic childhood until her mother died when she was barely three years old.

Friedel’s death was followed by the death of Ingrid’s father in July of 1929, leaving her orphaned at age 14. Since all she ever had was her father, the loss was devastating to Ingrid. Over the next few years, she lived with various aunts and uncles.

After getting a role as an extra in a local Swedish film, Ingrid was certain that she wanted to become an actress. She applied to the Royal Dramatic Theatre School in Stockholm and was accepted in 1933 at age 18.

Ingrid received her first major film role in the 1935 Swedish film The Count of Monk’s Bridge, which led to other movie roles. Soon, Ingrid Bergman was working as much as she wanted as she earned herself a name in the Swedish film industry.

When Ingrid was 21 years old, she married her first husband, a Swedish physician named Petter Lindström.

In 1938, Ingrid went to Berlin’s UFA studios to star in a German film called The Four Companions. Thanks to her summers spent in Germany as a child, she spoke fluent German and had no trouble stepping into the role of Marianne Kruge. The country itself had, however, drastically changed since those carefree days, and Ingrid soon returned to Sweden as the outbreak of the Second World War was looming on the horizon.

At the end of the year, on September 20, 1938, Petter and Ingrid’s daughter, Pia, was born.

In 1939, Ingrid was approached by American movie mogul David O. Selznick to do a remake of her Swedish film Intermezzo. Leaving Petter and Pia in Sweden, she sailed to the United States, assuming she would be back as soon as filming for Intermezzo had wrapped up. Of course, she was to remain in Hollywood for many years to come.

Ingrid’s next big hit came in 1942 with her role as Ilsa in Casablanca. Casablanca won three Oscar awards in 1943 and is still considered one of the best films of all time.

Casablanca was followed by For Whom the Bells Toll in 1943. It became the hit of the year, and Ingrid earned her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Maria, a young guerrilla fighter during the Spanish Civil War.

In 1944, Ingrid filmed Gaslight, a psychological thriller that introduced the teenaged Angela Lansbury in her first movie role as a scheming, murderous temptress. Gaslight was lauded upon its release in 1944 and was nominated for seven Oscars, with Ingrid Bergman winning her first Academy Award for Best Actress.

In 1946, Ingrid was cast in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Notorious opposite Cary Grant and Claude Rains. Notorious became one of the biggest movie hits of 1946 and made its debut in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

During the filming for Stromboli, Ingrid fell in love with Italian director Roberto Rossellini. She left her husband and young daughter in America to pursue this relationship, which resulted in a son in February of 1950 and, shortly after that, marriage. Bergman would spend the better part of the following six years in Italy, making films and also giving birth to twin girls. She would not see her firstborn daughter Pia again until 1957.

Ingrid made her return to American cinemas in 1956 with the release of Anastasia. The film was well-received, and for her role as Anastasia, Ingrid won her second Oscar award.

Following her separation from Rossellini in 1957 (which resulted in a drawn out custody battle for their three children), Ingrid married Swedish producer Lars Schmidt. This would be Ingrid’s last husband, and the two would remain together until their divorce in 1975.

Bergman continued to make box office hits even during her later years. One such example is 1969’s Cactus Flower, which was one of the highest grossing films of the year.

In 1974, Ingrid chose to take a small part in Murder on the Orient Express, which won her a third Oscar. Now a seasoned actress, she was not afraid to take roles that called for older women.

Ingrid Bergman kept working until the very end of her life, even as she was battling breast cancer. She received critical acclaim for roles in films such as Autumn Sonata, which earned her a final Oscar nomination, and A Woman Called Golda, which won her an Emmy award. In the end, Ingrid Bergman passed away on her 67th birthday, surrounded by family and friends.