Though born in
Milan, Italy, Pelligrini spent her childhood in the former Italian colony of
Eritrea during the
Ethiopia occupation and colonization of the territory, attending Italian schools, before returning to Italy with her adoptive father in the 1970s. She made her film debut in 1973 in
Il brigadiere Pasquale Zagaria ama la mamma e la polizia but her career was launched by
Pier Paolo Pasolini, who chose her for the role of Zumurrud in
Arabian Nights (1974); she also appeared in Pasolini's last film,
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975). Later Pellegrini became a minor starlet in Italian films including
Eyeball (1975),
La madama (1976),
Blue Belle (1976),
Una bella governante di colore (1978) and
War of the Robots (1978), appearing in 16 films between 1974 and 1981. In the mid-1980s, she left show business and moved to Los Angeles, where she opened a downtown antiques shop and promoted volunteering. ==References==