Her adopted surname is a slight variation of 'Toren' after the Swedish actress Marta.
Her mother won an all-Italy Greta Garbo lookalike contest run by MGM in 1932; but being only 17 years old, her mother wouldn't allow her to pursue her Hollywood dream. Soon after, she became pregnant with Sofia.
Had 2 miscarriages prior to her first born son Carlo. Because of these complications, she had to take complete bedrest throughout her first and second successful pregnancies.
Measurements: 38C-24-38 (self-described - 1955, and from Edith Head- 1957), 36D-24-37 3/4 (at age 50 - 1985) (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Suffered from stage fright and, therefore, never appeared in a theatrical production.
Her sister was married to dictator Benito Mussolini's son, Romano.
While filming "Boy on a Dolphin", Sophia was required to walk in a trench in order to give audiences the impression that her diminutive co-star, Alan Ladd, was taller than she.
Carlo Ponti obtains a Mexican divorce from his first wife and marries Sophia by proxy while she was in Hollywood filming "Houseboat" - and dating co-star Cary Grant. [17 September 1957]
She performed two duets with Peter Sellers which were major hits in the UK pop chart. 'Goodness Gracious Me' was released in 1960 and reached four and 'Bangers and Mash' made it to the top 20 in 1961.
She didn't get on with Marlon Brando during the shooting of 'The Countess from Hong Kong' (1966), especially after the day they were doing a love scene and he commented, 'Did you know you have hairs up your nostrils?'
