Trivia

Miss Ethiopia 1969

Since 1994, she lives with director Massimo Spano; they have a son, Michelangelo (b.1995); she also had a daughter in 1992, from Franco Cristaldi, but he died soon after.

She was not only Italy's most famous Black Venus in the 1970s, crowned the queen of moon-skinned eroticism, but also one of the few actresses of color who could rival Laura Gemser by giving a truly compelling performance to the films she starred in.

Zeudi Araya was described as a cross between Catherine Deneuve and Pam Grier, a creature as enigmatic as she was exotic, with a regal bearing.

After brilliantly completing her studies, her beauty earned her the title of Miss Eritrea. This title allowed her to travel, notably to Rome, where the doors of Cinecittà soon opened to her.

Between 1971 and 1976, she will ignite the senses of audiences in several other exotic-erotic works directed by Scattini, including "The fuoristrada girl"," The body" but also"The preda" by Domenico Paollela.

Her first contact with the artistic world was through an advertisement where she sensually extolled the virtues of a coffee. It was through her that director Luigi Scattini noticed her and fell under her spell. He immediately offered her the lead role in "The girl with moon skin".

After Franco Cristaldi's (her husband) death, Zeudi turned to production. Today, she is a producer for both film and television. She now leads a discreet life with her new partner, director Massimo Spano, with whom she has a son, and is deeply interested in serenity and nature, far from the limelight and the hectic life of the jet set.

Zeudi put a stop to her career from the beginning of the 80s. She was seen one last time on screen in 1983 in the medieval and dreamlike film "The choice of the lords / I paladini", for a fleeting appearance.

Zeudi Araya, whose name means "imperial crown," was the daughter of an important politician and the niece of an Ethiopian ambassador.

One daughter with her husband, she died at six months (1992).