A 1951 Miss Sweden, Anita Ekberg competed in the Miss Universe pageant. Because of her measurements (40D-22-36), Ethel Merman dubbed her "the thinking man's dunce cap: two of them." She is most praised for her role as Sylvia in La dolce vita, directed by Federico Fellini, model/actress Anita Ekberg was married to the British actor, Anthony Steel (1956-1959).