Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

This photo of Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield was taken 57 years ago, but it still looms large. Very large. In fact, it may be the most famous side eye in paparazzi history: Loren, the breakout Italian beauty at the Beverly Hills party designed as her Hollywood baptism reacts to the antics—and assets—of va-va-voomy Jayne Mansfield.

All these years later, Loren spoke to EW on the phone from her home in Switzerland. In the days before the AFI Fest’s tribute to her and the release of her memoir Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: My Life, 80-year-old Loren shares the story behind the stink eye.

This photo was taken when you were still very new to Hollywood.

SOPHIA LOREN: Yes, Paramount had organized a party for me. All of cinema was there, it was incredible. And then comes in Jayne Mansfield, the last one to come. For me, that was when it got amazing.

What did she do when she got there?

She came right for my table. She knew everyone was watching. She sat down. And now, she was barely… Listen. Look at the picture. Where are my eyes? I’m staring at her nipples because I am afraid they are about to come onto my plate. In my face you can see the fear. I’m so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow—BOOM!—and spill all over the table.

I’ve seen other photos from that same moment when you’re laughing and more light-hearted.

No, no. Well, there may be other photos, but this is the picture. This is the one that shows how it was. This is the only picture.

Can you remember the last time you saw it?

Actually, many, many times I am given this photo to autograph it. And I never do. I don’t want to have anything to do with that. And also out of respect for Jayne Mansfield because she’s not with us anymore.

Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

Jayne was stunning!

Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

off topic... i was at the hollywood forever cemetery and i have a picture of Jayne's head stone. it says, "we live to love you more each day"

Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

This pic is awesome!! And Jayne was just unbelievably gorgeous!!

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

About a month ago on reddit they had the previously Un released photo roll. You could clearly see Jane Mansfield ' s nipples. I completely understood the reason she made that face.

Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

Sophia looks like the first woman to ever be caught throwing shade on camera.

Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

the ladies of that era always seemed so classy and elegant

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

1) I never realized Jayne was so pretty!
2) It is really telling of the era, that Jayne was a sex symbol, but she clearly had breasts that hang/are natural and even look like some stretch marks on them to me. That would almost never be the case these days when it comes to sex symbols/breast expectations.
3) I dont beleive Sophia. I don't think she was worried her boobs would pop out. I think she was annoyed at the attention Jayne was obviously getting. I read the article and Sophia said some things that made it seem like more than concern for Mansfield exposing herself.
4) I didn't know Mariska Haritgay was Jane's child. I never found Mariska pretty but I find Jayne very pretty.
5) I never knew Jayne was killed in a car crash, with her children in the car.
To think Mariska never really knew her mom. I never knew that, how tragic.

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

I just learned more about Jane from this picture/thread. She is a beautiful woman and so is Sophia. The picture is hysterical. I read that Sophia will not autograph that picture when shown to her out of respect for Jane. What a horrible accident by the way

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

This is so so sad! She was only 34!

On June 29 1967 at approximately 2:25am, on U.S. Highway 90, east of the Rigolets Bridge, the car crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that had slowed behind another truck that was spraying mosquito fogger. The car struck the rear of the trailer and went under it. The three adults in the front seat were killed instantly; the children, in the rear, survived with minor injuries.

Reports that Mansfield was decapitated are untrue, although she suffered severe head trauma. The urban legend was spawned by the appearance in police photographs of a crashed car with its top virtually sheared off, and what resembled a blonde-haired head tangled in the car's smashed windshield. However, this was probably either a wig Mansfield was wearing or her actual hair and scalp.

The death certificate stated that the immediate cause of Mansfield's death was a "crushed skull with avulsion of cranium and brain".

After her death, the NHTSA recommended requiring an underride guard (a strong bar made of steel tubing) on all tractor-trailers, although the trucking industry was slow to adopt this change. This bar is known as a "Mansfield bar", or an "ICC bar"

Message edited 11/5/2014 8:58:38 PM.

Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

That's where the scar on her chin came from.

Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

Did anyone else watch Mariska Hargitay on Inside the Actor's Studio? I loved how she talked about her mom, she has such a love and respect for her and obviously misses her dearly. She said she doesn't remember the accident and she definitely had a hard time talking about it. I also follow her in Instagram and she posts great pics of her mom.

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo

This is crazy!

Re: Sophia Loren admits she was afraid Jayne Mansfield's dress was 'going to blow' in infamous photo