Sophia Loren's Granddaughter Has Grown Up To Be Gorgeous

Of all the famous grandchildren who grew up to look just like their celeb grandparents, Lucia Sofia Ponti certainly tops the list. Sophia Loren's eldest grandchild has largely stayed out of the spotlight, but her similarities to Loren are undeniable. In addition to having her famous grandmother's show-stopping looks, she's also inherited her grit and determination. From competitive dance to academia, Ponti has excelled in all aspects of her life while keeping Loren's advice close to her heart.

Although Loren experienced her share of tragedy – from growing up in poverty to being wounded during WWII — the actor never once wavered in her convictions. Once she became a grandmother, that's the lesson she decided to impart on the next generation. As Ponti told Vogue Italia in 2024, Loren has instilled an important mantra in her grandkids: be true to who you are and what you believe in. "My grandmother only told me that I have to prioritize being myself above all else," an 18-year-old Ponti shared. Given her successes so far, it seems like that advice has served her well.

Two-time Oscar-winning actor Sophia Loren is a screen legend but perhaps what she's proudest of is her family. Loren has two children with famed Italian film producer Carlo Ponti: conductor Carlo Ponti Jr. and director Edoardo Ponti. As she told the Financial Times in 2020, "They gave me grandchildren, so I'm surrounded by great love every day." Today, Loren has four grandchildren to dote over after first becoming a grandmother back in 2006. That's when her youngest son, Edoardo, welcomed daughter Lucia Sofia Ponti with "NCIS" actor Sasha Alexander.

Lucia was born on May 12, 2006, in Geneva, Switzerland, where Loren lives and she's shared a special bond with the movie icon since the beginning. For one, her middle name is a nod to her famous grandmother. For another, she grew up absorbing Loren's glamorous lifestyle, traveling to Paris, learning to speak fluent French, and playing dress-up in Loren's fabulous closet. As Lucia told Hello!, whenever Loren visited them in Los Angeles, she would sleep in her room, filling it with designer clothes and accessories. "I would try on the hair pieces or the jewelry and jokingly strut around the house," she recalled.

Lucia's birth even inspired the publication of an entire book. In 2018, Edoardo released "Letters from a Young Father," a collection of poems he wrote while his wife was pregnant. "All these letter poems were addressed to my daughter almost like a blueprint on how to live, how to love, how to remember," he told WUWM 89.7.

While Sophia Loren has called Geneva home since 1981, her youngest son decided to pursue his studies in California as a teen, settled in Los Angeles in 1990, and never left. Then, as Edoardo Ponti and Sasha Alexander started their family, their roots settled even deeper and Lucia Sofia Ponti grew up surrounded by some of Hollywood's swankiest kids. In 2019, she started her studies at Los Angeles' Archer School for Girls where tuition for the 2024-2025 school year was a whopping $55,650, not including uniforms and textbooks. However, the exclusive institution doesn't only focus on wealth, it also prioritizes academic achievement. Indeed, the application process is incredibly selective and requires an admissions interview, teacher recommendations, writing and math tests, and more.

Lucia aced said process and graduated with her high school diploma in 2024. While at the school, she proved to be an overachiever, to say the least. As she highlighted on her LinkedIn page, she was involved in a slew of activities, including founding a French club, working as the head tutoring coordinator, being the editor-in-chief of the yearbook, and winning second place at the Scholastic Writing Awards twice. Despite such a busy schedule, Lucia also found time for several impressive extracurricular activities. In 2021, she completed a semester-long social entrepreneurship program at the University of Pennsylvania. Then, in 2022, she spent three months helping Baby2Baby as a fundraising volunteer.

Lucia Sofia Ponti fell in love with dance as a preschooler, then spent 14 years as a competitive dancer before hitting pause to focus on her college education. All throughout high school, she spent at least 30 hours a week training and was part of the Archer School for Girls' competitive dance team. She also spent plenty of time with Los Angeles' THE INDUSTRY Dance Academy and competed with them in 2021 at Radix Nationals, a multi-day dance convention.

In addition to competing, Lucia also taught dance and used her gift to give back to her community. Starting in 2021, she spent nearly three years working as an intern for FREE 2 BE ME DANCE, running their socials, organizing events, and teaching kids with various disabilities to dance. Simultaneously, in 2023, she spent eight months working at the Debbie Lee Dance Academy where she helped choreographers and taught grade school-aged kids tap and ballet.

Lucia has since backed away from competition, but all that training sure came in handy in 2024 when she made her big society debut at Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris, France. "I have learned all the dances and am excited to perform them," she told Hello!, noting she was particularly comfortable with the Waltz. Speaking with Vogue Italia, she cheekily added, "Because I was a dancer as a child, I would not say it was very challenging."

After getting her high school diploma from Los Angeles' swanky Archer School for Girls, Lucia Sofia Ponti continued her A-level education at another top institution. In September 2024, she moved across the country from California to Rhode Island to begin her college studies at Providence's Ivy League university, Brown. Proud mama Sasha Alexander documented the milestone on Instagram, telling fans, "It was emotional and beautiful and tough." She also shared a video of the whole family helping overhaul Lucia's room on campus. With help from dad Edoardo Ponti and younger brother Leonardo Fortunato Ponti (born in 2010), Lucia covered the entire space in patterned wallpaper, set up a big bed and study area, and even incorporated a coffee corner. "We can also discuss the fun we had planning her cozy dorm room," Lucia's mom enthused in the clip's caption.

Lucia is now studying English and art history full-time, but is also carving out room for other endeavors. In her first year at college, she became an events director for Fashion@Brown, a student-run organization dedicated to all things fashion. She also joined the Ivy Film Festival, the largest student-run film festival in the world, working in the screenplay department to help sift through submissions and choose winners. And because that wasn't enough, she also signed on to be a writing tutor for Curious Cardinals which sees her helping kids between the ages of 8 and 18.

Lucia Sofia Ponti and Sophia Loren may live on opposite continents but that hasn't gotten in the way of their bond. "My grandmother and I are very close," an 18-year-old Ponti told Hello! in 2024, noting how her family often flies to Geneva and Loren occasionally visits them in Los Angeles. "I love her dearly and despite the distance, we spend ample time together," Ponti continued.

Opening up about the huge impact Loren has had on her life, Ponti said she's inspired by her grandmother's fierceness and the fact that she's unshakably true to her beliefs. "[I] always feel grateful to have such an amazing role model to look up to," Ponti gushed. "She always taught me to never give up and to continue striving for what you yearn for no matter the rejection or the cost."

Jump to December 2024 and Ponti was following in her grandma's glamorous footsteps by attending France's Le Bal des Débutantes. While choosing a gown for the big night, she was guided by Loren's own fashion manifesto. "Growing up, she taught me the value of simplicity, tailoring, and always adding a touch of uniqueness to your outfit," Ponti told Hello!, revealing she was determined to work with Giorgio Armani who just so happens to be a friend of Loren's.

Despite her famous family, Lucia Sofia Ponti has spent most of her life away from the spotlight. However, that changed in December 2024 when an 18-year-old Ponti took part in Le Bal des Débutantes, an extravagant event held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, France. Initially founded in 1958, the event disappeared from the social calendar for a long stretch before returning in 1992 with a new focus on philanthropy. In its new version, Le Bal saw 19 women — including Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter, Apple Martin — making their society debut while also raising money for charity. Indeed, as Ponti told Hello!, it was actually the latter which drew her to participate. "Being involved in the Debutante's Ball means so much considering the organizations like ARCFA and the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in New York that they support and are raising money for," the teen enthused.

Dressed in a white and grey gown from Giorgio Armani paired with a huge diamond and emerald necklace, Ponti entered the ball on the arm of Count Alberico di Carpegna Brivio before hitting the floor with her father for a traditional dance. As she told Vogue Italia, she loved the idea of "honoring tradition and the multitude of women who have gone before me."