Lory Del Santo is an Italian actress, TV personality and director whose life has played out in public for five decades. She started as a teenage TV assistant in 1975, represented Italy at Miss Universe 1980, became a familiar face on the hit comedy show Drive In, and later won L’isola dei famosi. Outside Italy, she’s best known as the mother of Conor Clapton, her son with rock legend Eric Clapton. She turns 68 on September 28, 2026, and she’s still on Italian TV today.
| Date of Birth | September 28, 1958 |
|---|---|
| Age | 68 years |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Occupation | Actress, Model, Director & Writer |
| Birthplace | Povegliano Veronese |
| Father | Antonio Del Santo |
| Sister | Paola Del Santo |
| Partner | Marco Cucolo |
| Height | 5'9" (175 cm) |
| Children | Conor Clapton (died March 20, 1991); Devin Sardi; Loren Del Santo (died by suicide, 2018) |
Janeane GarofaloLory Del Santo Biography
Loredana “Lory” Del Santo was born on September 28, 1958, in Povegliano Veronese, a small town near Verona in northern Italy. She grew up in a poor farming family. On Rai 2’s “Tango” in April 2024, she confirmed she was born in a stable and grew up in a house with no glass in its windows. Her father, Antonio, died in a car accident in 1961, when she was just three years old.
After his death, her mother, Clorinda, raised Lory and her younger sister, Paola, on her own. Money was tight, and Lory has often spoken about how that tough start pushed her to chase a life beyond her hometown. As a teenager, she left Verona for Rome on her own to try her luck in show business.
Clorinda died at the end of January 2025, some time after a serious stroke. On “La Volta Buona” a few days later, Lory said her mother was widowed at 25 and became “the man of the house,” working as a cleaner and even driving a tractor. She admitted her mother may never have kissed her, even as a small child, but said she still admired her strength.
Lory Del Santo Career
Her TV career began in 1975, when she was 16. She worked as a “valletta,” or on-stage assistant, at that year’s Festivalbar, a popular Italian summer music show. That small job opened doors, and film roles soon followed.
In 1980, she represented Italy at the 29th Miss Universe pageant, held on July 8 at the Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul, South Korea. The international exposure helped her profile at home, where she was already building a name as a model and actress.
Movies
Del Santo appeared in about 20 films between 1977 and 1983, mostly light Italian comedies. Her first notable part came in 1977’s “Ecco noi per esempio,” where she played one of the girls dancing in a club. A year later, she played Luisa in “Where Are You Going on Holiday?”
Other credits from that era include “Dear Father” (1979), “Gardenia” (1979), “Sunday Lovers” (1980), “Desideria” (1980), “Bollenti spiriti” (1981), “W la foca” (1982) and “La gorilla” (1982). She stepped away from film in the mid-1980s and later returned for a cameo as herself in “Vita Smeralda” (2006).
Television and Reality TV
Television is where Del Santo really made her mark. She co-hosted the variety show “Tagli, ritagli e frattaglie” in 1981. From 1983 to 1988, she was part of the cast of “Drive In,” the sketch comedy show that won the Telegatto for best variety show three years in a row.
Her biggest TV win came in 2005. She won the third season of “L’isola dei famosi,” Italy’s celebrity survival show, with 75% of the public vote. That made her the first woman to win the show, and it gave her career a second life.
More reality shows followed. She competed on “La Fattoria” in 2009, hosted “Missione seduzione” from 2010 to 2011, and judged “My Bodyguard” in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, she and her partner, Marco Cucolo, finished third on “Pechino Express” as a pair called “Gli Innamorati” (The Lovers). She then entered the “Grande Fratello VIP” house in 2018.
For years, she was also a regular guest commentator on talk shows. She appeared on “Pomeriggio Cinque” from 2014 to 2023 and on “Domenica Live” from 2017 to 2021.
Director and Writer
In 2014, Del Santo moved behind the camera. She created, wrote and directed “The Lady,” a web series that ran until 2017 across three seasons: “The Lady,” “The Lady 2: L’odio passionale” and “The Lady 3: La Perfidia Patinata.” The series became famous in Italy for its camp style and was widely mocked and loved at the same time. On “Tango,” she said the series reached 20 million views, then joked that 20 million euros would have been better.
She has also written two books. Her autobiography, “Piacere è una sfida” (Pleasure Is a Challenge), came out in 2006. A second book, “La felicità come optional” (Happiness as an Option), followed in 2021.
Recent Work
Del Santo is still a regular on Italian TV and radio. In November 2024, she told Rai Radio 1’s “Un giorno da pecora” that Donald Trump once chased her after they met in an elevator at Trump Tower in New York about 30 years earlier. She said she simply never called the number he gave her, and joked that she “could have been” the First Lady.
In April 2026, she was a guest on Rai 2’s “BellaMa’,” where she talked about self-acceptance and grief. She remains active on Instagram, where she shares updates from her life in Italy and her trips abroad.
Personal Life
Del Santo’s most famous relationship was with Eric Clapton. The two became involved in the mid-1980s while he was still married to Pattie Boyd, and Clapton wrote the song “Lady of Verona” for her. You can follow her full dating history in our Lory Del Santo relationship timeline.
She was also linked to Saudi businessman Adnan Khashoggi, Milanese businessman Silvio Sardi and Dutch tennis star Richard Krajicek. Since around 2015, her partner has been Marco Cucolo, a model more than 30 years younger than her. The couple have spoken openly about the age gap on shows like “La Volta Buona” and “Verissimo.”
Lory Del Santo Children
Del Santo has had four sons, and she has lost three of them. Her first, Conor Clapton, was born on August 21, 1986. He died on March 20, 1991, at four and a half, after falling from an open window on the 53rd floor of the Galleria apartment building in Manhattan.
Conor’s death shook the music world. Clapton turned his grief into the songs “Tears in Heaven” and “Circus,” and “Tears in Heaven” became one of the best-known songs of his career.
Her second son, Devin, was born on August 23, 1991. His father is Silvio Sardi. She later had a son with Richard Krajicek, but the baby was born premature and died after about two weeks.
Her youngest son, Loren, was born in 1999. She has never named his father. Loren died by suicide in 2018 at the age of 19, and Del Santo has since spoken about his mental health struggles in several interviews. Cucolo has said he stood by her every day through that loss.
Lory Del Santo Net Worth
Lory Del Santo’s net worth is estimated at between $2 million and $3 million. That figure comes from nearly five decades of paid work in Italian entertainment, not from any one big payday.
Her income sources include her early film roles, years of regular TV work on “Drive In,” reality show fees and prize money, and long runs as a paid talk show guest. Add book sales, her web series and a steady stream of TV and magazine appearances, and a few million dollars is a realistic range.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Lory Del Santo?
Lory Del Santo was born on September 28, 1958, so she turns 68 in 2026.
Is Lory Del Santo still alive?
Yes. She is alive and still appears on Italian TV, including a guest spot on “BellaMa'” in April 2026.
Was Lory Del Santo married to Eric Clapton?
No. They were never married. They had a relationship in the 1980s, and their son Conor was born in 1986 while Clapton was still married to Pattie Boyd.
How many children does Lory Del Santo have?
She has had four sons: Conor, Devin, a baby boy with Richard Krajicek, and Loren. Only Devin, born in 1991, is still living.
Who is Lory Del Santo’s partner?
Her partner is Marco Cucolo, a model she has been with since around 2015. The pair finished third on “Pechino Express” in 2016.
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