It is the side-eye that launched a thousand memes. You’ve seen it.
Black and white. A glitzy dinner table. A dark-haired Italian goddess looking like she’s about to witness a car crash, her eyes locked firmly on the chest of a blonde bombshell who seems completely oblivious. The woman on the left is Sophia Loren. The woman on the right is Jayne Mansfield.
The year was 1957. The place was Romanoff’s in Beverly Hills. Honestly, if you want to understand the exact moment "shade" was invented, this is it. But for decades, people assumed this was just a classic case of two divas hating each other. Or maybe Sophia was jealous?
Nope. Not even close.
The Night Hollywood Tried to "Welcome" Sophia Loren
Let’s set the scene because context is everything here. In April 1957, Sophia Loren was the biggest thing coming out of Europe. She had just signed a massive deal with Paramount Pictures. To celebrate their new investment, the studio threw a "Welcome to Hollywood" party. Basically, it was Sophia’s big debut. Her "coming out" party to the American elite.
Everyone was there. Gary Cooper, Fred MacMurray, the works.
Sophia was sitting at a table with her co-star Clifton Webb. She looked stunning, wearing a relatively modest (by Hollywood standards) black dress. Then, Jayne Mansfield walked in.
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Mansfield was the last person to arrive. She didn't just walk in; she performed an entrance. She headed straight for Sophia’s table. She knew exactly what she was doing. She was a professional at the "publicity stunt." Earlier that year, she’d "accidentally" lost her bikini top in a pool in front of reporters. She was the original "famous for being famous" pioneer, sort of a 1950s precursor to the influencers we see today.
Why Sophia Was Staring (It Wasn't Jealousy)
For years, people looked at Sophia’s face in that photo and saw judgment. And sure, there’s probably a little of that. But in 2014, Sophia finally broke her silence to Entertainment Weekly. She gave the most human explanation possible.
"Listen. Look at the picture. Where are my eyes?" she asked. "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."
Think about that. You’re at a formal dinner, and the woman next to you is wearing a pink satin dress so low-cut and so loose that physics is basically the only thing keeping the party from becoming an R-rated event. Sophia wasn't throwing shade; she was bracing for impact.
She literally said: "I’m so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow—BOOM!—and spill all over the table."
The "Other" Photos You Never See
The weird thing about history is how one frame can lie to us. If you look at the other shots from that night—and there are many—you see a different story. In some, Sophia and Jayne are laughing. They’re clinking glasses. They look like two colleagues having a decent time at a work function.
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But Sophia herself says those photos don't count.
She has famously stated that the side-eye photo is the only one that accurately captured the vibe of the room. It was tense. It was awkward. Mansfield was essentially "out-boobing" the guest of honor at her own party. It was a classic Hollywood power move.
The Aftermath and a Daughter's Perspective
Jayne Mansfield’s life ended tragically in 1967 in a car accident. She was only 34. Because of that tragedy, the photo takes on a slightly different weight today. Sophia Loren is now in her 90s, and she is incredibly protective of Jayne's memory.
People still come up to Sophia with copies of that photo, begging for an autograph. She always says no.
"I never do," she told reporters. "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."
Interestingly, Jayne’s daughter—the legendary Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU fame—was actually in the back seat of the car when her mother died. Mariska has talked about the photo too, noting how "excruciating" it was to see people looking at her mother that way, but also acknowledging the incredible, complicated legacy her mother left behind.
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Why This Moment Still Matters
This wasn't just a tiff between two actresses. It represented a clash of styles. You had the "Old World" sophistication of Sophia Loren—who would go on to win an Oscar and become a pillar of cinema—versus the "New World" spectacle of Jayne Mansfield.
One was built on craft; the other was built on the "gaze."
And yet, both women were navigating a Hollywood that viewed them primarily as shapes and silhouettes. They were both in the same boat, even if they were paddling in different directions.
What We Can Learn From the 1957 Side-Eye
If you ever find yourself in a situation where someone is trying to upstage you, remember Sophia. She didn't start a fight. She didn't make a scene. She just sat there and let her face do the talking.
- Don't mistake concern for hate. Sometimes, when someone looks "judgy," they're actually just worried you're about to have a wardrobe malfunction in the middle of dinner.
- Context is king. One photo can define a legacy, but it rarely tells the whole truth.
- Respect the dead. Sophia’s refusal to sign the photo is a masterclass in class. She knows the image is funny, but she also knows there's a human being behind the satin dress who isn't here to defend herself.
Next time you see that photo on your feed, remember it wasn't a "catfight." It was just a very nervous Italian woman worried about her pasta getting ruined by an impending "BOOM."
To really understand the era, you should look into the film The Girl Can't Help It (1956) to see Mansfield at her peak, or watch Loren in Two Women (1960) to see why she didn't need a plunging neckline to command a room.