Nai Bonet
Details
Alternate Names: Christine Shapazian
Physical Characteristics: N/A
Career
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Full Biography
Born Christine Shapazian on January 6, 1939, in Saigon, Vietnam, Nai Bonet is a versatile entertainer who made her mark as a belly dancer, singer, and actress during the 1960s and 1970s. Of mixed Vietnamese and French descent, she began her professional career at the age of 13 as a headline belly dancer at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
Throughout the 1960s, she appeared in various television shows and films, often showcasing her dancing talents in projects like John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965) and The Spy with a Cold Nose (1966). Beyond her dance career, she ventured into music, releasing the novelty single "Jelly Belly" in 1966.
Bonet is perhaps best remembered for her significant creative contributions to the cult cinema of the late 1970s. She starred in and conceived the story for the erotic fantasy musical "Fairy Tales" (1978), in which she played the lead role of Scheherazade. Her career as a producer and star continued with the disco-themed horror comedy Nocturna: Granddaughter of Dracula (1979) and the crime drama Hoodlums (1980). Following these projects, she largely withdrew from the entertainment industry, leaving behind a unique legacy as a self-made icon of independent exploitation cinema.
