Stella was born in Toronto Canada, to parents Saverio Francesco Torres an
employee of Massey Ferguson and homemaker Carmela De'Leonardis. Her
parents came from Italy and married in 1958. She has an older brother
Frank and a sister MJ. She attended school in Brantford Ontario,
Toronto, and also in Italy where she lived briefly. In Toronto, Stella
studied at Weist Barron school of television, as well as Barbizon
Modeling school which followed a few beauty pageants including and
winning Miss Italian in Brantford. Ontario. She was the first Miss
Italy for the lodge. News made headlines when her picture and trophy
were stolen from the lodge and never found. Stella worked on a few
plays and it was her last play in Toronto where she played Ala in
"Tango" that she decided she would leave for LA.
She moved to LA in 1989 and has been married to actor James Farentino since
1994. Stella is very proud since becoming a US citizen in 2000. Stella
is known for the Italian Mazda commercial that aired years ago in which
she speaks only in Italian while arguing with her husband exiting a
house. As for her favorite people she enjoyed working with Robert Hays,
when she played his girlfriend in Sex and a Girl - Dein erstes Mal vergisst Du nie! (2001). Her favourite role would be
to play Serafina in "The Rose Tattoo". Stella is an incredible cook,and
enjoys playing the piano, painting, ceramics, and most of all spending
time with her dog, an English Cocker named Amadeo whom she calls her
son and the love of her life.
