UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents Isabella Rossellini in conversation with Pico Iyer, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27 at The New Vic in Santa Barbara.

A storied model and movie star, Rossellini represents an example of self-reinvention. Born into European film royalty as the daughter of director Roberto Rossellini and actor Ingrid Bergman, her own performances are some of the definitive images in film.

After a successful career in acting and modeling, Isabella Rossellini earned a master’s degree in animal behavior and now creates unique and humorous works of performance art based on her research.

Known for her philanthropic efforts in animal conservation and other areas, Rossellini runs an organic farm in Bellport, New York. As former muse and partner to artists like David Lynch, Martin Scorsese and Gary Oldman, she has stories to share and ideas of her own about the trials and tribulations of a life lived almost entirely in the public eye.

Rossellini grew up in Paris and Rome. She made her cinematic debut as an actress in 1979 in the Taviani brothers’ film “Il Prato” (“The Meadow”) and has appeared in numerous other films, including the American features “Blue Velvet,” “Wild at Heart,” “White Nights,” “Rodger Dodger,” “Cousins” and “Death Becomes Her.”

She has worked with wide-ranging directors including Robert Zemeckis, David O. Russell, David Lynch, Robert Wilson, Taylor Hackford, Marjane Satrapi and Guy Maddin.

Rossellini is also a television actress and filmmaker, with an interest in animals and wildlife conservation. She has a master’s degree in animal behavior and conservation and has received an honorary doctorate from the science faculty at University of Quebec at Montreal.

Her award-winning shorts are “Green Porno,” “Seduce Me” and “Mammasoffer” comical and scientifically insightful studies of animal behavior.

Tickets to hear Rossellini and Iyer are $35: general public; $10: UCSB students (current student ID required).

For tickets or more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures, 805-893-3535 or purchase online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.