Cardinale died, aged 87, on 23 September 2025, at her home in Nemours, Île-de-France.
Cardinale attracted many tributes after her death. The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, described her as "an extraordinary artist, an unforgettable heroine of Italian and international cinema, always loved by the public and highly esteemed by great directors" French President Emmanuel Macron declared that the French "[...] will always carry this Italian and world star in our hearts, in the eternity of cinema".
Alessandro Giuli, Italy's Minister of Culture, said she was "one of the greatest Italian actresses of all time", highlighting "her grace, her special beauty and her long career". Anouchka Delon and Antonio Banderas paid tribute to the memory of Cardinale.