Regina Nemni originally pursued a career as a dancer, studying at the school of ballet at the Teatro ala Scala of Milan. Federico Fellini discovered her performing at La Scala and asked her to dance in his film And the Ship Goes On. Nemni was seen on Fellini's set by Carlo Lizzani, who gave her a major role in his 1984 TV film Nucleus Zero, followed by Leonardo, and other film and TV work.