Born in Rome, Italy, and the daughter of a dresser, at a young age Pagnani studied the harp and the piano, then she devoted herself to theatre and then entering the stage companies Artistica Operaia e Giovanni Emanuel.

[1] In a short time Pagnani became a prima donna of Italian theater, working among others with Totò, Gino Cervi, Gabriele Ferzetti, Lauretta Masiero.

[1] Her film activity was long but very irregular, and almost entirely consisting of supporting roles.

[2] She dubbed actresses such as Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis, Rhonda Fleming, Gloria Swanson, Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, Greta Garbo, Ginger Rogers and many more.

She was among the earliest of Italy's prominent dub actresses along with Lydia Simoneschi, Rosetta Calavetta, Giovanna Scotto and Tina Lattanzi.