Monica Bellucci confirms Tim Burton romance amid Beetlejuice 2 production: ‘I love him’

Film buffs and fans of Hollywood glamour rejoice, there’s a new pair in tinsel town to fawn over: legendary director Tim Burton and iconic Italian actress Monica Bellucci are officially an item.

The new lovebirds were first rumored to be dating earlier last year, and now the glamorous actress has confirmed the romance, and then some!

In a new interview with Elle France, the global star (who’s acted in French, Italian and American films) opened up about their relationship, and had nothing but praise for the new man in her life.

MORE: Helena Bonham Carter’s A-list dating history revealed

“What can I say… I’m glad I met the man, first of all,” she started, adding: “It’s one of those encounters that rarely happens in life.”

Bellucci continued: “I know the man, I love him, and now I’m going to meet the director. Another adventure begins.”

MORE: Helena Bonham Carter makes incredibly rare appearance with son Billy

Burton is currently directing his new girlfriend in the sequel to his iconic 1998 film Beetlejuice, which is currently in production with much of the original cast, including Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, plus newcomers Jenna Ortega and Justin Theroux.

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Further gushing about the filmmaker, and their upcoming work together, Bellucci said: “I love Tim. And I have great respect for Tim Burton,” adding: “I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving. Tim Burton’s films talk about that a lot.” 

MORE: Winona Ryder confirms Beetlejuice 2 is ‘going to happen’

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Back in October of 2022, Bellucci presented Burton with a lifetime achievement award at the Lumière Film Festival, and it appears the moment kicked off their romance.

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In February of this year, the two were rumored to be dating after they were photographed walking arm-in-arm in Spain, and they were later spotted kissing in Paris that same month.

Bellucci has been married twice before. In 1984, when she was 20, she married Italian photographer Claudio Carlos Basso, though they divorced six months later. She later dated Italian actor Nicola Farron from 1989 to 1995, married French actor Vincent Cassel from 1999 to 2013, and from 2017 to 2019, she dated French sculptor Nicolas Lefebvre. She shares two daughters with Cassel, Deva, 18, and Léonie, 13.

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As for Burton, he was married to artist Lena Gieseke for four years until 1991, dated actress Lisa Marie from 1992 to 2001, who notoriously held an auction of his personal belongings after she learned of his relationship with Helena Bonham Carter, who he met while filming Planet of the Apes.

Carter and Burton never confirmed whether they were married or not, though the former has previously referred to a divorce between them. They have two kids together, son William “Billy” Raymond, 19, and daughter Nell, 15. They split up in 2014.