Rumors of a romance between Tim Burton and Monica Bellucci surfaced well before they confirmed their relationship. The acclaimed director and talented actress recently collaborated on a film titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which premiered in the U.S. on September 6, 2024.
Bellucci expressed her gratitude for meeting Burton during an interview with Elle France in June 2023, shortly after her casting in the much-anticipated sequel to the classic 1988 film Beetlejuice. “It’s one of those encounters that rarely happens in life … I know the man, I love him, and now I’m going to meet the director — another adventure begins,” she shared.
Tim Burton beams with pride as he walks alongside Monica Bellucci at their first public event together
Burton gained fame for directing iconic films such as Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), Batman (1989), and Edward Scissorhands (1990). Beetlejuice marked only his second feature film. Bellucci, a well-known Italian star, transitioned from a modeling career to acting, featuring in films like Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) and the Matrix sequels (2003 and 2021).
Although Burton and Bellucci met years earlier, they only became a couple in 2023, making their first public appearance together at that year’s Rome Film Festival. Prior to their collaboration on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, they maintained a separation between their professional and personal lives. “I’m with Tim. Not with Tim Burton,” Bellucci stated in an interview with Paris Match in June 2024.
Here’s a closer look at the relationship between Burton and Bellucci.
Their initial meeting occurred in 2006 The first encounter between Burton and Bellucci took place on the red carpet at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival in France, though it was a fleeting moment as both were in long-term relationships at the time.
A reconnection happened in October 2022 during the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon, France, where Bellucci honored Burton with the festival’s lifetime achievement Lumière Award. Burton remarked at the event, “All my life put together, I have never felt so much love as tonight. Welcome to the best funeral I ever had.”
Shortly after, dating rumors began swirling when the two were spotted together in Madrid. Their relationship became public in October 2023 during a red carpet appearance at the Rome Film Festival, where Burton supported Bellucci at the premiere of her film Maria Callas: Lettere e Memorie. Coverage of the event noted that Burton appeared “so in love and happy,” as reported by The Independent. Both have past relationships
Burton was previously involved with Harry Potter star Helena Bonham Carter from 2000 to 2014. The couple had two children, Billy and Nell, and famously maintained adjacent homes connected by a hallway.
“We just have two houses knocked together because mine was too small,” Bonham Carter explained to The Telegraph in 2010. She described their arrangement as enhancing their relationship, allowing for personal space while remaining close. Although they were never married, Bonham Carter referred to their split as “a divorce.”
“I went through a very painful divorce,” she shared in a 2022 interview on the podcast Therapy Works. “It was a long-lasting thing … Even if you divorce somebody, it’s a kind of marriage if you have children with them.”
Bellucci was married to French actor Vincent Cassel in 1999, with whom she has two daughters, Deva and Léonie. Deva reflected in 2023 on how her parents instilled valuable lessons about kindness and self-respect, emphasizing the importance of adapting to life’s challenges. The couple parted ways in 2013. Bellucci resonates with themes found in Burton’s films
In her first public comments about their relationship to Elle France, Bellucci noted her affinity for the themes present in Burton’s films. “I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving,” she explained. “Tim Burton’s films talk about that a lot.”
They collaborated on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice In May 2023, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Bellucci would join the cast of the long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel, portraying the wife of the titular character. The film was predominantly shot in London.
“I love Tim,” Bellucci told Elle France in June 2023. “And I have great respect for Tim Burton.”
Burton described his approach to Beetlejuice 2, stating, “I tried to strip everything and go back to the basics of working with good people and actors and puppets. It was kind of like going back to why I liked making movies,” he told The Independent in 2023.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 28, 2024. The couple publicly celebrated Bellucci’s achievement In July 2024, Burton and Bellucci attended the Globo d’Oro Awards in Rome, where Bellucci received a lifetime achievement award.
Their appearance was remarkable, as the couple seldom makes joint public appearances. On the red carpet, Burton displayed affection, kissing Bellucci on the cheek.
Bellucci admires Burton’s “spectacular soul” During a 2023 interview with Harper’s Bazaar Espana, Bellucci opened up about her feelings for Burton, saying, “I found in Tim a wonderful spirit. I met a spectacular soul.”
Burton captured Bellucci for the cover of Italian Vogue To celebrate Bellucci’s 60th birthday, Burton photographed her for the cover of the October 2024 issue of Italian Vogue.
The striking image features Bellucci in the Garden of Bomarzo, adorned in a custom mermaid-inspired gown by Ferragamo. The photograph also includes a heartfelt message: “Happy Birthday dear Monica, with love, Tim.”
