Monica Bellucci addresses Tim Burton romance for first time: ‘I love him’
Love is in the air for Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton.
After months of speculation, the Italian actress finally confirmed she’s dating the “Beetlejuice” director.
“What I can say … I’m glad I met the man, first of all,” she told Elle France in an interview published Monday. “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.”
Bellucci continued, “I love Tim. And I have great respect for Tim Burton.”
The “Matrix Reloaded” actress, 58, has been tapped to star in “Beetlejuice 2,” which is being directed by Burton, 64.
The couple is currently overseas in London filming the fantasy comedy film.
“I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving,” Bellucci told the publication.
“Tim Burton’s films talk about that a lot.”
In February, Bellucci and Burton confined longstanding dating rumors by sharing a kiss during their Valentine’s Day walk in Santa Monica, Calif.
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After their smooch, the “Nightmare Before Christmas” creator and the “Passion of the Christ” star walked arm-in-arm before he wrapped his arm around her as they entered a restaurant.
While the duo has been friends for more than 15 years, the pair was rumored to have begun dating after the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon, France, in October 2022.
At the time, Bellucci attended the event as an honorary guest and presented Burton with the Lumière Lifetime Achievement Award.
That same month, French outlet Paris Match reported that the “Edward Scissorhands” director and the actress initially met in 2006 during the Cannes Film Festival – but “got closer” behind the scenes of Lumière.
Burton was last linked to Helena Bonham Carter, whom he split from in 2014 after 13 years together. They share son Billy, 19, and daughter Nell, 15.
The former couple first met on the set of “Planet of the Apes” in 2001. Since then, Burton and Carter, 57, have collaborated on several films together, including “Alice in Wonderland,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
Meanwhile, Bellucci and artist Nicolas Lefebvre separated in 2019. Prior to that, she was married to Vincent Cassel from 1999 to 2013.
She and the “Black Swan” star, 56, share two daughters: Deva, 18, and Léonie, 13.
