Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton's Relationship: All About the Actress and Director's Romance

Mar. 15, 2025

Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton attend a red carpet for ‘Maria Callas: Lettere e Memorie’ during the 18th Rome Film Festival on October 20, 2023 in Rome, Italy.Photo:Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

Tim BurtonandMonica Belluccisparked dating rumorslong before they confirmed their relationship — now, the director and the actress have made a movie together,Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,which was released in the U.S. on Sept. 6, 2024.

“What I can say … I’m glad I met the man, first of all,” Bellucci toldElle Francein June 2023, just after news broke that Burton had cast her in thehighly anticipated sequel to the iconic 1988 filmBeetlejuice. “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."

Burton rose to fame directing movies including 1985’sPee-wee’s Big Adventure,1989’sBatmanand 1990’sEdward Scissorhands.Beetlejuicewas only his second feature film. Italian star Bellucci had a career as a model before appearing in movies such asBram Stoker’s Dracula(1992) and theMatrixsequels (in 2003 and 2021).

Though Burton and Bellucci met many years before, they didn’t officially become a couple until 2023, making their first public appearance on the red carpet of that year’s Rome Film Festival. Up until they started working together onBeetlejuice Beetlejuice,the couple kept their work completely separate from their relationship. “I’m with Tim. Not with Tim Burton,” Bellucci toldParis Matchin June 2024.

Read on to learn all about Burton and Bellucci’s relationship.

They first met in 2006

Tim Burton and Monica Bellucci attend a red carpet for the movie ‘Diabolik Chi Sei?’ during the 18th Rome Film Festival on October 19, 2023 in Rome, Italy.Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty

Burton and Bellucci first met on the red carpet at the 2006Cannes Film Festivalin France — but it was a brief meeting, when both were in long-term relationships with other people.

The two reconnected in October 2022 at the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon, France, where Bellucci presented Burton with the festival’s lifetime achievement Lumière Award. “All my life put together, I have never felt so much love as tonight,” Burton said at the event, perThe Times. “Welcome to the best funeral I ever had.”

Not long after, the pair sparked dating rumors when they appeared arm-in-arm in Madrid. It wasn’t until October 2023 when they made a public appearance together on a red carpet at the Rome Film Festival in Italy. Burton was there tosupport Bellucci at the premiereof her filmMaria Callas: Lettere e Memorie.Coverage of the event in Rome described Burton as “so in love and happy,” according toThe Independent.

They both have famous exes

Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci in 2006; Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter in 2013.Richard Lewis/WireImage ; Kevin Mazur/VF13/WireImage

Richard Lewis/WireImage ; Kevin Mazur/VF13/WireImage

“I went through a very painful divorce,” she said in 2022 on the podcastTherapy Works. “It was a long-lasting thing. That’s the other thing, it’s not that finite. It never ends. Even if you divorce somebody, it’s a kind of marriage if you have children with them. The relationship has to change. It’s a very complicated thing how to share the children.”

Bellucci and Vincent splitin 2013.

Bellucci identifies with the themes in Burton’s movies

Monica Bellucci in 2022.Arnold Jerocki/Getty

Arnold Jerocki/Getty

Speaking publicly about their relationship for the first time toElle France,Bellucci revealed that sheconnects to the themesin Burton’s work. “I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving,” she said. “Tim Burton’s films talk about that a lot.”

They worked together onBeetlejuice Beetlejuice

Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton attend the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

In May 2023,The Hollywood Reporterannounced thatBellucci had been castin the long-awaitedBeetlejuicesequel. She plays the wife of the “ghost with the most.” The movie filmed primarily in London.

“I love Tim,” Bellucci toldElle Francein June 2023. “And I have great respect for Tim Burton.”

“On this last one,Beetlejuice 2, I really enjoyed it,” Burton toldThe Independentin 2023. “I tried to strip everything and go back to the basics of working with good people and actors and puppets. It was kind of likegoing back to why I liked making movies.”

The movie debuted at the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 28, 2024.

They appeared together for a big honor for Bellucci

Tim Burton and Monica Bellucci attend the 64th Globo d’Oro Awards on July 03, 2024 in Rome, Italy.Franco Origlia/WireImage

Franco Origlia/WireImage

In July 2024, the coupleattended the Globo d’Oro Awards in Rome,where Bellucci was presented with a lifetime achievement award. The appearance was noteworthy not just because of the award, but because the two don’t often make public appearances together. On the red carpet, Burton was affectionate, kissing Bellucci’s cheek.

Bellucci thinks Burton has a “spectacular soul”

In a 2023 interview withHarper’s Bazaar Espana,the actress spoke openly about her feelings for the director. “I found in Tim a wonderful spirit,”she said. “I met a spectacular soul.”

Burton photographed Bellucci for ItalianVogue

A message reading, “Happy Birthday dear Monica, with love, Tim,” is also layered on the photo.

source: people.com