Love is in the air for Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton.
After months of speculation, the Italian actress has finally confirmed that she is dating the “Beetlejuice” director.
“All I can say is … First of all, I’m glad I met the man,” she told Elle France in an interview published Monday. “It’s one of those rare encounters in life… I know the man, I love him, and now I’m going to meet the director, another adventure begins.”
Bellucci said, “I love Tim. And I have great respect for Tim Burton.”
The 58-year-old “Matrix Reloaded” actor was nominated for a role in “Beetlejuice 2,” directed by 64-year-old Burton.
The couple is currently shooting a fantasy comedy film abroad in London.
“I love this dream world where monsters are kind, where we can transform our dark sides into something bright, forgiving,” Bellucci told the publication.
“Tim Burton’s movies talk about that a lot.”
In February, Bellucci and Burton curbed long-standing dating rumors by sharing a kiss during their Valentine’s Day parade in Santa Monica, California.
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After their kiss, the creator of “Nightmare Before Christmas” and the “Passion of the Christ” star walked arm-in-arm and then wrapped his arm around her as they entered a restaurant.
Although the two have been friends for over 15 years, it was rumored that the couple started dating after the Lumière Film Festival held in Lyon, France in October 2022.
At that time Bellucci attended the event as the guest of honor and presented Burton with the Lumière Lifetime Achievement Award.
That same month, French broadcaster Paris Match reported that the director and actress of “Scissors Hands” first met during the Cannes Film Festival in 2006, but Lumière “closed up” behind the scenes.
Burton was last linked to Helena Bonham Carter, with whom he broke up 13 years later in 2014. They share a 19-year-old son, Billy, and a 15-year-old daughter, Nell.
The former couple first met on the set of “Planet of the Apes” in 2001. Since then, the 57-year-old Burton and Carter have starred in “Alice in Wonderland”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
Meanwhile, Bellucci and artist Nicolas Lefebvre broke up in 2019. Before 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.