Meet Giannina Facio, Ridley Scott’s wife and House of Gucci co-producer: she found fame in Italy and once dated Julio Iglesias – but did she really cause Princess Caroline of Monaco’s divorce?

Aug 15 , 2024

Giannina Facio and director Ridley Scott married in 2015 after being long-time partners. Photo: Getty Images

Fans are highly anticipating Gladiator II, the sequel to Scott’s 2000 original film starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn

Facio was once linked to venture capitalist Philippe Junot, who was then married to Monaco’s Princess Caroline … but why did she once get detained at Barcelona-El Prat airport?

Calling Gladiator II highly anticipated would be quite an understatement: there’s the popularity of director Ridley Scott’s original, of course, but given the sequel’s star-studded cast – “internet boyfriends” Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn – fans’ expectations are sky high.

Interestingly, the Costa Rican actress who played Maximus’ wife in Gladiator, Giannina Facio, ended up marrying Scott 15 years later. But they actually started dating even before Gladiator, and Facio has since appeared in many of her husband’s works. She also co-produced Scott’s House of Gucci, Tristan & Isolde and Matchstick Men.

Giannina Facio has appeared in many of hubby Ridley Scott’s films. The couple are pictured here in 2001. Photo: AP Photo

But what else do we know about Lady Scott, the creative developer and producer who is 18 years younger than her husband?

What is Giannina Facio’s background?

Giannina Facio is 18 years younger than her husband Ridley Scott. Here, they attend the screening of Blade Runner: Final Cut during the Venice International Film Festival, in 2007. Photo: AP Photo

Giannina Facio Franco was born on September 10, 1955, in San José to Costa Rica’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, the late wealthy diplomat and lawyer, Gonzalo Facio, and his second wife, Ana Franco Calzia. She has two sisters, Ana Catalina and Carla Facio; and three half-siblings from her father’s former marriage, Sandra, Alda and Rómulo Facio. Among her siblings, Alda is a prominent feminist writer and human rights activist.

She was a star in Italy during the 1980s

Giannina Facio was a household name in Italy during the 1980s. Photo: IMDB

Facio got her start in the entertainment industry in Italy during the 1980s. She quickly rose to fame with works like Antonello Grimaldi’s Il Cielo è Sempre Più Blu, known in English as Bits and Pieces, Anna Carlucci’s Torta di Mele and Nessuno mi Crede, and Enrico Oldoini’s Vacanze di Natale ‘90. She became a household name in Italy with the Italia 1 comedy TV show Emilio.

Despite her successful acting career in Italy though, Facio told Vulture that she “absolutely hated” it and “never liked being on that side of the camera”.