Monica Bellucci Confirms Relationship with Her 'Beetlejuice 2' Director Tim Burton: 'I Love Him'

"What I can say … I'm glad I met the man," the actress said of the director in a new interview for "Elle" France

After months of rumors, Monica Bellucci has confirmed her relationship with Tim Burton.

Speaking for the first time about their romance in a new interview for Elle France, the actress, 58, shared her “love” for the director, 64, and revealed she is happy to have met him.

“What I can say … I’m glad I met the man, first of all,” Bellucci said. “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."

The pair are currently working together on Beetlejuice 2, which Burton is directing, and the movie has already begun filming in London.

"I love Tim," Bellucci continued. “And I have great respect for Tim Burton."

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Related: Tim Burton and Monica Bellucci Seen Walking Arm-in-Arm Months After She Presented an Award to Him

"I love this dream world where the monsters are kind, like we can turn our darker aspects into something bright, forgiving,” she added to Elle France. "Tim Burton's films talk about that a lot."

In May, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Bellucci had been cast in the movie, which PEOPLE confirmed will be released in theaters on Sept. 6, 2024.

The former Bond girl and Burton met briefly on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.

More than 15 years later, the Mafia Mamma actress then presented the Edward Scissorhands director with a lifetime achievement award at the Lumière Film Festival in France last October.

Related: 'Beetlejuice 2' Casts Tim Burton's Rumored Flame Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice's Wife (Report)

Four months later, Bellucci and Burton were seen spending time together in Madrid. The pair were photographed arm-in-arm in the Spanish capital city in February, as seen on the cover of Paris Match magazine. The duo wore seemingly coordinating ensembles, each dressed warmly and elegantly in all black for their outing.

They were also seen sharing a kiss outside The Ritz Paris hotel on Valentine's Day this past February.

Bellucci separated from husband Vincent Cassel in August 2013. The former couple, who married in 1999, are parents to daughters Deva, 18, and Léonie, 12.

Meanwhile, Burton was previously in a long-term relationship with frequent collaborator Helena Bonham Carter, from 2001 to 2014. They share two children: son Billy, 19, and daughter Nell, 15.

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