Isabella Rossellini and Martin Scorsese each built lasting legacies in entertainment, yet many people may not realize that the actor and model was once married to the acclaimed filmmaker. The pair met decades ago, when Rossellini was assigned to interview Scorsese about his film “New York, New York.” A connection developed between them, and they married in 1979.
The relationship brought together two people at very different stages of life and career. It was Rossellini’s first marriage, while Scorsese had already been married twice. At the time, Rossellini was still working as a television reporter, whereas Scorsese’s reputation as a director was rapidly growing. Their ages also differed: Rossellini turned 27 just months before the wedding, and Scorsese was 36. Although a nine-year gap may seem modest in some circumstances, it represented a notable difference in experience at that point. Scorsese had already won his first BAFTA for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” several years before they met. Rossellini, meanwhile, did not begin modeling or acting until she was 28, in 1980.
Their age difference was less striking than those of some other Hollywood couples, but it remained part of the contrast between them. Nothing suggests that the gap played a role in the end of their marriage, which officially concluded with their 1983 divorce. Rossellini has nevertheless appeared to remember that period with warmth.
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Isabella Rossellini called their relationship complicated
As with many marriages, Rossellini and Scorsese faced difficulties during their time together. In the 2025 docuseries “Mr. Scorsese,” Rossellini looked back on the marriage and said, “It was complex to be with him” (via People). She identified Scorsese’s temper as one challenge, though she said he did not direct his anger at her. Instead, he could reportedly destroy a room in a burst of rage without fully recognizing what he was doing.
Rossellini described one such episode, explaining, “A friend of his once filmed him and showed it to him. Marty was shocked because he didn’t realize the level of violence that this minuscule body, asthmatic, could [create]. It was like a volcano. It was terrifying.” During the marriage, both Rossellini and Scorsese acknowledged that he experienced a severe depressive period while working on “The King of Comedy.” Rossellini believed that some of his anger also helped drive his filmmaking, giving him the “courage” and “that stamina to get through the day, to get to finish the film, because it’s not easy.”
Scorsese’s condition became so serious during production that he was unable to edit the movie, putting the project at risk of being taken away from him, presumably by the studio financing it. With support from his close friend Robert De Niro, doctors, and a determined effort to improve his mental health, he recovered enough to return to work and complete the film. The achievement did not preserve his marriage to Rossellini, but both later found other significant relationships.