Actor Colin Firth’s wife, Livia Giuggioli, an Italian movie producer and director, has confirmed she had an affair with the man she’s now accusing of stalking her and her husband.
The Firths, who’ve been together for over two decades, apparently separated for a short while a couple years back. During this time, Giuggioli began an affair with lifelong friend and journalist Marco Brancaccia, who has launched a “frightening campaign of harassment” against the pair, who have since gotten back together, the couple’s representative said Friday.
“For obvious reasons, the Firths have never had any desire to make this matter public. A few years ago Colin and Livia privately made the decision to separate. During that time Livia briefly became involved with former friend Mr. Brancaccia. The Firths have since reunited,” a representative for the actor told HuffPost Friday in a statement.
The statement comes after reports about the allegations were made public due to leaked court documents, which possibly stem from the indictment against Brancaccia made by Italian prosecutors after the Firths lodged a harassment complaint.
“Subsequently, Mr. Brancaccia carried out a frightening campaign of harassment over several months, much of which is documented,” the statement continued. “As a consequence of his stalking, threats and refusal to desist, the legal complaint was lodged with the Italian authorities.”
The couple is based in London, but the Firths also have a home in Umbria, Italy.
Brancaccia, who works for the ANSA news agency, is now the subject of an Italian police investigation. He has denied the allegations and accused Giuggioli of fabricating the stalking claims to cover up the affair, which he says occurred between 2015 and 2016.
“We were romantically involved, she wanted to leave Colin for me,” he said in a statement to The Times published Friday morning. He added that the couple’s marriage had “been over for years.”
Brancaccia went on to claim that he only sent two WhatsApp messages to Giuggioli, as well as an email detailing the affair to Firth, who he describes as “understanding.”
“In a year she sent me hundreds of messages of love, photos and videos, even a diary,” he added.
Firth and Giuggioli share two children together Luca, 16 and Matteo, 15. The Oscar-winner also has another son, from a previous relationship to actress Meg Tilly.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story indicated that Colin Firth and Meg Tilly were married. They were not.
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