Another reminder of how complicated relationships can be. This was one of the celebrity relationships that was supposed to be drama-free, right? So much drama.
Colin Firth and Livia Giuggioli have been married since 1997, over 20 years. She filed a report that a journalist, Marco Brancaccia was stalking her. He says that he was never a threat and that she only made these accusations to cover up their affair, which happened between 2015 and 2016. Colin and Livia have now confirmed that the affair took place and that because of that relationship, Marco is now harassing Livia. This is their statement:
“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.”
The statement continued, “Subsequently, Mr. Brancaccia carried out a frightening campaign of harassment over several months, much of which is documented. For obvious reasons, the Firths have never had any desire to make this matter public.”
Marco’s version of the story is much different. Supposedly Livia was so into him, she was ready to leave Colin:
Italian prosecutors requested Brancaccia’s indictment, according to ANSA, the publication that Brancaccia remains employed by.
Brancaccia, 55, denied the allegations to the newspaper, saying they were “romantically involved.”
“She wanted to leave Colin for me,” he said, adding that the marriage had “been over for years.”
He continued, “My ‘stalking’ consisted of two messages via WhatsApp after she ended our relationship in June 2016, and an email. I wrote an email to Colin about my relationship with Livia, which I now regret sending, and she filed a complaint against me for stalking out of fear that I could go public with what she had revealed to me about her marriage and work.”
Brancaccia said, “In a year she sent me hundreds of messages of love, photos and videos, even a diary,” adding that Firth had shown “understanding.”
It’s a mess, yes. Livia and Colin are clearly trying to present a united front with their clarification that Livia’s affair with Marco took place during a “brief separation” which, technically (Ross and Rachel), doesn’t qualify as infidelity. It’s not like they’re going to write a novel for us, detailing what exactly broke down in their marriage and how they came to want to fix it. Or even if they’re fixing it at all and not just trying to clean up the situation as best they can.
Here’s how I feel though about the legitimacy of Livia’s allegations – I believe her. If you cheated on your husband or hooked up with someone while you and your husband were on a break, and now you and your husband have reconciled, you’re not bringing the name of the dude you had an affair with into your life, filing documents connecting the two of together, if you don’t have to. In fact, you actively avoid being associated with him. Until you have to. Until you don’t have any other options. Because you are beyond inconvenienced. Because you’re afraid. Agree or disagree?
Here are Colin and Livia at an event in London just this past weekend.
