Martin Scorsese & Isabella Rossellini: The Director Who Wanted Her Chained to the Kitchen Stove
He made Raging Bull while she launched a modeling career — he wanted her home; she wanted the world
Key Facts
What Happened
Martin Scorsese and Isabella Rossellini married in 1979, bringing together two legendary film dynasties. Rossellini was the daughter of Swedish icon Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rossellini. Scorsese was emerging as one of America's greatest filmmakers, fresh off Taxi Driver and about to create Raging Bull. Their marriage was considered a union of European cinematic royalty and American New Wave genius.
During their brief marriage, Scorsese directed two of his most important films: Raging Bull (1980) and The King of Comedy (1982). Meanwhile, Rossellini began building what would become a legendary modeling career, eventually becoming the face of Lancôme. It was this career ambition that became the central conflict of their marriage. Rossellini later stated: 'I have divorced Martin Scorsese because he wanted me chained to the kitchen stove.'
Rossellini also described Scorsese's 'terrifying' explosive behavior, revealing that the intense creative genius that made him a brilliant filmmaker also made him a difficult domestic partner. She later reflected that her mother Ingrid Bergman's failing health in 1982 was the final catalyst: 'It's strange that sometimes sorrow brings people together and sometimes it doesn't. You become closer if you're solid, strong and capable. But if you're not — and I was not — it can separate you.'
The divorce was finalized in 1982 after just three years of marriage. Both went on to remarkable subsequent lives — Scorsese became arguably the greatest living American director, while Rossellini became one of the most famous models and actresses of the 1980s and 1990s, dating David Lynch and continuing to work well into her 70s. She later said: 'I don't think I could do the amount of things I do if I had a husband. Husbands are time-consuming.' The case remains a powerful example of how controlling behavior regarding a spouse's career can destroy a marriage.
Legal Breakdown: Career Control in Marriage
Career Suppression as Marital Conflict
When one spouse attempts to prevent the other from working or pursuing a career, it creates a form of control that often leads to divorce. While not legally classified as 'abuse' in the 1980s, modern family law increasingly recognizes that controlling a spouse's career decisions can constitute a form of coercive control, particularly when combined with other controlling behaviors.
Short Marriage Property Division
A three-year marriage in the early 1980s, before Scorsese's films had generated their eventual fortunes, meant the community property pool was relatively limited. Both parties were building their careers during the marriage, and the brevity of the union simplified the financial division.
Creative Genius and Domestic Difficulty
The personality traits that drive artistic genius — intensity, emotional volatility, obsessive focus — often create extremely difficult domestic environments. Courts do not consider personality incompatibility as a factor in property division, but these traits frequently drive the decision to divorce.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →A spouse who tries to control your career is engaging in a form of controlling behavior that will likely destroy the marriage.
- →Short marriages (under five years) generally result in simpler financial divisions, particularly if major wealth was not accumulated during the marriage.
- →Creative and professional intensity that makes someone brilliant at work can make them extremely difficult as a domestic partner.
- →Sometimes divorce is the gateway to a better life. Rossellini's legendary career flourished only after leaving a marriage that would have constrained it.
Going Through a Divorce?
Get confidential guidance tailored to your situation — free, private, and available 24/7.
Related Cases
Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner
United States · 2018
They announced separation in 2015 but did not finalize the divorce until 2018 — a strategic delay
OtherJay-Z (Shawn Carter) & Beyonce Knowles-Carter
United States · 2016
She turned infidelity into a masterpiece. He confessed on his own album. They stayed married.
OtherKenny Rogers & Marianne Gordon
United States · 1993
After 16 years, she walked away with $60 million — making it one of the biggest country music divorces ever
OtherWas this helpful? Help us keep it free.
divorce911.ai is funded entirely by donations. Every dollar keeps the AI assistant and 1,700+ guides free for people in crisis.
Know someone going through a divorce? This could help them.
This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.