Because Scorsese's personal life unravelled during the height of 1970s New Hollywood excess, several persistent myths have circulated online for decades.
Myth 1: Creative disputes caused his divorce from Barbara De Fina.
Internet summaries often claim that professional rivalry broke up the marriage. The reality is the opposite. De Fina and Scorsese maintained an exceptional producing alliance. After their 1991 divorce, De Fina produced three of his biggest films: The Age of Innocence, Casino, and Kundun. They remained trusted business partners throughout the nineties.
Myth 2: The Vatican annulled his marriage to Isabella Rossellini.
Given Scorsese's Catholic heritage and his Italian wedding to Rossellini, online forums occasionally claim the union was annulled by the Roman Catholic Church. In truth, their separation was handled through a standard civil divorce finalized in 1982. Both parties moved forward without ecclesiastical intervention.
Myth 3: Scorsese had no contact with his elder daughters.
Tabloid accounts often depict Scorsese as wholly estranged from his elder children, Cathy and Domenica. While the intense schedules of his middle period created distance, both daughters worked in film and maintained relationships with their father. Domenica Cameron-Scorsese acted in The Age of Innocence and directed her own projects, while Cathy worked in art and prop departments on several major productions.
