Elena Sofia Ricci Draws a Clear Line Between Being Single and Being Alone on Television
Elena Sofia Ricci rejects the label of being single, clarifying during an October 23, 2026 appearance on Rai 1’s The right time with host Caterina Balivo that she prefers to live on her own terms, as DiLei reported. The actress addressed the conclusion of her long-term marriage with a precise vocabulary distinction: “I am not single, I am alone.” Ricci previously drew the same linguistic boundary during an appearance on the television program Beasts in December 2024, explaining that a single person is actively looking to date, whereas she needs solitude to focus entirely on herself. This stance accompanies her return to Rai 1 screens as the lead in the third season of the thriller series Teresa Battaglia’s Cases: Daughter of the Ashes.
Two Marriages and Past Relationships Shape Her Personal History
Ricci has married twice over the course of her career and personal life. Her first marriage took place in 1991 to Florentine writer and radio host Luca Damiani, winner of the Grinzane Cavour Prize for his debut novel Watch yourself for life. That union ended in a separation the following year amid a widely publicized triangle involving actress Nancy Brilli, who was a friend of Ricci at the time. While Brilli stated on Beasts in 2022 that Ricci and Damiani were already living apart, Ricci later acknowledged on the same program in 2024 that friendships can fracture when boundaries blur, noting that karma eventually played its part in subsequent casting decisions.
Following her divorce from Damiani, Ricci entered into a significant relationship with actor, director, and screenwriter Pino Quartullo. Though the couple never married, they welcomed a daughter, Emma Quartullo, in 1996. Emma has since established her own career as a theatrical director, staging works such as Another step at the Teatro Parioli. Ricci maintains a close, familial bond with Quartullo today, describing him as a brother.
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Nineteen Years of Marriage to Stefano Mainetti Preceded the Separation
Ricci’s longest marriage was to Roman composer and orchestra conductor Stefano Mainetti, whom she met when she was approaching the age of forty. She told the weekly magazine Today that she had previously chosen men who guaranteed turbulent dynamics, but Mainetti broke that pattern by building a deep bond with her daughter Emma. The couple married in 2003, and their daughter Maria Mainetti was born the following year. After 19 years together, the marriage ended in a separation announced in late December 2022. Maria Mainetti is now preparing to pursue an acting career, a path her mother acknowledges comes with unique visibility in the industry.
Family Reconciliation Unfolds Three Decades Later
Beyond her marital history, Ricci recently shared details regarding her extended family during her conversation with Balivo on The right time, as Il Fatto Quotidiano and Today noted. Due to complex family dynamics in her youth, the actress reconnected with her father and siblings only after thirty years. Describing the reunion, Ricci stated that love does not divide into fractions but multiplies, adding that she shares a deep creative and personal bond with her sister Elisa, who lives in Italy while other siblings reside in America. As Virgil reported, Ricci continues to balance her demanding television schedule with a renewed sense of personal freedom, dividing her time between her work on screen and supporting her daughters’ artistic endeavors.
