The Gucci Family Isn’t Pleased About ‘House of Gucci’
No one has a closer eye on production for Ridley Scott's forthcoming film about the Gucci dynasty than the great-grandchildren of Guccio Gucci himself. The luxury house that bears his name is cooperating with the legendary filmmaker, reportedly opening its archives for wardrobe and props. The family, however, has not been consulted and they've raised concerns that the film's alleged inaccuracies threaten the legacy of the family and the privacy of the Guccio Gucci heirs.
The House of Gucci, starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, is based on the true-crime story from Sara Gay Forden’s book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed. The book focuses on the 1995 murder-for-hire of one of Gucci’s grandchildren, Maurizio, and the subsequent trial and conviction of his ex-wife, played by Lady Gaga in Ridley's retelling.
Speaking to the Associated Press on Scott's treatment of the events, Maurizio’s second cousin, Patrizia Gucci said, “We are truly disappointed. I speak on behalf of the family. They are stealing the identity of a family to make a profit, to increase the income of the Hollywood system ... Our family has an identity, privacy. We can talk about everything. but there is a borderline that cannot be crossed.”
The main reason Patrizia Gucci seems to be alarmed is that she doesn't deem certain actors to be attractive enough to represent her family. “My grandfather was a very handsome man, like all the Guccis, and very tall, blue eyes and very elegant." She went on to list a number of reasons why Al Pacino wasn't the right choice to play Aldo Gucci — which we won't repeat because we're not into body shaming — and then added, "shameful because he doesn’t resemble him at all.” Yikes.
As for Jared Leto's likeness as Paolo Gucci? “Horrible, horrible. I still feel offended,” she said. Patrizia Gucci had reportedly reached out to Scott’s wife, Giannina Facio, for clarification on the film, but had yet to receive a response. Facio had been in contact with the Gucci family decades earlier regarding different projects focused on the roles of Patrizia Gucci’s father, Paolo, and grandfather, Aldo, in expanding the brand into a global luxury player.
Given the alleged inaccuracies in the book upon which the film is based and the apparent total lack of communication, Gucci's heirs are concerned that the film will tarnish the family's legacy. Patrizia Gucci said her family will decide what further action they might take after seeing the film.