Giada De Laurentiis parents: Meet Veronica De Laurentiis & Alex De Benedetti

Giada De Laurentiis was born in Rome, Italy, to actress Veronica De Laurentiis and her first husband, actor-producer Alex De Benedetti. After her parents’ divorce, Giada and her siblings moved to Southern California, where they took their mother’s surname.

Veronica De Laurentiis is an author, actor, and domestic violence activist. She has also been recognized for her work as a producer, including on the film “The Man Who Knew Too Little” (1997) and the television series “Behind the Red Door” (2003).

Alex De Benedetti was an actor and producer, best known for his work on the film “Evil Dead II” (1987)⁴. He was also abusive towards his family, and he eventually received 14 years in prison for rape.

In 2009, Giada De Laurentiis became the voice of “Paulette”, a character on the animated children’s show Handy Manny. In 2008, De Laurentiis and the Barilla Group launched an Italian gourmet line under the Academia Barilla name.

Giada De Laurentiis appeared as a presenter at the inaugural Food Network Awards in 2007. In 2018, De Laurentiis voiced herself in the movie Scooby-Doo! and the Gourmet Ghost.