“You don’t have any chance”: After Cheating on Nancy Barbato, Frank Sinatra Thought His Marriage with Ava Gardner Was Like a Being at War
Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner’s passionate, fiery relationship was dubbed “the marriage of the century” in the press. But behind the glamorous facade, Sinatra described life with Gardner as being “like living in a war zone.” Their tumultuous union was defined by jealousy, fighting, and mutual infidelity.
Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner’s white-hot love quickly devolved into a mutually destructive war zone poisoned by suspicions of cheating. Their public image hid Sinatra’s private hell as he became mentally and emotionally shattered. From whirlwind romance to toxic battles, their relationship embodied passion’s duality.
Frank Sinatra Leaves Wife for Gardner’s “Voodoo” Allure
Frank Sinatra first met screen siren Gardner at a party in 1948, feeling immediate attraction to her sensual “voodoo.” “I sensed that she was willing me to approach her,” he recalled in a conversation with The List. Sinatra soon left his wife Nancy Barbato and children for Gardner, whom he perceived as a goddess.
“If I never see her again, I will live the rest of my life with this great love I feel for her,” Sinatra declared, as per The List. But his obsession quickly spiraled into a fraught relationship plagued by suspicion.
Frank Sinatra’s romantic career is like a roller coaster, filled passion, romance, love and betrayal; his love story with Ava Gardner being an iconic example.
Mutual Infidelity Plagues Rocky Marriage
Both Sinatra and Gardner had affairs during their marriage, fueling resentment and vicious arguments. “We were fighting all the time,” Sinatra admitted. Gardner spoke of “battles royal down the hall” at their home as jealousy consumed them.
“The fun had gone out of our marriage,” Sinatra added. Their competitive nature and inability to trust each other corrupted their initial passion.
Before he started dating Gardner, the Rat Packer played around on his wife, Nancy Barbato, an infidelity that would later stick in his mind. He had pursued Gardner for her sexual prowess as an artist, but they both found something more — a kind of battlefield romance where they were always going to war, two fire signs colliding — and he couldn’t help but admire her fearlessness.
War Zone Takes Mental Toll on Sinatra
Sinatra described feeling “out of control” with Gardner, saying he “became a different person”. He depicted their relationship as “a war zone; a total military operation”.
The constant fighting and instability took a toll on Sinatra emotionally. To the public he was a superstar, but privately he felt trapped in a nightmare marriage. The volatility destroyed him spiritually.
Sinatra began an affair with Ava Gardner; this would be a pivotal moment for Sinatra from now on. It was his obsessive passion for her which caused Frank Sinatra divorced from Nancy Barbato, after about 10 years of marriage in 1951.Their union was marked by frequent fighting and much media attention creating even more complications to Sinatra’s already problematic public persona.
Despite this chaos, the Sinatra/Gardner love affair could not be ignored. She was never afraid to be openly critical; he would respond with an unapologetic snarl. Their fireworks burned as much as their fires of passion. The depth of love that Sinatra had for Gardner showed when he was willing to take on anything so they could be together, from internal struggles with addiction to tabloid gossip. Their tempestuous romance was one of the most fascinating chapters in the story of Hollywood history; an amazement at the staying power of love, lust, and the human heart’s ability to withstand anything for love.
Source: The List
