Asia Argento has a crude message to share ahead of the release of a controversial Anthony Bourdain biography.
The Italian actress, 47, posted — and later deleted — a photo of herself with the caption, “STOP BUSTING MY BALLS” on her Instagram Story on Thursday, quoting the final text message she allegedly sent then-boyfriend Bourdain before his suicide on June 8, 2018.
Five days before the chef-turned-TV personality died at age 61, he saw photos of Argento dancing with French reporter Hugo Clément at a restaurant in Italy.
According to the upcoming book “Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain,” the “Parts Unknown” host became “incensed” that the “Scarlet Diva” star’s alleged tryst took place at a hotel in Rome that they both adored.
“I am okay. I am not spiteful. I am not jealous that you have been with another man. I do not own you. You are free. As I said. As I promised. As I truly meant,” Bourdain texted Argento one day before his death, according to the unauthorized biography.
“But you were careless. You were reckless with my heart. My life,” he added.
Argento allegedly wrote back to the “Kitchen Confidential” author, “I can’t take this.”
The couple argued, and then the “XXX” star broke up with Bourdain due to his “possessiveness,” according to author Charles Leerhsen.
One day later, after imbibing alcohol, the CNN personality reached out to Argento again.
“Is there anything I can do?” he allegedly asked, to which his ex replied, “Stop busting my balls.”
Bourdain simply wrote back, “OK,” per the book, and then hanged himself.
The couple dated for two years. Argento is currently in a relationship with Italian MMA fighter Michele Titi Martignoni, who is 21 years her junior.
Three months after Bourdain’s death, Argento gave a tearful interview to DailyMailTV following backlash that she was to blame for his suicide.
“People say I murdered him. They say I killed him,” she said, weeping. “People need to think that he killed himself for something like this? He had cheated on me, too. It wasn’t a problem for us. He was a man who traveled 265 days a year. We took great pleasure in each other’s company when we saw each other. But we are not children. We are grown-ups.”
The activist announced on Instagram in June that she was one year sober.
“I had already been sober from 2013 to 2016 but then I had a relapse that lasted 5 years where I truly hit rock bottom, in all ways but mostly spiritually,” she wrote in part.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
