Born Greta Gracco in Milan, Italy, the daughter of Luca Scacchi Gracco, an Italian art dealer and painter, and Pamela Carsaniga, an English-born dancer and antiques dealer. Her parents divorced when she was three, and her mother moved to England with her and her two older brothers. In 1975, following her mother's remarriage to Giovanni Carsinga, the family moved to Adelaide, Australia.

In 1977, Scacchi returned to England to pursue an acting career. She studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, with Miranda Richardson and Amanda Redman. In 1982, she made her film debut in the German movie Das Zweite Gesicht (The Second Face) and gave versatile performances in films such as Heat and Dust (1983), The Ebony Tower (1984), White Mischief (1987), Presumed Innocent (1990), The Player Read more...

Between 1983 and 1989, Scacchi was romantically involved with New Zealand singer/songwriter Tim Finn. A relationship with American actor Vincent D'Onofrio began in 1989 and ended in 1993; their daughter Leila was born in March 1992. Scacchi's son Matteo, fathered by her cousin, Carlo Mantegazza, was born in October 1998.

In January 1995, Scacchi became an Australian citizen. Scacchi currently Read more...