Carlos ScolaPliego is a Spanish filmmaker who became known to many music fans because he married the singer Sade Adu in 1989. While Sade is famous worldwide, Carlos has always kept a low profile. He worked behind the camera on films and documentaries and avoided big media attention. This article gives a simple, clear look at his life, his work, and his relationship with Sade. It uses verified facts and keeps the tone friendly and easy to read. Sade’s official biography confirms that she married the Spanish film director Carlos Scola Pliego in 1989, and open sources note the marriage ended in 1995.
Personal Information
Quick Bio | Details |
---|---|
Full Name | Carlos Scola Pliego |
Nationality | Spanish |
Profession | Film director and documentarian |
Known For | Marriage to Sade Adu in 1989 |
Marital Status | Divorced in 1995 |
Notable Work | Documentary short Ngira: Gorilas en la montaña (1988) |
Other Work | Assistant or second assistant roles on film and video sets |
Fame Level | Low profile, private life |
Public Interviews | Very rare |
Public Interest | Former husband of Sade Adu |
Early life and background
Very little is publicly confirmed about Carlos Scola Pliego’s childhood or family. He does not give interviews and does not post about his private life. Most reliable sources only discuss him in connection with Sade and his film work. Because he keeps things private, it is better to avoid guessing details like his exact birth date or net worth. What we can say clearly is that he is Spanish and worked in film and documentary projects before and after the early 1990s.
Film work and credits
Carlos Scola Pliego’s name appears on film databases for several projects. One confirmed credit is the documentary short Ngira: Gorilas en la montaña from 1988, where he is listed as director and writer. This 25-minute film focuses on mountain gorillas and shows him working in a documentary style. Film databases also list him in other roles across productions, sometimes in assistant positions. These listings help paint a picture of a professional who knew the set environment and was comfortable working behind the camera.
Some articles say Carlos worked as a second assistant director in Spain on big productions like Never Say Never Again 1983 and Curse of the Pink Panther 1983. Those roles are often marked as uncredited, and such claims mainly appear in secondary write-ups rather than primary studio records. They can be mentioned as reported by media profiles, but readers should note the limits of public documentation for uncredited work.
There is also Spanish press coverage that links Carlos Scola Pliego to Sade’s video work during the Promise era in the mid-1980s, noting assistant direction in shoots related to her music. This adds context for how a Spanish filmmaker might have crossed paths with an international singer during busy production years.
Meeting Sade Adu and the 1989 wedding
By the late 1980s, Sade was already a major star, and 1989 became a turning point in her personal life. That year she married Carlos Scola Pliego in Spain. The official Sade biography lists the marriage clearly and places it within a short personal timeline that also mentions her later move to the countryside and her focus on family life. This is one of the most reliable notes about Carlos because it comes from the band’s own site. Wikipedia’s summary agrees with the marriage year and notes the relationship later ended.
Photos that circulate online from fan pages and social posts show the couple together in the early 1990s, but those posts are not official records. They simply reflect how fans remember Sade’s life events. For factual points like dates, it is safer to rely on Sade’s own site and standard reference summaries.
Married life and public attention

During the early 1990s, Sade kept her private life very quiet. She rarely gave interviews, and when she did, she did not go into personal detail. That style of privacy also covered her marriage. As a result, the public record about day-to-day married life is thin. We know the wedding year and we know that Sade’s career kept moving with studio albums and touring. We also know she valued privacy and calm away from the stage. The band’s official history and reference pages make this clear.
Separation and divorce in 1995
Multiple reliable summaries state that Sade and Carlos Scola Pliego separated and that the marriage ended in 1995. This date appears in standard references and Spanish press profiles that review Sade’s timeline. Again, the information is brief because both people chose not to share details. What matters for a factual article is the year, not any private reasons, and the year 1995 is repeated across credible sources.
Life after the marriage
After the marriage ended, Sade moved forward with her own life and family. She later lived for a time in the Caribbean and had a child in 1996, then returned to a quiet life in rural England with her partner in later years. These facts set the wider timeline for readers who only know Sade’s music. They also explain why there is less attention on Carlos after 1995. He did not seek the spotlight and did not build a public persona as a celebrity.
For Carlos, the public record shows continued film work and a low-key profile. The documentary credit from 1988 and other listings show a professional who focused on production rather than promotion. Some write-ups try to fill the gaps with guesses about his income or exact residence, but there is no strong evidence for those details. It is better to stay with confirmed credits and the marriage timeline.
Why so little is known
Many people today expect to find every detail online. But not everyone lives a public life. Carlos Scola Pliego did not build a social media brand. He worked in roles where the camera points at someone else. He is also connected to a singer who values privacy. Because of that, official records are short and simple. We know he is Spanish. We know he is a film director with documentary work. We know he married Sade in 1989 and that the marriage ended in 1995. We can point to a clear documentary credit and to reports of assistant work. Beyond those facts, most other claims are guesses or come from blogs that do not show primary sources.
Clearing up common myths
Online searches return many pages with dramatic headlines. Some claim exact birth dates, big net worth numbers, or say he has children with Sade. These claims are not backed by primary sources. Reliable summaries do not show a shared child between Carlos and Sade. The most trustworthy timelines place Sade’s child’s birth in 1996, after the marriage ended, and identify a different father. If you want the safest picture, follow what the official band site says and what stable reference pages repeat over time.
How Carlos fits into Sade’s story
Fans often ask how much this marriage influenced Sade’s art. Some secondary articles suggest that parts of her early 1990s music carry the feelings of love and loss tied to the relationship. These are interpretations and not official statements from Sade herself. What is safe to say is that Sade’s music often speaks about love, trust, strength, and healing, and listeners hear their own stories in it. Linking specific songs directly to private events is tempting, but without Sade’s own words, those links stay as opinions.
Key timeline
1988 Documentary short Ngira: Gorilas en la montaña lists Carlos Scola as director and writer
1989 Sade Adu marries Carlos Scola Pliego in Spain
1995 The marriage ends and both move on with their lives
Late 1990s Sade builds family life away from the spotlight and keeps music releases rare and special
These are the main, well-sourced points. Together they show a private filmmaker who crossed paths with a global star, married her during a very successful time in her career, and then stepped back into a quiet life.
Legacy and public image

Carlos Scola Pliego is not a celebrity in the usual sense. He did not tour, sing, or give interviews on talk shows. His work is in film and documentary, and his lasting public link is his marriage to Sade Adu. That is why most readers learn his name when they study Sade’s life and music history. For researchers, the best path is to begin with the official Sade biography, then check film databases for credits, and finally read reputable press pieces for extra context about video shoots and production teams.
Final thoughts
Carlos Scola Pliego is a good example of a professional who stayed out of the spotlight even while being close to a major star. The verified facts are simple. He is a Spanish film director. He married Sade Adu in 1989 and the marriage ended in 1995. He directed a documentary short in 1988 and appears in credits and assistant roles on other projects. Beyond this, there is little public detail, and that is by choice. Respecting this privacy keeps the story accurate and fair. For readers who want the most reliable picture, trust official sources and stable references, and be careful with pages that make big claims without proof.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Carlos Scola Pliego
He is a Spanish film director and documentarian, best known to the public as the former husband of singer Sade Adu. - When did he marry Sade
They married in 1989 in Spain, as noted in Sade’s official biography and reliable summaries. - When did the marriage end
The marriage ended in 1995 according to widely cited references and press timelines. - Did Carlos and Sade have a child together
No. Sade’s child was born in 1996 and has a different father. - What films did Carlos Scola Pliego work on
He directed the documentary short Ngira: Gorilas en la montaña 1988 and has other listings in assistant roles on productions. - Is he linked to Sade’s video shoots in the 1980s
Spanish press has mentioned him in assistant direction roles around shoots tied to Sade’s Promise era, giving a plausible professional link before the wedding. - Did he work on big international films
Some profiles say he was a second assistant director on parts of Never Say Never Again and Curse of the Pink Panther in Spain, often uncredited. Treat these as reported but not fully documented. - Why is there so little verified personal data about him
He keeps his life private and rarely gives interviews. Trusted sources focus on his film work and the marriage timeline, not on personal details. - Is he related to Italian director Ettore Scola
There is no reliable source showing a family relation. The similar surname is not proof of a link. Public records for Carlos focus on Spanish projects and Sade’s timeline. - What is the best way to research him further
Start with Sade’s official biography for the marriage, check film databases for credits like Ngira, and read reputable press for production context. Avoid blogs that list unsourced birth dates or net worth claims.