Creating a lasting relationship can be difficult enough in general, but celebrity couples have an extra challenge that the rest of us don't deal with: the fact that they're falling in love with all eyes on them. We could definitely see how, in the beginning, this could be really exciting for them — not to mention the free publicity it brings to their projects at that time. But as their flings turn into something more, we can only imagine that the pressure of Hollywood can add an extra layer of stress to a long-term relationship and, later, marriage.
But as common as it is to see our favorite celebrities break up these days, there are plenty of famous couples who manage to stick together through the years, no matter what life and fame happen to throw at them. Some have stayed married for decades, and even those of us who aren't famous can attest to what an accomplishment that is. Making a marriage last does take effort and teamwork, and it's not always 50/50.
Read on for the 15 longest celebrity marriages. We are so impressed with the staying power that these famous couples obviously have.
Bonnie Bartlett & William Daniels
If you're a millennial, you'll recognize these two — Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World and his real-life wife, Bonnie Bartlett, who played the dean and his on-screen love in the later seasons of the show. They've been married for more than 70 years, though Bonnie herself has admitted that it wasn't easy.
"I'm 93, and I met Bill when I was 18, so we had to grow up together," she told Fox News in 2023, via People. "Bill and I have moved forward day-by-day and eventually, the days added up. We've been happy together and sad together, and somehow stayed together for seven decades."
Dolly Parton & Carl Dean
The secret ingredient to Dolly Parton and Carl Dean's success might be the fact that they've always kept their relationship so private that a lot of people don't even realize that Dolly's been married all these years at all! The country legend and her husband have been married since 1966 — nearly 60 years.
Meryl Streep & Don Gummer
Meryl Streep and husband Don Gummer, a sculptor, have been married for 45 years after originally tying the knot in 1978. Together, they have four children who are all grown up now: Henry, Louisa, Mamie, and Grace. Interestingly enough, Meryl and Don first met when he let her borrow his apartment after her partner at the time, John Cazale, died of lung cancer.
Pauletta & Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington and his wife, Pauletta, have been married since 1983, which means in 2023, they'll be celebrating their 40th anniversary. In a Reddit AMA, Denzel shared the secret to their success.
"I don't know if it's show business that has a monopoly on divorce, it's just that you hear about it," he said. "I don't know what statistics are, or I don't know if people in show business have a higher rate of divorce, but I just think that you have to work at it. Not give up on each other. It's a commitment. It's not all the honeymoon, it doesn't last forever, so you work at it. And hopefully you're good friends first, that might help!"
Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's ups and downs have been well-documented over the years, but through it all, they've managed to stick together since they got married 40 years ago.
"We never gave up on each other," Sharon told People. "I mean, I wasn't a saint. Ozzy wasn't a saint. I gave him as good as he gave me. We're just meant to be. Also, you have to realize that you can't change anyone. At the beginning, you go, 'After he's been with me a while, he'll change. He'll calm down.' You can't change anyone, so a lot of it is acceptance."
Rita Wilson & Tom Hanks
Both accomplished actors in their own right, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have been married for more than 30 years, and according to what Tom told People in 2015, there is no true secret to their success.
He said: "We just like each other. You start there."
Nancy & Steve Carell
After more than 20 years of marriage, comedian Steve Carell told Parade in 2018 that he and Nancy still make each other laugh.
"We make each other laugh," he said. "We always have. Whereas with my brothers and my parents, our senses of humor were all very different. But Nancy and I share a sense of humor. We must have a thousand inside jokes, between the two of us, and it never gets old."
Mary Steenburgen & Ted Danson
Since they got married in 1995, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have been going strong for almost 30 years, and even after all of this time, they're still in love.
"I like the way Mary laughs and smiles," he told AARP. "I like her willingness to say yes to leap off tall buildings of life. I love her sense of fairness and right and wrong. And I don't think you're supposed to say this when you're almost 70, but she's very sexy."
Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith
The infidelity between Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith has been highly publicized — and so have their marital issues — but so far, they haven't let it break them. After getting married in 1997, these two have remained together for more than 25 years.
Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick
After more than 25 years of marriage, two seriously impressive Hollywood careers, and raising three children together, it seems safe to assume that Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick will be together forever. After all, SJP's Instagram post celebrating their milestone anniversary was pretty cute.
Victoria & David Beckham
The reign that Victoria and David Beckham have as one of the entertainment industry's leading power couples doesn't seem like it's going to end anytime soon. Parents to Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz, and Harper, the former Spice Girl and soccer pro have been married for well over 20 years.
Leslie Mann & Judd Apatow
Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow might be one of Hollywood's funniest couples — maybe that's why their marriage has lasted so long? After making things official in 1997, they've been married for more than 25 years. And when they celebrated their 20th anniversary, Judd called her "the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."
Faith Hill & Tim McGraw
Country dream team Faith Hill and Tim McGraw's marriage has truly stood the test of time for the past 27 years, and there's no stopping them now. That wedding almost didn't happen, though.
"We had dated for a while," Tim said in a video he shared on Twitter telling the story of when he proposed. "I actually asked her to marry me quite a few times and she kept saying no. She said, 'I'm not going to get involved with another country singer. It's just not going to work out.'"
Fortunately, she was wrong about that!
Julia Roberts & Danny Moder
Julia Roberts and cinematographer Danny Moder got married in 2002 after meeting on the set of The Mexican and have spent the following 20 years living happily ever after. They still write love letters to each other to this day — even when Julia was in Australia filming Ticket to Paradise with George Clooney.
"The first letter he ever wrote me, which was seven pages long, I still have it tucked away. One day I'll show it to [daughter] Hazel and say, 'That's what you're looking for,'" she told CBS' This Morning. "The life that I've built with my husband. The life that we've built with our children. And that's the best stuff, to come home at the end of the day triumphantly to them."
Elton John & David Furnish
Elton John and David Furnish have been together longer than gay marriage has been legal, so they entered into a domestic partnership in 2005 and then legally tied the knot in 2014 as soon as it was possible in the United Kingdom. They have two sons together, Zachary and Elijah.
