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Making relationships work can be a challenge. Making them last when you’re both in the spotlight can be even harder! Despite the challenges, a number of famous pairs have managed to achieve the near-impossible, living the Hollywood “happily-ever-after” dream off-screen. These long-term couples can serve as an inspiration to us all!
Felicity Huffman & William H. Macy
William H. Macy, 67, and Felicity Huffman, 55, are a couple that can best be summed up by the popular term “relationship goals.” At first, Huffman, the star of Desperate Housewives and American Crime, was terrified of marriage due to her parents’ divorce. Macy, best known as Frank Gallagher on the Showtime series Shameless, had to propose multiple times throughout their 15-year courtship before finally convincing Huffman to throw away her marital fears. Huffman admits that she had to work on her ability to trust another person in order to make their relationship work. “I was able to blossom out of that,” she now admits. What are the secrets to this pair’s amazing, PDA-packed relationship? The two make sure to spend private time together, sometimes escaping for couples-only weekends. Every week, they spend at least half an hour checking in with one another, too, allowing each person the chance to speak uninterrupted. This power couple’s relationship is certainly built to last.
Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance
When accepting his 2016 Emmy for his role in American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson, Courtney B. Vance gave a shout-out to his wife, Angela Bassett, an actress famous for her roles in American Horror Story as well as numerous biographical films. “To the woman who rocks my chain – Angela Evelyn Bassett, this one is for you girl!” The power couple, who have been married since 1997, actually met during their college years at Yale. Struggling to conceive was one of the biggest challenges the duo faced together. The pair ultimately had twins via a surrogate in 2006. What got the couple through those difficult times? “I had faith, so I never really got discouraged,” Bassett said. Religion also played a role in the pair’s unusual choice to remain celibate in the year preceding their wedding. To learn more about Bassett and Vance’s relationship, pick up a copy of the couple’s candid autobiographical book Friends: A Love Story.
Kirk Douglas & Anne Buydens
Married since 1954, long-term Hollywood star Kirk Douglas, 101, and Belgian-American actress Anne Buydens, 98, have made their marriage last for over six decades. Celebrating their 50th anniversary with a lavish vow renewal, one would imagine that this couple has always had a fairytale romance. Not so! In the couple’s recent book, Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter, and a Lifetime in Hollywood, Buydens claims that she knew of her husband’s many liaisons with celebrities ranging from Rita Hayworth to Patricia Neal. Douglas, however, always confessed his affairs to his wife. Revealing her enlightened European perspective, Buydens admits that she never expected her husband’s total fidelity. Knowing of Douglas’ reputation as a ladykiller before they even met, Buydens played hard-to-get, only later permitting her future husband to take her out on a date. Years later, the two were still writing love letters to one another. How does Douglas feel about their relationship today? His poem on the subject says it all:
“Romance begins at 80
And I ought to know.
I live with a girl
Who will tell you so.”
Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick will be celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. With her starring role on The Closer and his silver screen notoriety, both halves of this celebrity pair are equally known to the public. For this couple, however, it was hardly love at first sight! What did Sedgwick think of Bacon when they first met? “He had an attitude,” Sedgwick declared, a claim which Bacon has admitted was true. After asking her out a few times, however, Bacon convinced her to give him a chance. Months later, the pair were married. The couple, who now have two adult children, confess that things aren’t always easy for them. The two once battled their way through a six-month-long fight! Despite this, they’ve remained committed to one another. Sedgwick’s face continues to light up every time she mentions her precious husband “Kev.”
Lily Tomlin & Jane Wagner
In 2013, famed comedienne Lily Tomlin, 78, married her partner of 42 years, writer and director Jane Wagner, 82. “It was sweet,” Tomlin confessed. “We didn’t have any rings, so I went into our jewelry and was digging out rings. I said, ‘We have to have some kind of rings!’” The long-term lovebirds met in 1971 after Tomlin asked Wagner to assist her with her efforts in producing a comedy album. Tomlin admits that she was “pretty taken” with Wagner from the start; the two began dating almost immediately thereafter. In the years since, both women have won numerous awards for their work in the arts, collaborating on films and plays as well. What are the secrets to their lifelong personal and professional partnership? “It takes real attention and caring and time and effort and work and knowing that it’s a commitment. And it’s respecting,” Tomlin mused. “Respect is a big factor in binding someone in a relationship.” What else does this funny woman love about her lover? “She makes me laugh,” Tomlin gushed.
In Conclusion:
These down-to-earth celebrity couples prove that enduring love and romance are far from dead. Though relationships can be hard work, these love stories serve as a reminder that, even when it’s struggle, the pursuit of romance is well worth the effort.
Photo: © sabelskaya / fotolia.com
Editor, 01/31/2018
