With all the recent sad turns in celebrity marriages, it might be easy to forget that there actually are some great and even enviable power couples still at play in Hollywood. They may not amass the same level of coverage, but that probably has something to do with leading a somewhat more stable life. Can the elements of those partnerships tell us anything about why they’ve lasted?
One great Hollywood couple that continues to impress just about everyone is Michael J. Fox and Tracey Pollen. Cast as sweethearts on NBC’s beloved sitcom Family Ties, they quickly became a real item. Since then their union has survived Parkinsons Disease, the sometimes cruel debate over stem cells, and countless episodes of time travel. Oh, and they continue to just look great doing it.
In 2002, Fox told Oprah Magazine “I look at Tracy sometimes and I have two feelings. One is that she becomes more beautiful every second; and more important, I look at her and say to myself, Damn, you’re smart. Boy, did you make the right choice.“ He’s always been a keeper.
Something about sitcoms just seem to kickstart budding relationships. To think that in the early days of ABC’s Growing Pains there was speculation that Kirk Cameron might be another Hollywood bad boy. Fast forward 20+ years and he’s an uber religious father of 6 (4 of them adopted) still married to longtime sweetie Chelsea Noble. Despite popular opinion though, the two actually met on the set of ‘Full House’ rather then ‘Growing Pains’ (where they played boyfriend and girlfriend).
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie 
Prinz, Jr. will celebrate ten years of marriage this September. Their wedding day was disturbed by a 4.6 earthquake nearby, which they took as a good omen. This couple decided early on to take things slowly – first meeting during the shoot for I Know What You Did Last Summer. From there it was another three years before they would become an item. It would be another three before they finally tied the knot. Taking their time to be sure seems to have paid off.
Gellar told People Magazine, “The solid base that we have now, you don’t have that when you have been with someone for two years. We have already weathered all these storms. We know this is it; we are a team.”
Of course time does fly when you’re having bliss. For the occasion of their anniversary in April, Rita Wilson tweeted “Happy 24th Anniversary to the love of my life Tom Hanks. It feels like 24 hours. Did we just get married?“ Speaking at a gala last month at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, he said of her, “My secret to a happy marriage is just being married to the right woman… I’m the luckiest man alive.”
So what makes these power couples so successful, so grounded and yes – so enviable? Maybe it’s the sense that, well… they have it all. The American dream on steroids. In truth – they just seem like decent and talented people who do their best to stay out of the headlines. Many of the more infamous celebrity couples who’ve stumbled did so quite publicly. These couples seem to avoid that pitfall.
It’s a chicken and egg question, really. Are they stable because they don’t have the media clown car chasing them up Santa Monica, or are there no cameras because there isn’t anything silly to cover. Whatever their secrets, they seem to have found a unique and applaudable balance together that is all the rarer in Hollywood.
Another trait they each seem to share is frequently gushing about just how fortunate they are, mainly thanks to their better half. In a time of inflated egos and false bravado, perhaps their secret is a softer, more humble one. They are better people because of their partnerships. We’re luckier for having known them, even if only at a distance.
Will King is a television and media critic who splits his time as a stand up comic. He collects conspiracy theories and claims to have invented Teflon. In his spare time he follows presidential politics and all traffic signs. He lives in Charlotte, NC.
Selma: Umm… hello? Is it really not that obvious??? These couples clearly have AWESOME and WILD sexual chemistry. How else do you think they have stayed together for so long?! Hey, when you have a good thing going, why ruin it?!?!?! I recommend this DiscoveryGame to keep the lovin’ flowing in the bedroom. Maybe more Hollywood couples will stay together after this game…
Giulia: Celebrating your 10 year Wedding Anniversary in Hollywood is quite the rare occurrence. Cheers to you both! Are Hollywood’s power couples struck with luck or is there more to the success of their marriages? Love and marriage isn’t all fun and games… there is definitely some hard work involved – love, communication, and appreciation. I recommend this DiscoveryGame for all couples to open up the discussion about appreciation.
