WW HOLLYWOOD MARRIAGES

PEOPLE

Marriage is a difficult
proposition under normal
circumstances, but the

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marriages
MDOENRYALLDSTGRUEMEPME&R
films including Margin Call and some ways. “I’m not
(35 YEARS MARRIED) Frances Ha. ey also have a “I’m not an expert on marital an expert
WHAT’S THEIR SECRET? son, Henry (35), a musician, and roenlamtiaornista”l
SHARED SENSIBILITIES, another daughter, Louisa (24), relations... but I can say that just
BEING A GOOD LISTENER who works as a model. like when you’re rehearsing or and doubts. From my
playing a scene, it’s important husband’s perspective, he thinks
e 66-year-old Streep lives “A lot changes when your to listen to the other person. You I need to torture myself and
with her sculptor husband children are gone. It takes a should also do the things that worry myself to death in order
Donald Gummer in a sprawling while to settle into a different you enjoy. I am lucky to love my to get ready for a part. He tries
penthouse apartment in the kind of life but then you discover job and I’m still able to work at not to get involved in that aspect
Tribeca area of New York, having you have to find new ways to fill an age when most women don’t because he knows he can’t do
moved out of their Connecticut your day and get to enjoy that have this kind of opportunity. anything about it.”
countryside estate after their time together. You start seeing
children had left home for your friends more often and get “But I think one of the things
university. Her eldest daughter to do many more things together that has helped us [remain
Mamie, 32, co-starred with her that you weren’t able to do when married] is that he’s an artist and
in Ricki and the Flash while you’re living with your children. we have similar sensibilities.
Grace (29) has appeared in So we have been able to use this
time in our lives to get closer in “He feels that he’s seen it all
before. Each time I begin a film,
I drive myself crazy with fears

4 WOMANSWAY.IE

Cover profile

TOM HANKS & RITA WILSON

(28 YEARS MARRIED)
WHAT’S THEIR SECRET? TELLING THE TRUTH,
MAINTAINING A STRONG FAMILY SPIRIT

Hanks has long

credited his “I’m a So don’t HELEN MIRREN & TAYLOR HACKFORD
wife, actress/ be stupid
(30 YEARS TOGETHER, 19 YEARS MARRIED)
singer/producer lucky man and make WHAT’S THEIR SECRET? RESPECT AND
Rita Wilson for to have things more UNDERSTANDING, LESSONS LEARNT
having given had such complicated. FROM PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS
him “the peace
of mind to be “I’m a e independent-minded Dame recognised. We were also both
able to achieve lucky man Helen Mirren, now 71, has at an age and at a time in our
far more as an to have enjoyed a three decade-long lives where we had gone through
had such a relationship (they married several relationships and lived
in 1997) with director Taylor a bit. All that gives you such a
actor” than he a woman” wonderful Hackford, whom she fell in love much better perspective on how
ever imagined: woman with while he directed her in to live and what you want from
1986’s White Nights. your work and what you expect
“By the time I like Rita in in a relationship. We were very
Best known as Prime Suspect’s lucky to have found each other
met Rita, I knew my life... Jane Tennison and as the Oscar- and we still feel the same way.
winning actress for e Queen,
a lot more about although I Mirren is unequivocal about “What made things work
what brought her and Hackford between us was the kind of
myself and how to handle a think that anybody that who long-term happiness: “What was respect and understanding that
wonderful about meeting Taylor we had for each other’s work. I
relationship as opposed to gets married is partaking in an was that things were very easy would let him do his thing... and
and harmonious between us we gave each other the space we
my first marriage. So once act of bravery. from the beginning. It was one needed.
of those things where you know
we settled down, I spent a lot “My wife knew she was that this person is right for you “I also liked the fact that he
and you can get along very well was a strong individual because
more time thinking about how marrying an actor and not together. I knew I needed that in any man
I was going to spend time with
I was going to make things a dentist. And my children “ ough we both had strong because I could be very strong-
characters, we had this very willed myself. Instead of creating
right and how we could have a learned from a young age that close connection that is hard friction between us, it actually
to define but which we both enhanced our relationship.”
happy time together. their dad had a funny job.

“Rita also brought so much ey always knew that I was

to me and she’s always been a working on a film because my

tremendously positive force in haircut would be different or

my life. I’ve had to grow a moustache.

“ e rest of our story just But this is the kind of a job

becomes too mushy and sweet that gives us the opportunity

to tell so I’ll stop with that. to spend free holidays in

“We’re still married because Budapest or Morocco. But I

I’m not an idiot. e secret of think the best way that I’ve

happiness is to tell the truth. been able to have a good and

If you tell the truth, it solves balanced home life is to have

a lot of problems right there. eaten breakfast together.”

WOMANSWAY.IE 5

JULIANNE MOORE & BART FREUNDLICH

(22 YEARS TOGETHER, 13 YEARS MARRIED)
WHAT’S THEIR SECRET? BEING GOOD FRIENDS WITH
YOUR PARTNER, GETTING ALONG ON A DAILY BASIS

COLIN FIRTH & LIVIA GIUGGIOLI Julianne Moore is a remarkable woman from every perspective.

(21 YEARS MARRIED) Having finally won an Oscar for Still Alice last year, she has long
WHAT’S THEIR SECRET? HAVING A PARTNER WHO
KEEPS ONE CALM AND CENTERED, ALWAYS BEING been recognised as one of Hollywood’s most gifted actresses. She
THERE FOR YOU
has also been one of those rare Hollywood female stars to have

enjoyed a long and happy marriage. She has lived with director

Bart Freundlich for 22 years, and were married in 2003.

e 56-year-old Moore lives in New York together with her

director/husband Bart Freundlich and their children, Caleb (18)

and Liv (14). She recently appeared in the critically-acclaimed

Colin Firth is married to the standing on the steps of a very indie film, Maggie’s Plan.
Italian documentary maker old Church and I saw her coming
Livia Giuggioli, whom he met in through the crowd and it was a “Before meeting Bart, I worried for a long time that I would
1995 in Columbia while making bolt through the heart. When I
Nostromo. eir first child, saw her coming close I wasn’t never really find happiness. at I would always have this side
Luca, was born in 1997, and in sure I could cope with it, She had
2003 Giuggioli gave birth to the this complete guileless air about of me that was hard and cold and not open to other people in a
couple’s second son, Matteo. ey her, she tried to speak to the local
divide their time between homes people in their own language, and very deep emotional way. But somehow, I forced myself to break
in West London and a country I was smitten immediately... She
estate in Italy. has made my life truly wonderful. down that emotional wall I tended to put up in front of me. And

Although his time in Italy “has “Livia does an outstanding job I think that being an actress and playing different characters
been incredibly stimulating and of keeping me calm and centred.
fascinating,” the 56-year-old She keeps my feet on the ground taught me to open myself up emotionally in my own life.
Firth credits his wife Livia for and helps me deal with all the ups
having turned his life around in a and downs that actors experience “ e main thing which works between us is that we really
fundamental way: “It’s more that in terms of the great roles that you
I met my wife Livia that has really don’t get. enjoy being together and have a friendship thing going on as well
made me a much happier man. I
can’t imagine what my life would “So Livia is always there for me as a relationship thing. By that I mean that we just really
have been like without her. when I need to have a good cry
and feel very sorry for myself. She get along well on a daily basis
“We met in Cartagena, just gives me a kiss and a cup of
Columbia. I was acting in a film tea and the world feels good again and we don’t get on each other’s
called Nostromo and she was when my children come running
the production designer. I was up to me for a hug.” nerves. “I worried
“ at doesn’t mean we never that I
wouldn’t
argue or we never get angry
with each other. But when we
do have minor flare-ups we
both feel terrible and we almost
immediately want to fix things.

We never stay mad at each other really find
– we just can’t – for more than

a few hours. We just love each happiness”
other and care about each other

too much to want to inflict stupid

pain on each other.”

6 WOMANSWAY.IE

CLIVE OWEN & SARAH-JANE FENTON (21 YEARS MARRIED)

WHAT’S THEIR SECRET? PUTTING TIME INTO FAMILY LIFE, SHARED
PARENTING AND HOUSEHOLD RESPONSIBILITIES

Clive Owen was raised by a and stay at home for a while. I’m home and not working.
working-class father who “[Years ago] I decided that “My wife and I divide our
worked for British rail and
a homemaker mother in I don’t want to keep making parental duties very evenly,
Coventry, a factory town films back to back or spend and I have no problems doing
north of London. He is long periods away from my the housework when I’m at
married to former actress family. By the end of every film home. We’re pretty good,
Sarah-Jane Fenton (whom he shoot, I’m desperate to get back really. It’s all very even. I do the
met on the stage while playing to London and spend time with washing up, I do the laundry.
Romeo to her Juliet) and they my wife and kids. I don’t let the place go... It’s
live in London with their two important to share those things
daughters, Hannah (19) and “Parenting has been a with your wife.”
Eve (15). priority for me. I don’t have
boys, but I’ve got two girls and When asked whether
“I’ve had a brilliant time all I’ve always considered my role he relied on his charmer’s
the way through our marriage. as a father when it comes to instincts [Owen was known
I value it and appreciate it and raising them to be very separate as a big-time seducer prior to
put a lot of time into it. from my life as an actor. I go getting married] to win over
off and make movies and then Fenton: “How do you think I
“If I’ve been away for a I come home and I’m a father. I became involved with my wife
certain amount of time, then look after my girls. in the first place!” He laughs.
I’ll put it back into the family “It wasn’t blind luck!”
“I’m very hands-on when

CATE BLANCHETT & ANDREW UPTON (19 YEARS MARRIED)

WHAT’S THEIR SECRET? BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN EACH OTHER,
CALMING INFLUENCE OF ONE’S PARTNER

Cate Blanchett is one of Hollywood’s greatest being together. We share a lot of interests but
actresses and most vibrant personalities. She most of all we laugh about everything. at
has also found enormous personal “comfort counts more than anything else.
and joy” in her marriage to fellow Australian
Andrew Upton, a director/screenwriter who “He’s been the great calming force in my life
ran the Sydney eatre Company for five years and I’m a much happier woman for that. I also
together before moving to New York where they think that having children has radically altered
currently live with their four children, Dashiell, my typically selfish actor’s mentality.
(15), Roman (12), Ignatius (8) and adopted two-
year-old daughter, Vivienne. “I have the feeling that many people look upon
us with horror by wondering how we have been
Asked to explain the secret of her long- able to work together on a daily basis, but we
term marriage to Andrew Upton, Blanchett is love it. We have great respect for each other even
typically direct and unhesitant in her answer: though we rarely have the same ideas!
“We make our lives better by
“I always found it very stimulating to listen to
his opinions which were generally very distinct
from mine while we were preparing projects for
the theatre company.”

Here we go again…

Smash hit Mamma Mia Do you like the idea of a Mamma Mia sequel, Set for release in July next year (happy New
is set for a sequel, and complete with original cast? I do, I do, I Year!) Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda
Meryl’s on board do, I do, I do. We’ve been so lucky because Seyfried and (angel eyes) Colin Firth are all set
they’ve just announced that one is in the to reprise their roles.
works. We thought the first one was where
the story ends about the madcap Greek island Abba legends, Benny Andersson and Björn
shenanigans of the first movie, but producers Ulvaeus said gimme, gimme, gimme too and
must have heard the SOS of fans (and seen are also on board. Word is that they’re going to
the huge amount of money, money, money let the music speak and will be featuring some
the last one made at the box o ce) and songs that didn’t make it into the first movie
decided to take a chance on a remake. such as Waterloo. There’s no way we can deny it,
we’ll be first in line to see it.

WOMANSWAY.IE 7