Successful Hollywood Marriages (and What We Can Learn From Them)

While some celebrity marriages have ended faster than you can say “Vera Wang gown,” others have stood the test of time, setting an example of what a happy relationship looks like. But just as in their seemingly flawless pics and near-perfect performances, it takes a lot of work to get to that level. We rounded up eight Hollywood couples whose marriages are successful, inspiring, and better yet, something we can learn from.

Iman and David Bowie

Married: 22 years Secret: Keep Things Fresh—“I think you’ve got to feel hot for each other and respect each other. That’s where it starts,” Iman told Interview. “And we have fun with each other.”

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick

Married: 17 years Secret: Communication—“We really are friends beyond everything else and we talk a lot,” Matthew said on the Meredith Vieira Show. “Keep talking. I know how cliché that is. Too much silence is definitely not a good idea.”

Beyonce and Jay Z

Married: 7 years Secret: Stay True to Yourself—"I was independent before I met my husband, and we have such a natural chemistry and a genuine relationship, and it's based on the things that relationships are supposed to be based on,” Beyonce told GQ. “I've seen, growing up, when a woman or a man in a relationship — it doesn't matter which one — doesn't feel confident, they feel a bit trapped. Your self-worth is determined by you. You don't have to depend on someone telling you who you are."

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Married: 12 years Secret: Keep Working At It—“I mean, it’s work,” Sarah told MSN’s Wonderwall. “You have to work at anything. It’s any relationship in your life. You have to nurture it and take time with it.”

Meryl Streep and Don Gummer

Married: 36 years Secret: Keep Talking—"You have to talk about all the issues that arise, even the smallest things," Meryl told New Zealand’s Women’s Weekly. "You have to listen to your partner's problems, suggestions, and advice, and accept that you're not always right. Conversation is the key to a successful marriage."

Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon

Married: 16 years Secret: Date Night—“It's having the apartment to ourselves: We lock the doors, fool around, make dinner, watch a movie,” Kevin told Good Housekeeping.  

 

 

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas

Married: 14 years Secret: Keep Some Things Separate—"For marriage to be a success, every woman and every man should have their own bathroom,” Catherine told Woman’s Day. 

 

 

Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith

Married: 17 years Secret: Be Prepared For The Rough Patches—“You have to be able to withstand tough times and just because the tough times comes doesn't mean it's time stop,” Jada said during a TCA presentation. “It means it's time to dig in.”