The actor revealed that his five-year separation from wife Christine Taylor left him feeling lost and disconnected, before they eventually found their way back to each other.
Ben Stiller has shared rare insight into the emotional years he spent apart from his wife, Christine Taylor, before the two reunited in 2022. The couple’s relationship, once tested by distance and uncertainty, ultimately found its way back to a stronger place.
The 59-year-old Zoolander star and the Brady Bunch alum, now 54, first met in 1999 while working together on the unaired pilot Heat Vision and Jack. Their connection quickly grew off set, and within a year, they were married during a private oceanfront ceremony in Kauai, Hawaii.
Over the years, Stiller and Taylor became one of Hollywood’s most enduring couples, even co-starring in several films and TV shows such as Tropic Thunder, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Arrested Development.
The couple later welcomed two children — daughter Ella Olivia, now 22, and son Quinlin Dempsey, 19. However, after nearly two decades together, they announced their separation in 2017, surprising fans who had long admired their marriage.
“With tremendous love and respect for each other, and the 18 years we spent together as a couple, we have made the decision to separate.”
“Our priority will continue to be raising our children as devoted parents and the closest of friends. We kindly ask that the media respect our privacy at this time,” they shared in a joint statement, asking for understanding as they focused on family during that difficult time.
Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor met in 1999, and wed in 2000Maya Dehlin Spach/WireImage
In 2022, the couple officially reconciled, and Stiller has since opened up about what that chapter of his life taught him. His recent comments came during the premiere of his new documentary about his parents, legendary comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Ann Meara.
The film, titled Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, debuted at the New York Film Festival on October 5. It not only explores the comedic legacy of his parents but also delves into Stiller’s own reflections on family, marriage, and the lessons he learned while navigating personal struggles.
In the documentary, the actor and director reflected on how fame and work sometimes distanced him from those he loved most.