Ben Stiller Reveals Why He and Wife Christine Taylor Separated for 3 Years
Ben Stiller has shared how reuniting with his wife, Christine Taylor, after their separation deepened their appreciation for their relationship.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2000 and have two children—22-year-old Ella and 19-year-old Quinlin—initially separated in 2017. However, during the pandemic, they found themselves living under the same roof again, which eventually led to their reconciliation.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Stiller, 59, reflected on how the time apart strengthened their bond. "When we separated, it was just having space to see what our relationship was, what my life felt like when we weren't in that relationship, how much I loved our family unit," he said. "It was like three or four years that we weren't together but we always were connected. In my mind, I never didn't want us to be together."
He added, "I don't know where Christine was, you'd have to ask her, but COVID put us all together in the same house."
Stiller revealed that even after they began living together again, it took almost a year before they officially reunited.
Expressing gratitude for their renewed relationship, Stiller said, "I'm so grateful for it, and I think not that many people do come back together when they separate. There's nothing like that, when you come back. You have so much more appreciation for what you have, because we know we could not have it."
In March 2023, Taylor, 53, reflected on their separation during an appearance on 'The Drew Barrymore Show'. She admitted that they "got married very quickly" and eventually grew in different directions. "It was sort of like we were both at this impasse of 'let's figure out what's best: What's best for each other at this chapter in our lives?'" she explained. "That time apart for each of us to sort of get to know who we are... I feel like we needed some time to figure that out."
Taylor added that their reunion brought a sense of "freedom and comfort" rooted in their shared history.
In 2022, Stiller described their reconciliation as "unexpected" but "really wonderful for all of us."
