Ben Stiller is opening up about his journey through the ups and downs of his marriage to actress Christine Taylor, 

revealing that despite their 2017 split, he wasn’t ready to completely walk away from their relationship. 

The actor and comedian spoke candidly with *The Hollywood Reporter* this week, sharing insights into the personal challenges he faced 

while navigating his separation and eventual reunion with his wife of 25 years.

Stiller, 59, admitted that while he didn’t initially think they would get back together, there was a part of him that refused to give up on the relationship. 

“I didn’t expect we were going to get back together,” he confessed, “but when we broke up, there was a part of me that wasn’t ready to just give up on it.” 

His resolve to hold onto the relationship, he believes, stemmed from his parents’ influence. “Probably a certain amount of that is having watched my parents,” he said, referencing the long-lasting marriage of his late parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.

Ben’s parents were a legendary comedy duo, known for their appearances on *The Ed Sullivan Show* and *The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson*. Their professional and personal dynamics often blurred, with Jerry and Anne working together on various projects throughout their marriage. In his interview, Stiller reflected on the impact his parents’ relationship had on him. “My dad was committed to turning their relationship into something that they could make a living doing a comedy act about,” Stiller shared. “And my mom didn’t really love that as much, but she was really good at it, and that affected their relationship.” Stiller believes that the intertwining of personal and professional lives, something that he and Taylor shared, is both rewarding and challenging.

Stiller and Taylor’s marriage began in 2000, and their shared projects—such as the iconic film *Zoolander* (2001)—were a key part of their early years together. Taylor, 53, played Stiller’s love interest in the film, a role that mirrored their real-life relationship. Over the years, Taylor starred alongside Stiller in other notable films like *Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story* (2004) and *Tropic Thunder* (2008). She also made a cameo in the 2016 sequel, *Zoolander 2*. The couple’s collaborative work reflected their bond, but also came with its pressures, as Stiller acknowledged: “You start making movies, and if they don’t go well, that would affect me.”

After their separation in 2017, Stiller and Taylor maintained a close relationship, co-parenting their two children, Ella, 22, and Quinlin, 19. However, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic forced families to spend more time together that Stiller and Taylor reconnected. The couple made the decision to live together during the pandemic, and it didn’t take long before they realized that they wanted to be a couple again. Stiller credits their time spent quarantining together as the catalyst for their reconciliation. “We had so much time to talk, there were no other distractions,” Taylor explained in a 2023 interview with Drew Barrymore. “It was a really special time for us, for the family… it just happened organically.”

For Stiller, his desire to fight for their marriage stemmed from his love for Taylor and his family, and the inspiration he drew from his parents’ long-lasting relationship. His parents, who were married for over 60 years, remained a guiding force in his personal life. Stiller revealed, “I love Christine, I love my family, and I was not ready to just go, ‘OK, enough of this.’” He admits that although he is still a bit of a workaholic, finding a better work-life balance has allowed him to cherish the time he spends with his loved ones.

Taylor echoed Stiller’s sentiments, noting that their time apart allowed both of them to grow individually, which ultimately made their reunion even more meaningful. “I think there’s just a freedom in that, there’s a freedom in the comfort of this relationship and the commitment… And knowing that we also have to take care of ourselves,” Taylor said.

Looking back on their journey, both Stiller and Taylor express gratitude for the time they spent apart and the eventual reconnection that has brought them closer than ever. The couple’s story serves as a reminder that relationships, even those that go through significant challenges, can evolve and thrive with effort, patience, and love.

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