On Sunday, Meryl Streep and her 45-year-old husband Don Gummer announced that they have been living apart “for more than six years” after deciding to live “separate lives.”
In a statement shared with Page Six, a spokesperson expressed that the 74-year-old “The Devil Wears Prada” actress and the 76-year-old sculptor “have been separated for more than six years and while they will always care for each other, they will always care for each other.” have decided for a life apart.’
Following news that the couple secretly split six years ago, Web takes a look back at their relationship.
From getting married in her parents’ backyard in Connecticut after six months of dating to welcoming four children together, read below to find out more…
Separation: On Sunday, Meryl Streep and her 45-year-old husband Don Gummer announced they have been separated “for more than six years” after deciding to “live separately” (pictured in 2018)
Review: The couple married on September 30, 1978. The ceremony took place in the garden of their parents’ home on Mason’s Island in Connecticut (pictured in 1979).
Family: The couple welcomed four children: musician Henry Wolfe and actors Mamie Gummer, Grace Gummer and Louisa Jacobson, and now also have five grandchildren (pictured in 2004)
Just weeks before she met Don in early 1978, Meryl was at the bedside of her boyfriend of two years, actor John Cazale, as he died on March 12, 1978, at New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital.
A year earlier, John was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and, unfortunately, the disease spread throughout his body.
After his death, Meryl was evicted from the New York apartment where she lived with him. Her brother Harry came to help her pack and brought his friend Don Gummer with him.
Don left the country to travel and offered to sublet his Soho loft to Meryl while he was away.
During his absence, the two continued to exchange romantic letters.
Lute! News said the actress wasn’t convinced she was ready for a new relationship, but a widowed friend encouraged her to spend time with Don if she liked him.
When he returned from his travels, It’s Complicated actress Meryl ended up staying in his loft and just six months after her late boyfriend’s death, the couple tied the knot
Six months later, on September 30, 1978, the two tied the knot. The ceremony took place in the garden of her parents’ home on Mason’s Island in Connecticut.
Team! When it comes to raising their children, Meryl revealed to the Sydney Morning Herald in 2019 that both she and Don – who has an MFA from Yale – focused on “teamwork.”
Real talk: In 2002, Meryl told Vogue that the secret to her long marriage was: “Goodwill and a willingness to bend — and keep your mouth shut every now and then.”
The couple had four children: the musician Henry Wolfe and the actors Mamie Gummer, Grace Gummer and Louisa Jacobson, and now also have five grandchildren
When it comes to raising their children, Meryl revealed in a 2019 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald that both she and Don – who has an MFA from Yale – focused on “teamwork.”
The Only Murders 3 star explained, “Teamwork is everything.” My husband Don was… very dedicated. He was a little more relaxed when it came to raising children. I was more of a tiger mom.’
Because of her acting work, Meryl was often away from home for months at a time, and she always praised her husband for that [being] “I’m happy to look after the kids” so she wouldn’t feel “so guilty” about these necessary absences.
In 2002, Meryl told Vogue that the secret to her long marriage was: “Goodwill and a willingness to bend — and keep your mouth shut every now and then.”
She added: “There is no plan on how to start a family: it’s always a huge negotiation.” But I have a holistic need to work and have great romantic relationships in my life. I can’t imagine avoiding one for the other.”
When Meryl accepted the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2012 for her performance in The Iron Lady, she gave a special shout-out to her husband, the man who helped her “live again.”
She said, “First I’m going to thank Don, because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech, they’re playing him off with the music.” And I want him to know that you’ve given me everything that I need in our life is most important to your heart.’
Grateful: When Meryl accepted the Oscar for Best Actress in 2012, she gave a special shout-out to her husband, the man who helped her “live again” (pictured at the ceremony)
For a long time, Meryl and Don lived with their children in Connecticut, but ten years ago, after all four children left home, the couple returned to New York.
In addition to the Connecticut home where they raised their family, the two also owned a loft in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood until it sold for $15.8 million in 2020, according to Page Six.
Later that same year, Meryl purchased a home in Pasadena for $4 million.
According to Page Six, Meryl was last seen with Don at the 2018 Academy Awards.