Ben Stiller Reflects on Reconnecting with Wife Christine Taylor After Separation

Ben Stiller has opened up about how reconnecting with his wife, Christine Taylor, after a separation strengthened their marriage. The couple, who married in 2000 and share two children—daughter Ella, 22, and son Quinlin, 19—separated in 2017 but reconciled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Stiller, 59, shared insights into their journey. "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 explained. "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."

Stiller credited the pandemic as a pivotal moment for their reconciliation. "COVID put us all together in the same house," said the Severance director, adding that it took almost a year of cohabiting before they officially reunited. Reflecting on the experience, he expressed gratitude for their renewed bond. "I’m so grateful for it... You have so much more appreciation for what you have because we know we could not have it."

Taylor, 53, also spoke about their separation during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show in March 2023. She revealed that the decision to separate was not taken lightly, emphasizing that they remained committed to their family unit. "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 said. Taylor added that the time apart allowed them to grow individually and ultimately brought them closer.

The pair initially announced their reconciliation in February 2022, when Stiller told Esquire, "We were separated and got back together and we’re happy about that. It’s been really wonderful for all of us. Unexpected, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic."

Now reunited, Stiller and Taylor continue to cherish their shared history, with Taylor describing their relationship as "so good" and grounded in "freedom and comfort."