8 Celebrity Marriages that Actually Worked Out

Posted on March 20, 2012 by admin

Let's face it: most celebrity marriages are a joke. Half of them will never make it to their second wedding anniversary, while others (ahem, Kim Kardashian) won't survive the first 72 days. Despite the reputation for short marriages, there are several celebrity couples who have defied all odds and have managed to maintain long and meaningful marriages, some of which we actually look up to. Check out these 8 celebrity marriages that actually worked out.

1. RITA WILSON AND TOM HANKS

   Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks have one of the longest and most admired marriages in Hollywood. The pair first met on the set of the television sitcom Bosom Buddies, but did not start dating until they appeared on the filmVolunteers together. Rita and Tom have been married for 23 years and they have two children together. Their strong sense of family and genuine understanding of one another's careers has clearly helped them build a strong and loving marriage.

2. CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER AND ELAINE TAYLOR

   Long-time actor Christopher Plummer and his wife Elaine Taylor have defied the odds of Hollywood marriages with their 43-year union of love. When the couple met in the '60s, Plummer was known for his wild drinking, but it didn't take long for the successful actor to clean up his act with the help of his leading lady. Plummer seems eternally grateful for his wife and isn't afraid to say so during interviews and award acceptance speeches. At the 2012 Golden Globes, Plummer accepted his award and paid tribute to his wife, saying her "bravery and beauty haunts [him] still."

3. SARAH JESSICA PARKER AND MATTHEW BRODERICK

   Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick are known for being one of the most private couples in Hollywood, but maybe it's that element of secrecy that makes their 14-year marriage so strong. The few times that they have opened up about their private lives, the more normal and relatable the couple seems. On top of their busy work schedules, Parker and Broderick are also parents to a 9-year-old son and toddler twin daughters, which Parker has admittedly said can complicate marriage for good and for bad.

4. MERYL STREEP AND DON GUMMER

   Meryl Streep has had a long and fruitful acting career for which she has credited much of her success to her husband of 34 years, Don Gummer. The key to their long-standing relationship, she says, is the deep understanding they have for the important things in life, including her "compulsion to create things." Don understands this need because he also works in the arts as a professional sculptor. This common bond and respect for one's craft seems to have helped Meryl balance work and family life quite nicely through the years.

5. MELANIE GRIFFITH AND ANTONIO BANDERAS

   Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas' marriage is far from perfect. The pair has had their fair share of problems, specifically Melanie's drug and alcohol addiction, but no matter the issue, they've continued to stick by one another for 15 years. And by the looks of Melanie's 'Antonio in a heart' tattoo on her shoulder, their love is skin deep.

6. JOHN TRAVOLTA AND KELLY PRESTON

   John Travolta and Kelly Preston have defied the odds in more ways than one. Not only have they been married for 20 years, but this couple has also overcome a great loss. In 2009, the couple's 16-year-old son died after suffering a seizure while on vacation with the family. The tragic loss spurred many rumors about whether or not Travolta and Preston would make it, but their strength and commitment to one another proved otherwise. In 2010, the couple welcomed a new baby boy to the family and it seems as if they couldn't be happier.

7. ANNETTE BENING AND WARREN BEATTY

   When the infamous ladies' man, Warren Beatty, decided to settle down and marry his Bugsycostar Annette Bening in 1992, few thought it would last. Well, the naysayers couldn't have been more wrong. Annette and Warren have been married for 20 years, and they have four children together. If that's still not enough proof that these two are in it for the long haul, then consider this statement made by Beatty in a 2007 story in The Independent: "For me, the highest level of sexual excitement is in a monogamous relationship. I would hate myself if I failed to live up to it."

8. KEVIN BACON AND KYRA SEDGWICK

   After 23 years of marriage, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are the perfect example of a Hollywood power couple making it work. Bacon and Sedgwick have two children together, and because of their demanding careers, they have to balance work and family life between New York City and Los Angeles. Despite the distance and time constraints, this pair still knows how to make each other happy.