Meryl Streep and her husband of over four decades, Don Gummer, have secretly been living separate lives, a spokesperson for the movie icon revealed recently.
Meryl and Don have largely kept their relationship away from the spotlight ever since they wed.
The longtime couple welcomed four children together and are grandparents to five grandkids, with the youngest having recently been born.
Don Gummer and Meryl Streep parted ways several years ago but are still legally married. The pair have kept their relationship out of the limelight, but Meryl previously spoke highly of the father of her kids in interviews.
In an exclusive statement, Meryl’s spokesperson shockingly revealed that she and her spouse of 45 years, Don, have been secretly living separate lives in recent years.
“Don Gummer and Meryl Streep have been separated for more than 6 years, and while they will always care for each other, they have chosen separate lives,” the statement read.
This comes as a surprise because Meryl recently attended the Princesa de Asturias Awards 2023 and had her wedding ring on. She and Don are parents of four.
They welcomed three daughters, Louisa Jacobson, Grace Gummer, Mamie Gummer, and their only son, Henry Wolfe, within their marriage. The estranged couple, who have kept their relationship out of the limelight since they tied the knot decades ago, also have five grandchildren.
Their son Henry and his wife Tamryn Storm Hawker are parents of two; Mamie and her husband, Mehar Sethi, also have two kids, while Grace recently welcomed her first child with her spouse, Mark Ronson.
Meryl & Don Had a Whirlwind Romance
Meryl met Don through her brother in the late ’70s, but it was not love at first sight. They communicated through letters, as Don was traveling.
Then, at 29, Meryl realized that he wanted more. Once he returned from traveling, she moved in with him at his apartment when filming “Kramer vs. Kramer,” for which she earned her first Oscar Award.
The couple exchanged wedding vows in the garden of her parents’ home in September 1978. The wedding occurred six months after Meryl’s then-boyfriend died from cancer.
This caused a rift between the “Mamma Mia!” star and her mother, who wondered what was going through her mind at that stage. While friends questioned whether her marrying the artist was not only a rebound.
Evidently, Meryl’s relationship with Don lasted way longer than their close circle anticipated, as they stayed together in the years since. Throughout the years, she has openly talked about their marriage. In 2002, she was asked about the secret to their long-lasting union, and she said:
“Goodwill and willingness to bend—and to shut up every once in a while.”
The New Jersey native explained there is no blueprint for raising a family, adding, “It’s an enormous negotiation.” The mother of four also said that she has a constant need to work and have “huge ties of love” in her life while stating she could not “imagine eschewing,” one for the other.
She once candidly talked about their parenting dynamics when raising their children over the years, saying, “Teamwork is everything.” Meryl explained Don was a hands-on dad and that, unlike her, he was “more relaxed” when raising their kids. “I was more of a tiger mom,” the star admitted.
The actress and the sculptor were last seen together at the 2018 Oscar Awards. Moreover, Meryl fondly paid tribute to her spouse in February 2012 at the 84th Academy Awards.
She had won Best Actress for her performance in the hit film “The Iron Lady,” at the time when she was presented the award by actor Colin Firth at the auspicious event.
As Meryl accepted the award, she began her speech joking about being the winner again before saying she would like to thank her longtime partner Don because often, when honorees do that at the end of their speech, the music gets played as a means to cut them off.
“I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives you’ve given me,” said the three-time Oscar winner. Meryl, 74, and Don, 76, have been constant features at the Oscars throughout the years.
“The Devil Wears Prada” star, who has been described as “the best actress of her generation,” has 21 Oscar nominations under her belt.