Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor’s Heartfelt Reunion After Years Apart

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor’s reunion after years of separation has become an inspiring story of love and resilience, demonstrating the importance of space and connection in relationships. The well-known actors reconciled after living apart for several years, ultimately finding their way back together during the COVID-19 pandemic while raising their two children in New York City.

Coming Back Together After Time Apart

Ben Stiller, best known for directing the acclaimed series Severance, and Christine Taylor, the actress famous for The Wedding Singer, separated in 2017 after being married since 2000. Despite the split, they never legally divorced. The pair remained connected throughout their time apart, cherishing their family bond while evaluating their individual lives.

Ben reflected on their years separated, explaining,

“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 said in a January 2025 interview with The New York Times.

“It was like three or four years that we weren’t together but we always were connected.”

Stiller also revealed that the pandemic played a crucial role in their reunion, as the family unexpectedly shared the same home during lockdowns.

“In my mind, I never didn’t want us to be together,”

he said.

“I don’t know where Christine was, you’d have to ask her, but COVID put us all together in the same house.”

He described the year living under one roof without immediately rekindling their relationship as pivotal.

“It was almost a year of living in the same house before we were actually together,”

Ben shared.

“But I’m so grateful for it, and I think not that many people do come back together when they separate.”

Ben emphasized the transformed appreciation they now hold for their relationship.

“There’s nothing like that, when you come back—you have so much more appreciation for what you have, because we know we could not have it.”

Christine Taylor has also expressed perspective on their early and rapid commitment to marriage, which they entered into soon after meeting on the set of the pilot Heat Vision and Jack in 1999. Speaking on The Drew Barrymore Show in 2023, she admitted,

“We got married very quickly after meeting each other,”

adding,

“We knew each other six months, got engaged, married within the year and had Ella that next year.”

A Family Bond Strengthened Through Shared Experiences

Despite their separation, Ben and Christine remained a family dedicated to supporting their children, Ella Olivia, 23, and Quinlin Dempsey, 20. Throughout the years, Ella has often accompanied her father to high-profile events, including the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival for the short film Let Liv, starring Christine. The family displayed a coordinated style, dressing in black attire for the occasion.

Ella has also attended many of her father’s events, such as the 2022 Emmy Awards, the 2018 premiere of Free Solo, the 2017 screening of The Meyerowitz Stories, and the opening night of the Broadway musical Groundhog Day. Additionally, in 2019 the pair went to the Golden Globes to support Ben’s nomination for Outstanding Directing for the Showtime miniseries Escape to Dannemora.

Experiencing Work Together

Ben has spoken openly about working alongside his daughter Ella in Escape to Dannemora and expressed pride in her professionalism and respectful attitude on set. He told E! News,

“I was very happy it went well,”

and praised her, saying,

“She showed me a lot of respect, which I appreciated because with a teenage daughter you want to be like, ‘Don’t be like how we are at home! Let’s pretend we’re actually nice to each other!’ No, it was really a super positive experience for both of us.”

Ella’s Career Aspirations in Acting

Ella has gradually taken on roles in films including Hubie Halloween and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, indicating a clear interest in acting. Ben once mentioned to E! News in 2019 that Ella

“seems to have a desire to explore”

the profession.

Christine has supported Ella’s ambitions without pressure, explaining in a 2018 Us Weekly interview,

“She came out of the womb with a mission, and I was never going to get in her way,”

adding,

“She is a very strong-minded, strong-willed young lady, and she loves it. Obviously she was born into the world, but I think living in New York City, she has been exposed to so many incredible things and shows and so … she has the bug. There’s nothing you can do about it, but I did not encourage it.”

Facing Honest Family Conversations

Ben has also been candid about the challenges of balancing his career with fatherhood. He revealed that Ella once confronted him about his absences during her childhood, a topic he found difficult but essential to address. In an interview with Esquire, he shared,

“She’s pretty articulate about it, and sometimes it’s stuff that I don’t want to hear. It’s hard to hear,”

and reflected on his own upbringing, saying,

“Because it’s me not being there in the ways that I saw my parents [actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara] not being there. I had always thought, ‘Well, I won’t do that.’”

Despite the discomfort, Ben stressed the importance of recognizing Ella’s feelings, adding,

“But then it’s that thing that, like, I was trying to navigate my own desire to fulfill the hopes and dreams I had, too.”

He pointed out that his children never kept score of his professional commitments compared to their time together.

“What I’ve learned is that your kids are not keeping score on your career,”

he explained.

“It would be solipsistic to think that my kids actually care about that. They just want a parent who’s emotionally present and supportive of them. That’s probably what they want more than for me to be going off and pushing the bounds of my creativity.”

Becoming a Taylor Swift Fan Through Ella

Ben revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that his daughter’s love for Taylor Swift’s music converted him into a devoted fan. He described how playing Swift’s songs created a calming atmosphere while teaching Ella to drive during the pandemic.

“What really helped her was if we just played her favorite artist on the iPhone, and we just played Taylor Swift,”

he said.

“I was a fan, but I think now I’m a total Swiftie.”

Ben went on to describe Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore, highlighting tracks such as “Cardigan,” “Betty,” and “August” that explore the same love triangle from different perspectives, referencing names inspired by Ryan Reynolds’ and Blake Lively’s children. He also praised the 10-minute “All Too Well” Taylor’s Version from the vault.

A Deliberate Step Back from Acting

Christine made the conscious choice to take a break from her acting career after working with Ben on Tropic Thunder in 2007, dedicating herself to raising their children. She shared with The Morning Call in 2010 that motherhood transformed her priorities.

“It never felt like a big decision for me,”

she explained.

“When I had Ella, my whole world changed. I couldn’t believe how much love I had for this little creature. I wanted to be a part of it all. I didn’t want to miss anything, and with Ben working as much as he does, I felt it was important for one of us to be the stability in the family.”

Ben has expressed gratitude for her choice, telling Parade magazine in 2016 that he felt very fortunate that Christine embraced this role within the family structure.

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles as a Family

Ben and Christine have followed a plant-based lifestyle for over a decade, encouraging their children to adopt healthy habits along the way. Christine shared with People in 2012,

“Ben and I make these green drinks in the morning and they look at us like it’s from another planet,”

adding lightly,

“I joke, ‘Just join the party! Don’t complain so much, just join us.’”

She noted the contrasting tastes of their children:

“My daughter loves veggies but doesn’t love fruit. My son loves fruit and doesn’t love veggies.”

Despite these differences, Christine remains hopeful about instilling lasting healthy habits.

“It’s that thing where your parents aren’t cool for a while and then suddenly they are,”

she said, finishing,

“We just kind of plant the seeds.”

The Privacy of Quinlin and Family Events

While Ella is often seen attending public events with her parents, Quinlin Dempsey tends to keep a lower profile. Still, he has participated in occasions such as the 2018 Project ALS Benefit alongside his family. Christine commented to Us Weekly,

“This is his first event. I think he’s just having fun with it,”

adding that Ella encouraged him to join that year’s gathering. She also noted that these events offer her family a chance to reconnect with long-time friends and witness their children growing up together.

Shared Commitment to Causes and Community

Ben and Christine have involved their children in supporting philanthropic efforts important to the family. Quinlin attended the 25th Anniversary Gala for Project ALS in 2023, an organization where Christine serves on the board of directors. Speaking to Us Weekly in 2018, Christine praised the experience of bringing their children to benefit events, saying,

“For them to come out on a school night, have a little fun, dress up, take some pictures, but then learn about an incredible organization, that’s huge.”

This involvement exemplifies the values the couple prioritizes in raising Ella and Quinlin, fostering a family environment centered around love, mutual respect, and social responsibility.

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor’s story illustrates how relationships can evolve and strengthen through honest reflection, time apart, and shared challenges. Their renewed partnership stands as a hopeful example of healing and commitment, with a family united not only by love but by a deep understanding of what truly matters.