Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart’s romance began unexpectedly at the 2002 Golden Globes with a spilled glass of wine, an incident that sparked their love story. This moment marked the first step in a relationship that has now lasted over two decades, illustrating the enduring nature of their connection.
The 2002 Golden Globes ceremony was where fate intervened: as Ford received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, a minor mishap involving a wine spill occurred. Ford later clarified the event to the New York Times in 2024 by joking,
“She spilled wine on me, or I spilled wine on her or something, and that sort of sealed the deal.”
Calista Flockhart added context, noting that Ford playfully held his award upside down, provoking her to quip, ‘Oh, what’s that? A place for me to put my red wine?’
While Ford ended up with wine on his attire, Flockhart’s elegant pink Oscar de la Renta gown stayed untouched. This light-hearted incident foreshadowed a relationship that has thrived through time. The couple, married for 15 years and together for 23, was last seen at the 2025 Emmys, still captivating audiences with their genuine affection and strong bond.
The Foundations of a Long-Lasting Relationship
Their love isn’t shrouded in mystery or romance clichés. Ford has openly discussed the reality of love in later life, emphasizing the work involved in maintaining a lasting partnership. On NPR’s Wild Card With Rachel Martin podcast in August, he said,
“You know, you think about falling in love and all of that business, you think it’s the business of youth or something, you know, and staying in love is the issue. Maintaining, nurturing, basically, not f–king up.”
Flockhart echoed this sentiment in her remarks to the New York Times, admitting,
“We’ve had to work. We’ve had our ups, we’ve had downs like everybody else—mostly ups, which is good—and we just stay together. He’s the person that I want to call when something happens. That knee-jerk thing where I have to call Harrison.”
Both approached their union wisely, having previously faced complexities in their personal lives. Ford entered their relationship following two divorces and a demanding career, while Flockhart was a single mother who had recently adopted her son, Liam, who is now a college graduate.
Blending Families and Embracing Parenthood
Ford’s experience as a father to his four children—including sons Ben and Willard with his first wife, Mary Marquardt, and son Malcolm and daughter Georgia with his second wife, Melissa Mathison—helped him navigate family life alongside Flockhart. Reflecting on joining Flockhart’s family, he noted to the Times,
“When I met Liam, he was just beginning to walk, and it just didn’t matter to me. I had four children already, and I can’t count that well, so it didn’t make that much difference.”
Flockhart also observed Ford’s personal growth, saying,
“He had matured and grown up and, I think, evolved into being a good father. He’s such a good father to his kids now. I love his kids, my stepkids.”
Before meeting Flockhart, Ford had been out of the dating scene for some time, following his separation from Mathison in 2000 and their final divorce settlement in 2004. Yet, when he encountered Flockhart, his curiosity was piqued.
“I asked my agent: ‘Wow! Who’s that girl?’”
Ford recounted to the Times. When told her name and profession, he responded, “Oh, what does she do?” From that moment, Ford embraced the possibility of a new chapter in his love life.
Love Found Later in Life and a Relationship Built on Mutual Support
Ford voiced his views on romantic love as a powerful force at any age. Speaking in 2003 to HELLO! magazine, he said,
“Romantic love is one of the most exciting and fulfilling kinds of love and I think there is a potential for it at any stage of your life. I was not surprised that I was able to fall in love, and I wasn’t surprised that I did.”
Flockhart approached their burgeoning relationship with careful backup. She invited James Marsden to join their first dinner together, who later described the evening to Playboy in 2013:
“It turned out to be a small group of us, thankfully, but I ended up as her wingman.”
Marsden recalled how Ford was “giggly and goofy” around Flockhart but distant toward others present, thinking,
“We should leave the two of them alone…”
Flockhart joked to the Times that Ford initially appeared like a “lascivious old man” at the Golden Globes, though she was quickly charmed by him. The couple’s 22-year age difference has never been a concern. She said in 2003,
“Sometimes I even say, ‘Wow, I keep forgetting that he’s 22 years older than me.’ It doesn’t factor into our relationship at all. I like the way he looks first thing in the morning. It’s not handsome, it’s more cute. He looks like a little boy.”
Ford’s appeal was recognized long ago, having been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1998. Yet, his reflections on love later in life revealed a deeper fulfillment:
“What surprised me most was that I was still capable of establishing a long-lasting relationship,”
he acknowledged to HELLO! in 2009, before making a serious commitment by marrying Flockhart on June 15, 2010, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Balancing Careers and Family Life Together
After Ally McBeal ended in 2002, Flockhart took a hiatus from acting to focus on raising Liam, later returning to TV with Brothers & Sisters in 2006. This timing provided a harmonious balance with Ford’s career. As she commented to the New York Times in 2024,
“I didn’t have the same dreams at the time, so we weren’t competing with each other.”
She noted their relationship’s unique dynamic:
“We’re very independent of each other in some ways, and probably incredibly codependent on each other in others.”
Their shared preference for home life and introversion also defined much of their connection. “The other reason it works,” she said,
“is we’re both pretty introverted. We stay home a lot, homebodies, which is nice.”
The Couple’s Public Appearances and Personal Tidbits
Despite their preference for quiet home life, the pair still step confidently onto red carpets, as seen at the 2025 Emmys. Ford publicly acknowledged Flockhart’s support at the January 2024 Critics Choice Awards while accepting a Career Achievement honor, stating,
“I want to thank my lovely wife, who supports me when I need a lot of support, I need a lot of support.”
This year also brought new achievements: Ford received his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Shrinking, portraying a psychologist grappling with Parkinson’s disease.
Humor remains a vital part of their relationship. Flockhart shared to the New York Times,
“I’ll put a plastic spider inside his big ice cubes in the tray, and then he’ll drink it. But then I’ll go to bed two weeks later, and he’s out of town in Jackson, and I’ll take the covers down and there’s this little rubber scorpion. It’s fun.”
Why They Choose Not to Act Together
The couple has considered acting alongside each other but declined to pursue it seriously. Flockhart mentioned,
“We’ve explored it a little bit, but it’s never really happened.”
Ford told Variety in July,
“That kind of casting might not be the best way to bring people into an imagined situation, because [audiences] may say, ‘Oh, I know they’re married; now I’m not even thinking about the movie anymore.’”
Indeed, seeing real-life spouses in fictional roles can sometimes distract from the storytelling. Their decision points to a respect for their craft and their personal boundaries.
Insights from Other Enduring Celebrity Partnerships
While Ford and Flockhart exemplify lasting love born from a serendipitous moment, other celebrity couples have shared their secrets to long-term relationships:
Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann
Hermann spoke about the joy that sustains their union:
“I never thought that I would laugh this much in my marriage. That is such a fundamental ingredient of who you are, this insistence on joy.”
He emphasized grace and resilience, noting,
“One of us will test the waters with a joke—about the very thing we were fighting about…Once that happens, it’s a pretty good sign that things are on their way to getting patched up.”
Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines
They prioritize consistent connection with date nights, despite busy family life. Chip shared a candid approach:
“I’m not saying she’d never cheat on me, but it’s not going to be because I never told her I loved her or because I didn’t send her flowers or I forgot our anniversary.”
Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon
Bacon joked about avoiding celeb marriage advice, advocating simple rules like
“Keep the fights clean and the sex dirty.”
Sedgwick added,
“Honestly, we don’t like to fight, so when we actually are in an argument, we’re both looking for a solution…There is no Plan B. No matter what, we want to work it out.”
Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan
They avoid emotional harm in arguments. Fox explained,
“Tracy and I don’t pick scabs…people look at their partner and see vulnerability and they just can’t help but go after that vulnerability…We don’t do that.”
Pollan added the importance of forgiveness and empathy.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest
Curtis praised the humor in their marriage before their 40th anniversary:
“He still makes me laugh more than any human being…and I’m sure there’s something about me that he likes.”
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
Harris reflected on evolving attraction, saying,
“Marriage never stays the same…you find yourself more attracted to their soul. And then their body again…So in a weird way, we keep falling in love with each other in different ways, over and over.”
Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone
They attribute longevity to laughter, with McCarthy noting,
“Whenever we have a good laugh…we always assign it a specific amount of time that it added to our lives…I’ll say, ‘Okay, that was like two months—I just got two more months to live!’”
They also avoid prolonged arguments, embracing peace.
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen
Having blended families, they focused on supportive roles rather than trying to replace absent parents. Danson recalled,
“Everyone needs a cheerleader…I never set their boundaries, disciplined them, or tried to teach them right from wrong.”
Steenburgen agreed, calling it wise to “offer yourself as a friend.”
Elton John and David Furnish
Their relationship includes a tradition of handwritten weekly letters. Furnish shared,
“There’s something very spiritual and real about handwriting…and the cards are a chance to reflect on the week that’s passed and talk about the week that’s coming up.”
John emphasized communication’s role in lasting success.
Dr. Mehmet Oz and Lisa Oz
They keep marriage a top priority despite shifting lives. Lisa explained,
“Marriage is a priority for both of us. And that means that we act on that and refocus when we’ve lost sight of the ball.”
Oz added,
“I would do anything for her…You will never let anyone touch it.”
Al Roker and Deborah Roberts
Their dynamic reshaped Robert’s attitude toward phone check-ins, with Roberts acknowledging,
“If it means something to him, then it should mean something to me.”
She has adapted to show greater warmth despite a busy schedule.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos
Ripa recounted learning to deescalate conflict early on, saying,
“Mark taught me to walk away and take a breath. That’s when you figure out that it’s not a marriage-defining moment.”
Consuelos affirmed their survival of challenges is a source of pride.
Viola Davis and Julius Tennon
They have balanced stark differences through tolerance and acceptance. Davis advised that marriage begins when recognizing a partner’s quirks but choosing love regardless, “That’s when your marriage starts.”
Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner
Tomlin shared the importance of apologies and restraint during disagreements, warning that hurtful words lead to regret:
“You’ll feel angry twice. Not good for your blood pressure, and certainly not good for your relationship.”
Judges Judy Sheindlin and Jerry Sheindlin
Jerry emphasized acceptance of differences rather than attempting to change one’s partner. Judy concluded,
“I don’t think you should marry anyone with the expectation of changing who they are.”
Daniel Dae Kim and Mia Kim
Daniel credited his wife’s patience for family stability amid his career travels.
“My wife…she’s kept our family stable. She’s been fantastic,”
and, he added,
“It’s great to have that perspective and North Star.”
The Broader Significance of Harrison Ford’s Enduring Partnership
Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart’s relationship stands out in the public eye partly due to its origins in an accidental wine spill but overwhelmingly for its authenticity and perseverance. Their mutual support through complex family dynamics, career demands, and evolving love exemplifies the work behind lasting relationships, especially those formed later in life.
Their story challenges assumptions about romance being reserved for the young and models how commitment, humor, and respect can sustain love. Ford’s recognition of staying in love as “not f–king up” captures the ongoing effort required, while Flockhart’s emphasis on calling on him instinctively speaks to a deep-rooted trust.
At a time when many celebrity relationships are fleeting, the couple’s example provides a reminder that longevity is possible with patience, understanding, and shared values. As they continue to grow together, their journey offers both inspiration and a testament to the power of love that begins with even the simplest moments—a spilled glass of wine included.
