Kathryn Hahn recently reflected on her enduring relationship with Ethan Sandler, offering candid insights into her marriage journey during a conversation with Gwyneth Paltrow. Sharing openly about the trials and transformations over the years, the WandaVision star’s experience provides a window into how couples weather challenges, underlining the complexity of the Kathryn Hahn marriage journey.
Reliving the Highs and Lows of a Lasting Marriage
Kathryn Hahn, known for her roles in Bad Moms and WandaVision, married producer Ethan Sandler in 2002, marking the beginning of a partnership that has traversed many seasons of change. Their relationship, which began during their time at Northwestern University in the early 1990s, was the focus of Hahn’s remarks on a November episode of Gwyneth Paltrow’s podcast. When Paltrow, an Oscar winner, asked about the longevity of their romance, Hahn remarked with humor and candor,
“We definitely have gotten married and divorced, like, seven times over the course of it.”
— Kathryn Hahn
Despite navigating ups and downs, Hahn and Sandler have demonstrated a commitment to enduring through every shifting season. Hahn recounted a perspective that shaped their outlook,
“I remember somebody saying if you’re married 30 years [and] you have, like, five s–tty years, you’re still doing great,”
— Kathryn Hahn, before adding,
“We’ve just spread that out over the thirty, so that always makes us feel better. Like, ‘Great. Maybe we’re just in the middle of our five-year s–t stretch.’”
— Kathryn Hahn
The couple, now parents to two—Leonard, 19, and Mae, 16—recently entered a new stage as their eldest left for college. Hahn reflected on how this major family transition impacted her view of partnership, explaining,
Image of: Kathryn Hahn
“Having somebody leave the house and go to college all of a sudden really brings into relief how grateful I am to have somebody to look at getting old with,”
— Kathryn Hahn, as well as,
“It’s been really sweet and tender having our son out of the house… because no one else really understands it as well as we do.”
— Kathryn Hahn
Discussing the emotional challenges as Leonard moved out, Hahn previously revealed on The Drew Barrymore Show the depth of her feelings, stating,
“I’m trying to get all the tears out now so that I can just be so happy for him when he goes off,”
— Kathryn Hahn, and continued with,
“But right now, it’s a mess. You think you’re always gonna be in that child-rearing chapter and you cannot imagine your life after it.”
— Kathryn Hahn
Longtime Couples Reveal Keys to Enduring Partnerships
While Hahn and Sandler explore the evolving dynamics of their union, other public figures have reflected on what has sustained their marriages over decades. Their insights range from humor and grace to commitment and flexibility, each marking their unique marriage journeys.
Laughter and Joy Sustain Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann
For Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann, who have been together for more than 20 years, humor plays a pivotal role. Hermann described laughter as a fundamental aspect of their bond and shared with Hargitay,
“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,”
and,
“And I think what sustains our marriage is that I know you love me in spite of who I am, and that is the definition of grace.”
— Peter Hermann
Even after disagreements, they find recovery through lightheartedness, as Hermann noted,
“One of us will test the waters with a joke—about the very thing we were fighting about,”
and elaborated,
“It’s like one of us says, ‘I’m not saying I was wrong, and I’m not still insisting I was entirely right, but can we at least inch our way back toward the place where we caught at stuff together?’ Once that happens, it’s a pretty good sign that things are on their way to getting patched up.”
— Peter Hermann
Chip & Joanna Gaines Value Consistency and Pursuit
Chip and Joanna Gaines have adhered to advice received before their 2003 wedding: maintain regular connection, such as weekly date nights, and resist distractions like purchasing a TV. Chip emphasized the importance of actively wooing your partner,
“I’m not saying she’d never cheat on me,”
he said, clarifying further,
“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.”
— Chip Gaines
The Importance of Conflict Resolution for Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon
Having been married for 36 years, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon believe the secret is not dwelling on disagreements. Bacon offered a word of warning,
“My first piece of advice is not to take advice from celebrities,”
— Kevin Bacon, while Sedgwick relayed a succinct family mantra,
“Keep the fights clean and the sex dirty,”
— Kyra Sedgwick
Sedgwick elaborated on their problem-solving,
“Honestly, we don’t like to fight, so when we actually are in an argument, we’re both looking for a solution,”
— Kyra Sedgwick, noting,
“For the most part we’re struggling to get back to everything being okay, because it sucks to fight.”
— Kyra Sedgwick. On the subject of commitment, she closed with,
“There is no Plan B. No matter what, we want to work it out.”
— Kyra Sedgwick
Michael J. Fox & Tracy Pollan’s Approach to Fighting Fair
Together for more than three decades, Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan have learned to avoid targeting each other’s vulnerabilities during conflict. Fox revealed,
“Tracy and I don’t pick scabs,”
— Michael J. Fox and continued,
“In some marriages, people look at their partner and see vulnerability and they just can’t help but go after that vulnerability, like it’s a sport or something. We don’t do that.”
— Michael J. Fox
Accepting that disagreements happen, Fox added,
“If I’ve said something stupid, I have the tendency to want to take it back and make it all okay,”
— Michael J. Fox, though he admitted that is not always effective. Pollan described her way of handling hurt feelings,
“Sometimes you just have to say to yourself, ‘You know what? He said something schmucky and it made me feel bad. But he’s a good person and I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he didn’t realize that what he said hurt my feelings.’”
— Tracy Pollan
Jamie Lee Curtis & Christopher Guest Find Connection Through Humor
Jamie Lee Curtis, approaching four decades with filmmaker Christopher Guest, attributes much of their happiness to laughter. She shared,
“He still makes me laugh more than any human being,”
— Jamie Lee Curtis, and joked,
“and I’m sure there’s something about me that he likes. I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure there’s something.”
— Jamie Lee Curtis
Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka Accept Change in Relationships
For Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, redefining the relationship over time has helped them endure. Harris stated,
“I think one of the things that has kept us together all of these years is that we both define relationships as something that’s relatively indefinable,”
— Neil Patrick Harris, acknowledging,
“When you have sex with the same person over and over, it gets redundant, and so you try different things. Then one day you don’t like each other, and suddenly you’re not attracted to each other, so you have to figure out how to be reattracted to them—but in a different way because you’re aging.”
— Neil Patrick Harris
He continued, explaining the cyclical nature of attraction,
“So in a weird way, we keep falling in love with each other in different ways, over and over.”
— Neil Patrick Harris
Melissa McCarthy & Ben Falcone Measure Their Marriage in Laughter
Comedic partners Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone firmly believe that laughter prolongs their life together. McCarthy described their method,
“Whenever we have a good laugh,”
— Melissa McCarthy, emphasizing,
“especially a crazy one, when you’re like, Oh, my God, and you’re almost dizzy—we always assign it a specific amount of time that it added to our lives. And I’m always adding it up. I’ll say, ‘Okay, that was like two months—I just got two more months to live!’”
— Melissa McCarthy
Falcone described his take on conflict,
“I tried it once, and I realized that in the morning I had forgotten what I was mad about. You’re not getting any answers if you’re parsing out an argument when everybody is tired and possibly had a drink or two. I’ve never had the thing where you’re having an argument at ten o’clock at night, and then you say, ‘Well, that was good. I’m glad we got to the bottom of that. We agree. Truce signed.’”
— Ben Falcone
The Art of Blending Families: Ted Danson & Mary Steenburgen
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, both previously married before uniting in 1995, faced the challenge of blending families. Steenburgen explained,
“There is no book that tells you how to do it, so the one thing I figured out right away is that they already have a mom—and it’s not me. So what did they need from me?”
— Mary Steenburgen, deciding her role would be as a supporter,
“That’s when I realized that everybody needs a cheerleader, right? There’s never too many of those in your life, so that’s what I’ll be. I never set their boundaries, disciplined them, or tried to teach them right from wrong. They have parents who do that.”
— Mary Steenburgen
Ted Danson concurred,
“I think that’s really wise, to offer yourself as a friend,”
— Ted Danson, adding,
“‘I’m not going to discipline you and I’m not going to judge you. What I’m going to do is hang out with you and be there for you.’ And that’s what you have to do: absolutely, genuinely be there.”
— Ted Danson
Elton John & David Furnish Build Tradition and Communication
Elton John and David Furnish celebrate their partnership with unique traditions, including exchanging handwritten notes every Saturday no matter their location. Furnish explained,
“There’s something very spiritual and real about handwriting,”
— David Furnish, and elaborated,
“and the cards are a chance to reflect on the week that’s passed and talk about the week that’s coming up.”
— David Furnish. Elton John also pointed to communication,
“It’s part of the success, I think, of a lasting relationship. Communication is the most important thing.”
— Elton John
Dr. Mehmet Oz & Lisa Oz Make Marriage Central
Lisa Oz recounted a fateful bond,
“Six months before I met him, I had these recurring dreams about this person I was going to marry,”
— Lisa Oz. Keeping their relationship central amid life’s challenges, she reflected,
“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,”
— Lisa Oz. Mehmet Oz reinforced his commitment,
“The bottom line is this: I would do anything for her. Climb any mountain, take any bullet—in the chest, too, by the way. I might do things that justifiably make her really angry at me, but I would never let anything block me from delivering my love to her,”
— Mehmet Oz, and advised,
“You will never let anyone touch it.”
— Mehmet Oz
Communication Styles Matter: Al Roker & Deborah Roberts
Al Roker and Deborah Roberts have worked to bridge their differences in communication. While Roberts admitted,
“If you’re calling just to say, ‘So, what’s up?’ no, I do not like that.”
— Deborah Roberts, she embraced her husband’s need for check-ins after a friend’s advice,
“One friend said to me, ‘Did you ever think that maybe he just feels comfortable when he hears your voice, because that tells him that all is right in the world?’”
— Deborah Roberts, which changed her perspective. She’s since adapted,
“I have learned to take a breath and say, ‘Sweetie, I’ve got some stuff going on, but what’s going on with you? Great. I’m glad to hear from you. Got to go. Talk to you later. Love you.’ That makes all the difference in the world to him, and it doesn’t kill me for two minutes to be nice and sweet.”
— Deborah Roberts
Early Lessons and Growing Together: Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos credit their nearly 30-year marriage to learning not to escalate minor arguments and understanding the importance of giving each other space. Ripa explained,
“Early in a marriage, it’s easy to let little things become big things—whether it’s financial strain or career strain or you have kids and you’re sleep-deprived,”
— Kelly Ripa. She learned from Consuelos to pause and separate before letting situations worsen,
“But Mark taught me to walk away and take a breath. That’s when you figure out that it’s not a marriage-defining moment.”
— Kelly Ripa
Consuelos highlighted the significance of shared adversity,
“Anytime you see a couple who seems truly happy, you can bet they’ve gone through some crazy, crazy stuff together and they’ve survived,”
and concluded,
“That’s something to be proud of.”
— Mark Consuelos
Accepting Differences: Viola Davis & Julius Tennon
Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, married since 2003, maintain their partnership by accepting personality differences and learning to let the other be. Davis gave her advice for new couples,
“Marriage does not start when you walk down the aisle,”
and clarified,
“Your marriage starts when you look over at a person who you love more than anything, and there’s something about him—just one character trait that makes you say to yourself, ‘Oh man, that’s going to drive me crazy. I don’t know if I can deal with this.’ And then the next minute you say, ‘But you know what? I love him.’ That’s when your marriage starts.”
— Viola Davis
Lily Tomlin & Jane Wagner Choose Compassion Over Conflict
Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner, together for half a century, believe in keeping apologies ready and avoiding lingering resentment. Tomlin shared,
“Usually, I’m the one who apologizes. It’s not hard because I love her and can’t bear for her to feel lonely for even five minutes.”
— Lily Tomlin. She offered a perspective on anger,
“Remember, when you’re angry at your partner and say something hurtful, you will be more angry at yourself later for having said hurtful things to the person you love. You’ll feel angry twice. Not good for your blood pressure, and certainly not good for your relationship.”
— Lily Tomlin
Accepting Partners As They Are: Judges Judy Sheindlin & Jerry Sheindlin
Retired judges Judy Sheindlin and Jerry Sheindlin demonstrate the importance of accepting a partner wholly, rather than hoping to change them. After reconciling and remarrying following a brief divorce, Judy explained,
“Every relationship is different, but there is a common thread of unhappiness, and that unhappiness comes from trying to make another person different from who they are. You can try, but they’re always going to resent it,”
— Judy Sheindlin, ultimately concluding,
“I don’t think you should marry anyone with the expectation of changing who they are.”
— Judy Sheindlin
Daniel Dae Kim & Mia Kim Find Stability Through Patience
Daniel Dae Kim openly praised his wife Mia Kim, whom he married in 1993, for fostering stability in their family life as he pursued professional commitments. Kim said,
“My wife—being patient as I traipse around the world, going from job to job—she’s kept our family stable. She’s been fantastic.”
— Daniel Dae Kim
He also credited his wife and their two sons for grounding him,
“It’s great to have that perspective and North Star.”
— Daniel Dae Kim
Why These Marriage Journeys Matter
The stories of Kathryn Hahn, Ethan Sandler, and other enduring couples offer nuanced insights into what defines a lasting partnership. While each relationship faces setbacks and joyful moments, themes of gratitude, humor, communication, resilience, and acceptance resurface continually as vital ingredients. As Hahn’s own reflections demonstrate, every season—whether easy or difficult—creates its own lessons, helping couples see their partners anew as they journey forward together.
As these deeply personal accounts reveal, even unions that seem unshakeable from the outside have weathered storms, sometimes over years or decades. The Kathryn Hahn marriage journey, shared alongside other celebrities’ experiences, shows that continual growth, humor, and mutual appreciation can sustain relationships through their inevitable changes. As time goes on, these themes remain central to couples navigating new stages and challenges, lighting a path for others to follow in both love and resilience.
