Meryl Streep and Her Husband Have Been Married for Over 40 Years
Meryl Streep recently made a major splash with the premiere of Big Little Lies season two, in which she portrays Mary Louise Wright, mother of Perry, Celeste's abusive husband.
As a result, you may be wondering-what's the deal with Streep's real love life? Here, we have all the answers.
Unlike her A-list contemporaries who often marry (and then divorce) other Hollywood industry vets, Meryl Streep is different. The 69-year-old three-time Oscar winner (she's earned 21 nominations) married the love of her life, sculptor Don Gummer, 72, over 40 years ago. And ever since, he's appeared with her at countless public-facing events, always letting the Kramer vs. Kramer, The Iron Lady, and The Devil Wears Prada star steal the spotlight.
Streep’s most notable shoutout to her husband came during her 2012 Academy Awards speech (she won Best Actress for Julie & Julia), in which she started her monologue by mentioning Gummer.
"First, I'm going to thank Don because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with the music, and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives, you've given me," Streep said.
The pair first met when 29-year-old Streep mourned the loss of her then boyfriend and Deer Hunter co-star John Cazale, who died of lung cancer in 1978. Shortly after his death, according to her biography, Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep by Michael Schulman (an excerpt of which was published in People), Streep was kicked out of their shared apartment. And Streep’s brother Harry arrived with his friend Don in tow. Around six months later, Streep and Gummer were married in the garden of her parents’ home in September 1978.
Gummer was born on December 12, 1946 in Louisville, Kentucky. He and Streep both attended Yale University, where Gummer earned a BFA and MFA, and she earned an MFA in fine arts in 1975. Previously, Gummer attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. In 1973, the same year he graduated, Gummer debuted his first solo exhibition at 112 Greene Street in New York City.
According to ArtDaily, Gummer’s early work concentrated on table top and wall-mounted sculptures with his interest later shifting to large, free-standing works in the mid-'80s. And according to his bio, since his debut, he’s done 22 solo shows across the country as well as well as 12 group shows. Gummer has earned several prestigious awards and has been featured in dozens of public collections and public commissions.
Together, the couple have welcomed four children-Henry Wolfe, 39, Mamie, 35, Grace, 33, and Louisa, 27-all of whom have followed in mom and dad's creative footsteps. Henry is a musician while Mamie and Grace are actresses and Louisa is a model.
And if you're wondering whether Gummer is supportive of Streep's megawatt career, the answer is yes. He was at Streep's side at many of her most celebrated events, including: at the 51st Academy Awards in 1979; at the premiere of Kramer vs. Kramer that same year; at the 55th Academy Awards in 1983; at the 61st Academy Awards in 1989; at The Bridges of Madison County premiere in 1995; at The Hours premiere in 2002; at the 79th Academy Awards in 2007; at the Mamma Mia! premiere in 2008; and at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018.
Despite keeping a low profile within both the media and art world, Gummer has managed to forge a successful career in his field without using his wife’s A+ reputation to help bolster his own. But more importantly, he’s been by her side to witness her many wins. And when you’re married to someone as beloved as Meryl Streep, that means a lot of success.
For more ways to live your best life plus all things Oprah, sign up for our newsletter!