Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor’s relationship hasn’t always been straightforward, and Taylor has now spoken candidly about what led to their reunion after time apart.
The pair married in 2000 after first meeting a year earlier while working on the television pilot Heat Vision and Jack. Stiller was directing the project, and Taylor appeared as a ‘sexy sheriff’.
Stiller has previously described their connection as immediate, and the two later shared the screen in movies such as Zoolander and Dodgeball.
In 2017, the couple surprised many when they confirmed they were separating. In a joint statement, they said:
“With tremendous love and respect for each other, and the 18 years we spent together as a couple, we have made the decision to separate. Our priority will continue to be raising our children as devoted parents and the closest of friends. We kindly ask that the media respect our privacy at this time.”
Fans were thrilled when they later shared that they had reconciled in 2022. Now, Taylor has offered more context about what changed between the split and their decision to rebuild.
Reflecting on their 2017 separation during the McBride Rewind podcast, the 54-year-old said they simply weren’t aligned on various aspects of their lives at the time.
She also admitted the breakup took a significant emotional toll, leaving her feeling both hurt and disillusioned.
“It was not without a heavy heart and feeling really, even, dejected at the time,” she revealed.
“This is not how I imagined it was going to be.”
Although they went their separate ways after 17 years of marriage, Taylor explained they remained in regular contact while co-parenting their children, Ella and Quinlin. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, circumstances brought the family back under one roof, which eventually helped them reassess their relationship and move forward together.
She said they also committed to Zoom therapy, using the unusual pause of lockdown life to address the issues that had built up and to reconnect.
“We had nothing but time,” she said of the pandemic which locked down the world in 2020.
Taylor went on to stress that long-term relationships take consistent effort, and suggested that more people should feel able to talk openly about separations—particularly when there’s a chance to repair what’s broken.
She also discussed the breakup previously, appearing on the Drew Barrymore Show in 2023.
“Family was always a priority, but I think Ben and I both started to grow in different directions.
“I think we have these growth spurts, even as adults. And we needed time to figure that out.”