‘Zoolander’ Co-Stars Ben Stiller And Christine Taylor Call It Quits After 18 Years


Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor have been married for 17 of their 18 years together, but this longevity has reportedly come to an end for the Zoolander stars. Taylor and Stiller announced their separation yesterday, which will undoubtedly have a big impact on their professional lives as well. After all, the former couple has leveraged their fame and relationship several times in the past to work together on projects such as Zoolander, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Tropic Thunder.

Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller released a joint statement to the media regarding their separation.

“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.”

Why Are Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor Separating?

So far, neither Zoolander star has opened up about the separation, so it’s impossible to know for sure what prompted their split. What we do know is that there have been no credible rumors of infidelity, and the long-term couple also didn’t engage in public arguments.

Rumors Swirl About Ben Stiller Being Difficult to Work With

[Image by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP Images]

Before Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller announced the dissolution of their relationship, there were repeated rumors about Stiller having a bad temper on set. At least one extra has claimed that the actor “whined” and threw “temper tantrums” while filming Zoolander.

Mickey Boardman, who used to be Paper Magazine‘s Editorial Director, told Buzzfeed that Ben Stiller was “pretty horrible” to work with. Boardman alleged that Stiller’s team rescheduled the actor’s shoot at the last minute. After which, Stiller reportedly complained during the shoot.

Rumors of an actor being difficult to work with are common in Hollywood, and it’s difficult to determine which, if any, of these comments are accurate. However, Ben Stiller did tell GQ, “I have not been an easygoing guy.” When you combine this with several comments about his temper and rumors that Stiller was obsessed with counting calories with Christine Taylor, it begins to be easier to understand why the relationship might have come to an end.

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor: A Look Back at Their 18 Years Together

The couple with Hugh Jackman at the 2016 US Open. [Image by Michael Reaves/Getty Images]

Before the co-stars of Zoolander became one of Hollywood’s power couples, they met on the set of Heat Vision and Jack in 1999. Ben Stiller has mentioned in previous interviews that his relationship with Christine Taylor started as a friendship, but a few months later, they realized they were in love.

Stiller asked Taylor’s father for permission to propose to the actress approximately eight months after filming Heat Vision and Jack. On May 13, 2000, Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller tied the knot in Hawaii with the ocean as their backdrop. During the next 17 years of marriage, Taylor and Stiller had two children and shared the screen in numerous movies and TV shows, ranging from Arrested Development to Zoolander 2.

During an interview in 2015, Christine Taylor attributed their relationship success to having a sense of humor. Stiller went on to state, “I say that’s the secret to a happy marriage.” Interestingly, The Hollywood Reporter has pointed out how infrequently Ben Stiller tells jokes off-camera. Producer Scott Rudin also characterized Stiller as being “very, very serious” and wanting “everybody to be at the same level as him.”

Most divorces are caused by a long list of issues, so even if Stiller didn’t bring his sense of humor home from the set, it seems unfair to make any assumptions about that being the main catalyst for the breakup. Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller did stay together for 18 years, so the Zoolander stars were clearly happy together for an extended period of time before deciding to separate.

[Featured Image by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images]

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