Susan Sarandon On Split From Tim Robbins: I Felt Like A Failure

Susan Sarandon split from Tim Robbins in the summer of 2009, complete with a brusque ‘No comment’ from the reps of both stars.

Sarandon was in more talkative mood in a recent interview with Reuters. The actress, 65, openly discussed her break from Robbins after 23 years together, saying how she felt “like a failure.”

The poster couple for the Hollywood left, known for their political activism, met on the set of Bull Durham. Sarandon admitted the split took its toll on her, but said she also took positives from the experience:

“Of course you feel like a failure. It’s a big deal, but again, it’s an opportunity to grow.”

At the same time, the actress offered some advice to those who have split from long-term partners:

“At the end of my first marriage [to actor Chris Sarandon], it was about the loss of ideal, about who you thought this person was. I thought love conquered all and I had to reevaluate everything. And you need your girlfriends, you need to take long, long walks until you’re exhausted and no longer freaking out and you hold on until a new dawn. Then you get another chance.”

Despite those sage words, Sarandon appears to enjoy life as a singleton, as she reflected:

“[Single life] has been a lot of different things. It’s traumatic and exhilarating. The one thing that’s been really clear to me is that you have to think of your own life and your relationship and everything as a living organism. It’s constantly moving, changing, growing. I think long-term relationships need to be constantly reevaluated and talked about.”