Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have been married for over 25 years — and they’re still head over heels for each other.
“I’m madly in love with Mary Steenburgen. She’s a remarkable human being, so I’m just incredibly blessed,” Danson exclusively told Us Weekly in 2017. “It feels like heaven on Earth. If I were to die, I can say I know what it’s like to be loved and to love.”
Both Danson and Steenburgen were previously married. The Good Place alum first tied the knot with actress Randy Danson (née Gosch) in 1970, but they divorced in 1975. Ted married again in 1977, this time to Casey Coates. They welcomed their first child, Kate Danson, in 1979, and later adopted their second daughter, Alexis Danson, who was born in 1985. The Three Men and a Baby actor divorced Coates in 1993 after his romance with Whoopi Goldberg.
Steenburgen, meanwhile, married actor Malcolm McDowell in 1980. The pair welcomed daughter Lilly McDowell in 1981 and son Charlie McDowell in 1983 before their 1990 divorce.
Scroll down for a closer look at Steenburgen and Ted’s Hollywood romance:
1994
The pair met when they played a married couple on the set of Pontiac Moon.
1995
The two married in an October 7, 1995, ceremony on Martha’s Vineyard in front of Tom Hanks, Laura Dern, Woody Harrelson, Kirstie Alley as well as then-President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton (who are longtime friends of Steenburgen).
1996
The couple worked together twice, costarring in the short-lived CBS sitcom Ink and the NBC miniseries Gulliver’s Travels.
1999
Steenburgen was by Danson’s side as he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2001
Danson and Steenburgen are named godparents to actress Laura Dern’s son, Ellery Harper.
2003
The couple attended the New York City premiere of Elf together.
2004
Steenburgen made a cameo as a patient in the sixth and final season finale of Danson’s CBS sitcom Becker.
2008
The duo joined forces to campaign for Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary.
2012
They attended Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, where Steenburgen and the stars of The Help won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
October 2016
“Celebrating our anniversary last week. 21 years with the love of my life!” Danson shared via Instagram.
September 2019
The elegant pair attended the Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles where Danson was up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
January 2020
Steenburgen played her husband’s guitar teacher in the series finale of The Good Place. Danson called his wife “a total smoke show” on social media after the episode aired.
March 2020
“When we moved to our house, we created a little space for our grandchildren called The Book Nook,” the actress captioned a snap of her husband reading to their grandkids via FaceTime amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Now, every other day it’s our turn to read a couple of books to them from there, alternating with their other grandparents. I have a hard time not cuddling with them while I read but I am grateful to have this sweet connection. Any suggestions out there for books to read to them? I think that it’s good to order from the small local bookstores that are still shipping. I love hearing about people’s favorite children’s books. Sending love to you all. ❤️.”
October 2020
“Happy 25th Anniversary! This was SUPPOSED to be a sweet loving anniversary photo but you have a big piece of salad in your teeth. So there it is,” Steenburgen wrote via Instagram. “Thank you for making me laugh today and every single one of the last 9,125 days. You are the goofiest, wisest, kindest, dreamboat in the world. True, that is a big ass piece of salad but even that doesn’t mar your legendary beauty. I can’t believe how lucky I am. Happy Anniversary, Ted. Love, Mary.”
October 2020
The politically active couple voted together in the presidential election.
February 2021
“Here’s to love and, all of the other wonders of the world!” Steenburgen captioned an Instagram snap taken by her sister on Valentine’s Day.
November 2022
The two held hands at the 36th annual American Cinematheque Awards.
November 2024
At the November premiere of his Netflix show Man on the Inside, Ted gave Us the secret to the couple’s marital success.
“Once you meet her, you’ll understand,” he exclusively told Us. “She’s magnificent and we love each other and we laugh a lot. … We both get one ingredient in life, which is so important, that if something goes wrong, you look at yourself knowing and trusting the other person is looking at [themselves], which is what allows you to grow. If you’re with somebody who’s not willing to look at themselves, that doesn’t work.”
Ted’s Man on the Inside costars Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Lilah Richcreek Estrada, meanwhile, recalled the “really cute” things he did on set to stay connected with Steenburgen, like waking up early to play Wordle together.
“He really loves his wife. He talks about Mary a lot. It’s very sweet,” Ellis told Us. “You’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so tired. I had to get up at five to get here.’ Then he answers, ‘Yeah, I had to get up at 3:30 because Mary and I needed our time together before I came here.’”
September 2025
Danson and Steenburgen were jointly honored with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2025 Emmy Awards.
“There’s no honor that would mean more to Mary and me than this one,” Danson said in his speech. “The fact that it’s been given to both of us means the world.”
Steenburgen chimed in, “And this honor would have meant the world to our parents because, in a way, it’s about living the lives they taught us by example to live.”
She also expressed her gratitude to their children and grandchildren, who are their “biggest teachers.”
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