Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor enjoyed a date night at the 2026 Met Gala, marking another public appearance for the couple whose relationship has weathered separation and reconciliation over their more than two decades together.
The couple's love story began in 1999 when they met while filming a television pilot called Heat Vision and Jack, which never made it to air. They married the following year in an oceanside ceremony in Kauai, Hawaii, on May 13, 2000. Over the years, they collaborated on numerous film projects, including Zoolander, DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, Dedication, Tropic Thunder, and Friendsgiving, with Taylor playing Stiller's love interest in the male model comedy Zoolander.
The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Ella, on April 9, 2002, followed by their son Quinn on July 10, 2005. Both children have appeared in several of their father's projects, including Megamind and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.
After 17 years of marriage, Stiller and Taylor announced their separation on May 26, 2017, less than a year after Stiller revealed he had secretly battled prostate cancer. However, signs of reconciliation began appearing in 2019 when the pair attended the Emmy Awards together that September. An eyewitness told Us Weekly at the time that Taylor "was smiling and leaning forward and in toward" Stiller, and the pair looked "happy" and never left "each others' sides."
During this period of uncertainty, Taylor remained circumspect about their relationship status. At a charity event in October 2018, she told Us Weekly, "We're a big family. We're together all the time," when asked about a potential reconciliation. When pressed about her seemingly "nice" post-split relationship with Stiller, the Search Party star responded, "It's wonderful, it's wonderful."
The couple officially confirmed their reconciliation in February 2022. Stiller revealed to Esquire that he had moved home amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We were separated and got back together and we're happy about that. It's been really wonderful for all of us. Unexpected, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic," he said.
A source told Us Weekly in March 2022 that the separation was "a serious eye-opener" for the actor. "He missed [Christine] terribly and hated the idea of their kids growing up in a broken home," the insider added, noting that Stiller realized "what he'd lost" after the breakup. During the pandemic, the Reality Bites director made time for "a lot of self-evaluation" that helped him rekindle his romance with Taylor.
Taylor provided additional insight into their reconciliation during a March 2023 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. "Family was always a priority, but I think Ben and I both started to grow in different directions," the Search Party alum explained. "And when we made the decision to separate, it was not something we wanted to talk publicly about or took lightly. We were at this impasse of, 'Let's figure this out, what's best at this chapter in our lives.'"
The pandemic provided the uninterrupted time at home that helped them reconnect. "We all ended up in our house together with two teenagers and we found this way back," Taylor explained. "We had so much time to talk, there were no other distractions. ... It just happened organically."
Since confirming their reunion, the couple has made numerous public appearances together. They attended the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, in March 2022, where an eyewitness told Us Weekly they "looked very happy together." They have also been spotted at the U.S. Open, Broadway openings, New York Knicks games, and the French Open.
In October 2023, Stiller and Taylor made a rare red carpet appearance with their son Quinlin at the Project ALS 25th Anniversary gala celebration in New York City, which they cohosted. Taylor told Entertainment Tonight that they planned to be a "team" on stage, quipping, "We yin and we yang."
Most recently, the couple walked the 2025 Emmy Awards red carpet in September, where they revealed to E! that they had decided to start watching The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City together. Their appearance at the 2026 Met Gala continues their pattern of high-profile public outings, demonstrating the strength of their renewed relationship.
The couple's journey from meeting on a failed television pilot to navigating separation and ultimately finding their way back to each other offers a compelling narrative about the complexities of long-term relationships. Their willingness to work through difficulties and prioritize their family has resulted in what appears to be a stronger partnership than before.