Ben Stiller Back With Ex-Wife Christine Taylor After Separating 4 Years Ago — Rumors About Why They Split
They seem stronger than ever.
Everett Collection / Shutterstock Almost five years after announcing their separation, Ben Stiller and his wife are back together.
Stiller and Christine Taylor announced they were splitting after a whopping 17 years together in 2017 but the actor recently revealed in an interview that they have reconciled after they decided to move in together so both parents could be with their children during the pandemic.
"Then, over the course of time, it evolved," Stiller told 'Esquire.' "We were separated and got back together and we're happy about that."
Stiller and Taylor share two children together: daughter Ella Olivia, 19, and son Quinlin Dempsey, 16.
"It's been really wonderful for all of us. Unexpected, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic."
Though the couple never officially divorced, their separation did stir several rumors about problems in their marriage.
Why did Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor separate?
The couple never gave an official reason behind their split, which they revealed via a statement to People in 2017.
"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."
However, there have been some rumors about the two actors that may explain their breakup.
1. Ben Stiller said he and Christine Taylor had their 'differences.'
While speaking on their reconciliation, Stiller touched vaguely on what may have pushed the couple apart.
"I think we have a respect for the ways that we're similar and the ways we're different. And I think accepting that, you can really appreciate someone more because you're not trying to get them to change for you," the "Zoolander" actor said.
"Once you accept that, you save a lot of energy."
2. In a 2011 interview, Ben Stiller said his marriage has had its ups and downs.
When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Stiller said of his marriage to Taylor, "Like any marriage, we've been through a lot. But you have to accept that people change. It's very easy for a relationship not to work if both people aren't committed to it."
"We've gone through ups and downs, but it's all been leading toward us becoming more and more connected. We're very, very happy together."
All marriages are difficult, but when you add in ego and fame, it becomes that much harder. Perhaps Stiller and Taylor changed into different people that could no longer connect.
3. Ben Stiller is rumored to not be as kind as he seems.
Sources who have worked with the actor described him as having a temper and claimed he frequently lashed out on set which may speak to his personal relationship too.
In 2010, an anonymous blogpost by under the name Miss Banshee described her time filming as an extra on the "Zoolander" set in Long Island City.
"Ben Stiller was a d-ck," she wrote, "All he did was whine. And complain. And throw temper tantrums that made me embarrassed as a fellow human being. Seriously, he whined that the takes were taking too long to set up."
She also mentioned that Stiller allegedly behaved this way around his wife.
"He argued. He complained. It was really awkward. Here he was, bundled up in a huge coat while all of the people in the shot shivered with NO coats, drinking coffee and bullying crew members as his very smiley and very blonde wife brought him Starbucks."
But this isn't even the only time Stiller was named for being a hard ass on set.
A source also told The Enquirer that Stiller was less than kind on the set of his 2010 film "Little Fockers."
“Ben alienated most of the cast and crew on the film ‘Little Fockers’ with his vain and self-absorbed behavior. When he wasn’t obsessing over his looks, he was throwing temper tantrums and screaming at underlings," they alleged.
"Ben’s ego has gone off the charts … he flipped out on a female assistant director for some perceived mistake and then screamed at the top of his lungs, ‘I never want to work with this woman again!’ before storming off the set. He refused to come back until the poor woman was gone. She was dismissed and the next day a male replacement was brought in to appease Ben."
4. Former Editorial Director of Paper Magazine, Mickey Boardman, named Stiller as one of the hardest actors to work with.
In an interview with Buzzfeed, Mickey Boardman dished on some of the celebrities that were not fun to work with; Ben Stiller being one of them!
"Ben Stiller was also pretty horrible. We were supposed to shoot him on a Thursday, his team called late Wednesday night saying they couldn't do it and they'd let us know about rescheduling. So they call Monday afternoon and say they can do it tomorrow," he claimed.
"I was scrambling for a studio and I found one — it was basically somebody's apartment that had a studio in it. And he was just not having it. At one point he said to his publicist, 'Can you call Mickey and say the air conditioning's not cold enough?' And I'm like, 'I heard him because he was standing right next to me.'"
It seems there's a trending theme here in regards to Stiller's attitude!
5. In 1999, Ben Stiller "joked" about having "manic" episodes.
In an interview with GQ, Ben Stiller said “I have not been an easygoing guy. I think it’s called bipolar manic depression. I’ve got a rich history of that in my family. I’m not proud of the fact that I lost my temper. Sometimes you just [expletive] up.”
However, he told The Hollywood Reporter that it's just not true, "I said it flippantly. I definitely regret saying it because it's not true. The context it was said in was joking and the writer intentionally put it out there as a real thing."
Aside from the fact that it is concerning that Stiller would joked about mental illness, the claim does suggest he is prone to lashing out.
6. Anonymous sources claimed Christine Taylor's diet was controlled by Ben Stiller.
Christine Taylor is not a person I would ever think of having weight issues, but apparently that's because her diet is allegedly being controlled by (soon to be ex) husband Ben Stiller.
In a 2009 blind item to a blog that shares celebrity gossip and theories, an account that was allegedly confirmed to be about Stiller and Taylor describes a somewhat disfunctional approach to dieting.
It states, “Not that it’s uncommon in Hollywood for married couples to share aesthetic philosophies but these two have taken it to the extreme. Counting almonds together – no more than 15 a day. And an apple and some berries max. Two to three hours at the gym. Constant colonics. Every month a three day cleanse consisting of some watered down pre-mix and nothing else. Dairy is out the question, bread hasn’t been seen in a year"
The post claims that the woman has been trying to relax the diet as the two are planning to have another baby, but her husband isn't happy.
"So while she’s trying to tiptoe over to a more normal nutritional meal plan, he’s not only been reluctant, he’s also been much more distant, spending longer hours away from home, and seeming to avoid her calls when he’s at work. Like he’s afraid her healthy weight is contagious.”
If this is true, it's very sad. However, these claims are completely unverified.
Regardless of the reasons behind their decision to split, we hope the family finds peace and comfort now that they've worked things out!
Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.