13 Celebrity Couples Who Called It Quits After Decades of Marriage

Romance can be fleeting in Hollywood but there are some famous couples who have stood the test of time for many years -- and sometimes even decades! But after all that time together, there are relationships that just don’t work out and it’s in everyone’s best interest to call it quits, no matter how long they had been married. While filing for divorce after decades of marriage can be painful, many of these couples say that they’re just grateful for all the happy years they had together. Find out which couples decided to end things after years together… 1. Meryl Streep & Don Gummer Married: 39 years Meryl Streep first met Don Gummer in 1978 when her brother introduced them. They got married just six months later. The couple welcomed four children and were together for over three decades. It wasn’t until 2023 that they announced that they had parted ways -- and had actually been separated for six years by that time. “Don Gummer and Meryl Streep have been separated for more than 6 years, and while they will always care for each other, they have chosen lives apart,” Meryl rep told People. 2. Dan Aykroyd & Donna Dixon Married: 40 years Back in the early 1980s, Dan Aykroyd met his wife Donna Dixon on the set of Doctor Detroit. The couple tied the knot in 1983 and were together for almost 40 years before deciding to go their separate ways. While they did decide to end their relationship, Dan and Donna shared that they planned to stay legally married. “After 39 years as a couple we are now on separate life paths. We remain legally married, co-parents, co-workers and business partners,” they shared with People in a joint statement. “This is our choice in loving friendship.” 3. Morgan Freeman & Myrna Colley-Lee Married: 23 years Morgan Freeman and Myrna Colley-Lee got married back in 1984 and went on to welcome four children. The couple remained together for 23 years until 2007 when they ended their relationship. Their divorce was only made public a year later when Morgan was in a car accident alongside a female passenger, who many thought was his mistress. Morgan’s rep confirmed that he and Myrna were in the middle of a divorce, which was finalized in 2010. “[They] are involved in a divorce action. And for legal and practical purposes, they have been separated since December of 2007,” he said in a statement. 4. Arnold Schwarzenegger & Maria Shriver Married: 25 years Arnold Schwarzenegger was married to Maria Shriver for 25 years before the bombshell revelation that he had an affair with the family’s housekeeper that resulted in a secret child. The couple went their separate ways in 2011 but their divorce was drawn out for over a decade. According to TMZ, things weren’t finalized until 2021 -- but the couple remain great friends and co-parents. “Even though we had this drama, we did Easter together, Mother’s Day together, the Christmases together, all birthdays -- everything together,” Arnold told The Hollywood Reporter. “If there’s Oscars for how to handle divorce, Maria and I should get it for having the least amount of impact on the kids. The sweetness and kindness you see in them, that’s from my wife. The discipline and work ethic is from me.” 5. Al & Tipper Gore Married: 40 years Al Gore and his wife Tipper were married back in 1970 and their marriage spanned across four decades. The couple, who shares four children, announced in 2010 that they were going their separate ways after forty years together. They reportedly told friends and family that they had “grown apart” over the course of their relationship. 6. Judge Greg Mathis & Linda Mathis Married: 39 years Television personality Judge Greg Mathis and his wife Linda got married in 1985 and went on to welcome four children. While they had shared happy photos from a family vacation in early 2024, by that July, Linda had filed for divorce. In the documents, she cited irreconcilable differences but according to TMZ, Greg says he wants to win her back. While he admitted to not making his wife his top priority amid his career, he hopes they can make it work. 7. Robert Redford & Lola Van Wagenen Married: 27 years Robert Redford tied the knot with his wife, Lola Van Wagenen, back in 1958 when they were just in their early 20s. The couple went on to welcome four children and were married for over two decades before parting ways in 1985. Looking back, Robert says his success in Hollywood put a strain on their marriage over the years. “It was mutual and it was right to move on,” Robert shared with The Telegraph in 2001. “We still have great love, great affection, great friendship. It is wonderful, and I think we probably deserve credit for it because the kids are great, they came through it okay.” 8. Bill & Melinda Gates Married: 27 years