All about the timeless romance of Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen

All about the timeless romance of Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen are one of Hollywood’s most enduring couples. They first met in 1983 and later reconnected in 1993 during the filming of Pontiac Moon. Their bond began as a friendship before blossoming into a romance. The Hollywood actors married in 1995, following the end of their previous marriages.

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at The Kelly Clarkson Show
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen appearing at The Kelly Clarkson Show. Photo: Weiss Eubanks/Getty Images (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have been married since 7 October 1995.
  • Ted and Mary Steenburgen have no children together.
  • Ted shares two daughters, Kate and Alexis Danson, with ex-wife Casey Coates, while Mary shares daughter Lilly Walton and son Charlie McDowell with ex-husband Malcolm McDowell.

Profile summary

Full name

Edward Bridge Danson III

Mary Nell Steenburgen

Gender

Male

Female

Date of birth

29 December 1947

8 February 1953

Age

77 years old (as of 2025)

72 years old (as of 2025)

Zodiac sign

Capricorn

Aquarius

Place of birth

San Diego, California, United States

Newport, Arkansas, United States

Current residence

Santa Monica, Los Angeles, United States

Santa Monica, Los Angeles, United States

Nationality

American

American

Ethnicity

White

White

Religion

Christianity

Christianity

Sexuality

Straight

Straight

Height in feet

6'3"

5'8"

Height in centimetres

189

173

Weight in pounds

78

60

Weight in kilograms

172

132

Hair colour

Grey and white

Light brown

Eye colour

Grey

Dark brown

Father

Edward Bridge Danson, Jr.

Maurice Steenburgen

Mother

Jess Danson

Nellie Mae Wall

Siblings

One

Two

Marital status

Married

Married

Spouse

Mary Steenburgen

Ted Danson

Children

Four

Four

Education

Kent School, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University

North Little Rock High School, Hendrix College

Profession

Actor

Actress, comedian, singer, songwriter

Instagram

@teddanson

@mary_steenburgen

Facebook

@OfficialTedDanson

N/A

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Explore Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's relationship timeline

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen first met in 1983. However, it wasn’t until 1993, a decade later, that their romance blossomed into a relationship. Below is a detailed breakdown of their love life.

1983: Ted and Mary meet

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen pose in the press room during the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Photo: John Shearer
Source: Getty Images

The Hollywood actors first met in 1983 during the audition for Cross Creek. At the time, both actors were already married. Danson was married to American activist Cassandra Coates, while Mary was married to British actor Malcolm McDowell.

1993: The couple reconnects

The couple reconnected and became good friends after they were both cast in 1993's Pontiac Moon. During an interview with People, Danson reflected on their first meeting, saying,

Which is a miracle, because, man, I was a hot mess back then.

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's friendship turned romantic after a canoe trip to Mendocino.

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1995: Danson proposes to Steenburgen

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards in Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles. Photo: Allen J. Schaben
Source: Getty Images

Danson proposed to Mary on her 42nd birthday in February 1995 in Houston, Texas, United States, where she was filming the 1995 movie Powder. The Pontiac Moon star described the proposal in a YouTube interview, saying,

I was so clear that I didn't want to be with anyone else. I couldn't imagine not being with her at all times. I got the ring made, and I kept walking around, practising in my head, 'I want to marry you, I want to marry you.' Literally, for like a month.

1995: Ted Danson and Mary tie the knot

The couple married on 7 October 1995, on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's wedding was attended by 150 guests, including political figures like Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's children also attended the wedding, with Kate serving as a bridesmaid and Katrina as a flower girl.

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1996: The couple stars in Gulliver's Travels

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen attend Netflix's 2025 Emmy Celebration
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen attend Netflix's 2025 Emmy Celebration at NYA WEST in Hollywood, California. Photo: Gonzalo Marroquin
Source: Getty Images

Ted and Steenburgen costarred in the 1996 TV miniseries Gulliver's Travels. Steenburgen portrayed Mary Gulliver, and Ted played Mary's husband Lemuel Gulliver.

1998: They attend the Creative Coalition Spotlight Awards Gala

Ted and his wife, Mary, attended the Creative Coalition Spotlight Awards Gala on 30 November 1998. The event was held at the Pierre Hotel in New York City, New York, United States.

1999–2009: Danson and Steenburgen continue to shine as couples

In 2004, they co-starred in It Must Be Love. Danson portrayed George Gazelle, and Mary played Gazelle's wife, Clem. They also made several public appearances during this period, including attending a book signing party for Alan Dershowitz at the Moxie Café in July 1999.

Danson and Mary also attended a 2009 ceremony honouring Steenburgen with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.

October 2013: Mary Steenburgen describes Ted as "heaven-sent"

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Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen attend the Golden Gala: A Celebration of Excellence
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen at the Golden Gala: A Celebration of Excellence at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Gilbert Flores/GG2025
Source: Getty Images

The American actress opened up about married life with Danson to CBS's This Morning, recalling how she almost gave up on dating before meeting him. She said,

I had actually, before I met him, gotten a little cynical about love. I thought infatuation was about as far as it went, and then I met him.

Mary added,

He's the real deal for me. He's definitely heaven-sent.

2017: Divorce rumours surface

Speculations emerged that the couple was going their separate ways. The rumours stemmed from a storyline in Curb Your Enthusiasm, in which they both played fictional characters.

Fans became curious after they got divorced on-screen. However, they refuted the claims, stating that their characters' divorce was simply a storyline on the TV show.

2018: Mary congratulates Ted on the Critics' Choice Awards win

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen attend 2024 AFI Fest - "The Summer Book" premiere
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen attend 2024 AFI Fest - "The Summer Book" premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. Photo: Leon Bennett
Source: Getty Images

Steenburgen congratulated Danson on Instagram for winning the Critics' Choice Awards for his sterling performance on the comedy series The Good Place. In the caption, she wrote,

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Congrats to my darling heart on his Critic's Choice Award!!!!

2020: Couple celebrates 25th wedding anniversary

Danson and Mary celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on 7 October 2020. Steenburgen shared a comical tribute to Danson on Instagram. She wrote,

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.

2021: Ted Danson says his "greatest role" in life is being Mary's husband

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen attend 2024 AFI Fest - "The Summer Book" premiere
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen attend 2024 AFI Fest - "The Summer Book" premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. Photo: Leon Bennett
Source: Getty Images

Before the season 2 premiere of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Ted praised his wife on his Instagram page, saying his main role is being the husband of Mary. He wrote,

My greatest role is getting to be the husband of this incredible woman

The Hollywood actors were featured on the cover of People's first-ever Love Issue, where they explored details of their married life.

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2024: Ted and Mary walk the red carpet

In March 2024, Ted and Mary walked the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. Danson rocked a black suit over a crisp white shirt, complete with black shoes and a polka-dot tie, while Mary wore a strapless black column gown with a buckle detail in the centre.

2025: Ted and Mary receive the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award

Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson at the 20th Annual Hammer Museum Gala In The Garden
Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson attend the 20th Annual Hammer Museum Gala In The Garden at Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Photo: Stefanie Keenan
Source: Getty Images

The couple attended the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theatre, where they received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for their philanthropic work. Their charitable work spans several organisations, including Pathway to Kinship, No Kid Hungry, and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

2025: They attend the PaleyFest 2025

Ted Danson and Mary attended Netflix's hit show A Man on the Inside during PaleyFest 2025 in November 2025 in New York City. The two co-stared as love interests in the second season of the TV show.

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FAQs

  1. Are Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen separated? They are still together.
  2. Are Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen married in real life? The couple has been married since 7 October 1995.
  3. What shows have Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen appeared in together? They have appeared in several shows, including It Must Be Love and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
  4. How old is Mary Steenburgen? Mary is 72 years old as of 2025. She was born on 8 February 1953.
  5. Do Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have children together? The couple has no children together. However, Ted has two daughters, Kate and Alexis, with his ex-wife, Casey Coates, while Mary has two kids, Lilly Walton and Charlie, with her ex-husband, Malcolm McDowell.
  6. How old was Mary Steenburgen when she met Ted Danson? The couple met in 1983 when Mary was roughly 30, and Danson was 36.

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have been married since 1995. The two first met in 1983 during the audition for Cross Creek. However, it wasn't until 10 years later, on the set of Pontiac Moon, that their relationship turned romantic.

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Sophia Di Martino and Sharpe have two children, born in 2019 and 2021. While they occasionally reference their love story, much about their relationship remains undisclosed. However, their collaborations on various projects hint at their strong bond. Discover more details about their relationship.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Peris Wamangu avatar

Peris Wamangu (Lifestyle writer) Peris Wamangu is a reporter with more than four years of experience as a content writer. Peris joined Yen in 2024. Before that, she worked with Legit's team from 2021 to 2024. Peris graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi in 2019. She enjoys writing about various topics such as fashion, currency, biographies, entertainment and business. In 2023, Peris finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and the Google News Initiative course. Email: wamanguperis@gmail.com