Why Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Romance Always Slays

Why Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar's Romance Always Slays

Reflecting on Sarah Michelle Gellar’s remarkable journey, I am truly inspired by her resilience and versatility. From slaying supernatural foes on television to using storytelling as a platform for change, she has carved out an impressive career that resonates with generations. Yet, it is her dedication to her family, especially her children, that truly sets her apart.


For those who prefer tradition, copper is the customary gift for celebrating the 22nd wedding anniversary. Given that Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. are reaching this significant date on Sept. 1, they could think about sending a piece of solid copper as a token of friendship to commemorate their special occasion.

If her mutual friend hadn’t missed her flight to the west coast on that unfortunate day in January 2000, the costars of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” might have continued their friendship, occasionally sharing meals together.

Rather than having their dinner partner fail to show up, they opted to gather nonetheless and chat, as Gellar posted on Instagram.

At the high-end sushi restaurant Asanebo, Gellar performed an act that left Prinze astonished. In his 2016 Facebook Live interview, the former aspiring chef reminisced, “Many actresses in Hollywood back then didn’t eat much, just salads. However, Sarah joined me for dinner and ate everything, even a crab that walked across the counter before it was killed with oil while still alive. She said, ‘It’s like popcorn, give it a try.'”

As she savored the crustacean, it suddenly made sense to her: “It hit me, ‘Wow, she’s amazing!'”

The spot still stands as Prinze’s favorite (“They got a five-star Michelin rating, and its Zagat guide food review is one word. It just says ‘Perfection,'” he told TopMob News), just as Gellar remains “his” girl, more than two decades and two kids later. 

For over two decades, it’s truly remarkable that Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. have maintained their relationship, especially considering they were only 22 and 23 respectively when their friendship blossomed into something more; just 25 and 26 when they tied the knot in Mexico after two-and-a-half years of dating.

Why Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar's Romance Always Slays

Couples who manage to maintain their relationships for over seven years without any major issues are often asked about the reasons behind their success. On occasion, these famous individuals try to share the formula for their seemingly magical bond. They emphasize that a successful relationship requires effort, as she explained to Us Weekly, highlighting that “to achieve a successful partnership, be it marriage, friendship, or business, you need to invest time if you want to see the positive outcomes.”

She clarified to TopMob News in February 2021 that “we can tell when someone requires some personal space, when they need a comforting embrace, or a good laugh,” explaining an amusing prank by Prinze that left her laughing so hard she cried.

Primarily, there’s a strong liking between her and the 48-year-old actor from Punky Brewster. This seemingly overlooked aspect is crucial for enduring relationships. As Gellar, aged 47, expressed to Steve Harvey, “It’s wonderful to be in love, but it’s also delightful to enjoy each other’s company and appreciate spending time together.”

That part of their relationship clicked early on, the pair connecting on the I Know What You Did Last Summer set some three years before that unexpected first date. 

Despite appearing infrequently together in the chilling film set in North Carolina, they actually spent a considerable amount of time with each other. Sarah Michelle Gellar, hailing from New York City, didn’t possess a driver’s license at the time, as David Prinze revealed to Us Weekly. This created an issue during filming in Southport, a coastal town about 30 miles away from Wilmington, the nearest major city.

He explained, “The drive to the gym took an hour, but it led to us becoming friends. Since then, we’d chat about life and various topics, as our perspectives on practically everything differed significantly due to her being a native New Yorker and me from L.A. It was like comparing night to day.”

In due course, the upcoming author of “Back to the Kitchen” revealed, regarding Gellar during her breakout role as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, “I felt drawn to be friends with her because I thought she was underweight and I wanted to prepare meals for her. That’s just what my family does.” Subsequently, we initiated a weekly barbecue at her residence, where my cousins and I would cook food for her and her companions. We ensured everyone had enough to eat, and that’s essentially how our friendship blossomed.

Why Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar's Romance Always Slays

Afterward, they would meet up much like former colleagues might, as Sarah Michelle Gellar shared with People magazine, “We were friends for a very long time. We’ve had numerous meals together.” (Additionally, there were a couple of visits to a film set, where Gellar made a fleeting appearance without dialogue in the 1999 movie She’s All That, since she was merely socializing with Prinze. On Instagram, she humorously commented on the cafeteria scene, “I believe my character didn’t want pepper.”)

However, that particular evening in January 2000, at that specific location, stood out. The daring culinary tastes of Gellar caught the eye of confirmed Japanophile Prinze. As she elaborated, “We were simply two individuals having a catch-up dinner,” she explained. “A lengthy car ride and dinner ensued, and events unfolded naturally.”

Why Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar's Romance Always Slays

A strong friendship, they realized quite swiftly that this could be something special, their bond reaching beyond their popularity during the early 2000s and the fact that they were both exceptionally attractive. (Even though, that certainly doesn’t hurt; Gellar humorously acknowledged to TopMob News in 2013, “He’s a good-looking man. I won’t complain!”)

In 2017, when speaking to TopMob News, Prinze noted that one factor contributing to the strength of our relationship has been our ability to bypass the initial getting-acquainted stage. For about two years prior, we were just friends, and she got to know me well before we started dating. She was aware of my character, my values, and what mattered most to me, and I knew hers as well. We were already familiar with each other’s flaws.

They were well aware of each other’s admirable traits, the ones suggesting this was a very promising pairing.

Sarah and I have a straightforward and candid communication style. We’ve maintained this approach for over two decades, as Prinze shared with Parade.com. If I ever act in a way that upsets her, she says something like, “Whoa, that’s not cool, why did you do that?” To which I respond, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it,” and I make sure not to repeat the action again.

He much prefers her brand of candor over any sort of passive-aggressive behavior. “She’ll let you know how she feels for better or worse,” Prinze continued. “That’s why Sarah and I are still together, cause there are not many girls like her out there.”

Since the point when they crossed over the ‘just friends’ line, he shared with People magazine, “I hadn’t been on dates with other women, nor did I have any desire to pursue dates with them.” Surprisingly, even though both had stated they didn’t believe in marriage, there came a time when he felt certain that they would get married. He admitted, “One day, I just knew we were going to get married and that I was going to propose. I wasn’t sure when or how.”

Luckily, when he knelt down in April 2001, he went on to say, “she shared the same thoughts, and my intuition proved accurate.”

On September 1, 2002, a hurricane posed a threat to my wedding vows in Puerto Vallarta, seemingly lending credence to the old saying that rain on your wedding day brings good luck. However, after an exhilarating rehearsal dinner where celebrities like Wilmer Valderrama, Dulé Hill, and my dear friend Shannen Doherty kept the party going by the pool until 3 a.m., the organizers merely shifted the Adam Shankman-officiated ceremony indoors, ensuring that the festivities continued as planned.

In Los Angeles, their careers also flourished. Prinz reached the peak of his teen movie dominion by starring as Fred alongside Gellar’s Daphne in two live-action Scooby Doo movies. Later, he transitioned to TV roles.

After killing her last vampire character in 2003, the ex-villainess from All My Children ventured into numerous movies, such as the 2004 thriller The Grudge. This film took her to Japan where she received “my most cherished gift ever,” as Prinze put it – a Katana sword crafted by a master smith. She had to acquire official documentation from the Japanese government for this special weapon.

Seven years into my marriage, the most significant gifts arrived – my precious daughter Charlotte joined us in September 2009, followed by my son Rocky three years later.

Due to his father passing away by suicide when he was just ten months old, Prinze emphasized to TopMob News in 2017 that being a father is his top priority. He explained, “Not having a dad myself, it’s extremely important to me.” When his daughter was born, this role became his primary focus, and he described it not as a job but as something he deeply enjoys.

After spending an entire season on the series “24,” he grew quite selective about his future endeavors. As Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was also raised by a single mother, confessed to Us Weekly in 2012, there were disputes over who would stay at home. One might expect that the parents would relish the opportunity to return to work, but instead, he insisted, “You stayed home for two years! It’s my turn now!”

Why Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar's Romance Always Slays

After resuming work on “Ringer” and later with Robin Williams in “The Crazy Ones”, Gellar structured her working schedule to ensure she was present for morning wake-ups or bedtime routines. In 2015, she embarked on a personal endeavor, the low-sugar, organic baking company Foodstirs, which has since become a successful venture.

Returning to screens with the show Wolf Pack, which she also executive produced last year, Gellar is well aware of her numerous successes. “I have achieved more in my career than I believed possible,” she shared with W in 2019. “I’ve been part of not just one but multiple shows that continue to resonate, that people still watch and discuss passionately. For me, everything else is a bonus.”

Despite taking pride in her ability to impact lives through storytelling, Sarah Michelle Gellar finds the greatest fulfillment from her children. They are the ones who truly acknowledge her on-screen accomplishments, yet value more the moments she shares with them, like baking cookies and helping them style their hair. As she put it to W, “I strive to maintain as much distance as possible.” She often emphasizes, “There’s Sarah Michelle Gellar and there’s Sarah Prinze. They are two distinct individuals.”

Sarah Prinze divides household chores and homework tasks with her spouse, who is noteworthy from the early 2000s. She expresses concerns about how her children will manage sleepovers (“I considered staying in their guest room overnight, but I was gently asked to leave,” she humorously mentioned to Momtastic in 2015). On weeknights, she strives to outsmart the clever contestants appearing on Jeopardy.

According to Prinze, we both contribute equally to our teamwork. If I answer a question correctly, she does too, and vice versa. We were overjoyed when we got the first six answers consecutively in our recent game. It felt like it was time for one of us to participate on ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get any more correct after that.

Why Freddie Prinze Jr. & Sarah Michelle Gellar's Romance Always Slays

They sure have figured out the answer to keep a marriage humming along two decades in, though. 

They don’t favor Valentine’s Day celebrations; instead, they enjoy quiet date nights at home with homemade meals, and they value quality family time over elaborate outings. (Prinze told Parade)

2017 saw me pondering life’s direction as a parent, musing to POPSUGAR. I came to understand our tech-savvy society well, but craved those genuine, heartfelt connections. Those moments when we disconnect from screens and engage in meaningful, one-on-one interactions. It struck me then that my life revolved around food – be it family dinners at home or casual gatherings with friends. These are the times where memories are made.

They prioritize family bonding by ensuring regular, distraction-free dinners. As acknowledged in an interview with Us Weekly in February 2020, they aim for a more engaged and phone-free dining experience, where everyone enjoys their meals together.

After all, they know just how important one seemingly insignificant meal can turn out to be. 

Prinz explained to TopMob News that their journey from friends to something more enduring struck a harmonious equilibrium. He attributed this to a strong base they established, which likely explains why they’ve consistently remained compatible and charming throughout.

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2024-09-01 13:19