Christine Taylor Details Reconciling With Ben Stiller After 2017 Split

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Along came reconciliation for Ben Stiller and wife Christine Taylor.

Fairuza Balk, known for her role in The Craft, revealed how she and Ben Stiller rebuilt their relationship after splitting up in 2017. The couple share two children: Ella, 24, and Quinlin, 20. Stiller is also known for his work in Along Came Polly.

Christine explained on the May 26th episode of The McBride Rewind podcast that a positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic for them was the opportunity to repair their relationship. They were able to spend time together as a family, essentially creating a ‘bubble’ with their children, as their daughter was graduating high school and their son was finishing eighth grade.

After years apart, the 54-year-old explained that she and Ben spent a lot of time in therapy, working on their relationship. They had regular sessions over Zoom, which helped them reconnect and find their way back to each other.

Christine and Ben met while working on the 1999 film Heat Vision and Jack, married in 2000, and announced their separation in May 2017.

The actress explained that they simply had very different perspectives on many things and were pushing hard to force a solution. Ultimately, they decided to step back and take a break to reassess the situation.

Okay, so they say splitting up was the right thing to do, and logically, I guess I get it… but honestly, hearing them talk about it, it just sounded so hard. Like, it really tore them apart to even make that decision, you know? It wasn’t some easy thing at all, and it breaks my heart a little just thinking about how much it must’ve hurt them both.

She admitted she was really upset and disappointed when things didn’t work out as she’d hoped. She felt they should have been able to resolve their issues, and it was a difficult time for her.

But through it all, their kids always came first.

Christine shared that they maintained regular communication, actively co-parented, and continued to enjoy time together as a family.

In 2022, Ben, 60, revealed that their co-parenting dynamic had flourished into something more.

The actor, known for Night at the Museum, shared with Esquire that they and their partner had gone through a separation but were now happily reunited, and that things were going well for everyone involved.

“Unexpected,” he added, “and one of the things that came out of the pandemic.”

For a closer look into Ben and Christine’s life together, read on…

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor have been married since 2000 and separated in 2017, but they never officially divorced. After spending time together with their children, Ella and Quinlin, during the pandemic, they decided to get back together.

Ella frequently joins her father, Ben, at industry events. For example, she attended the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023 for the premiere of a short film starring her mother, Christine, and the family coordinated their outfits in shades of black.

She’s also been Ben’s date to several other premieres and events over the years, including the 2022 Emmys, the premieres of Free Solo (2018) and The Meyerowitz Stories (2017), and the opening night of the Groundhog Day musical.

In 2019, Ella and Ben attended the Golden Globes together to support Escape to Dannemora, a miniseries for which Ben was nominated for Outstanding Directing.

Ben recently shared how much he enjoyed working with his daughter, Ella, on the set of Escape to Dannemora. In an interview with TopMob, he said he was “very proud” of her. The Zoolander actor explained that the experience was positive for both of them, noting that Ella treated him with respect. He jokingly added that, as a parent of a teenager, he hoped they could maintain a polite dynamic on set, unlike their usual interactions at home.

Ella has appeared in a few films and TV shows, including Escape to Dannemora, Hubie Halloween, and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. Her parents have been supportive of her interest in acting. Ben noted in 2019 that Ella “seems to have a desire to explore” a career in the field, and Christine told Us Weekly in 2018 that she never tried to steer Ella away from following in their footsteps. Christine explained that Ella was determined from the start, and living in New York City exposed her to a lot of inspiring performances, giving her a real passion for acting. While Christine didn’t actively encourage it, she also didn’t want to stand in her way.

Ben recently shared that his daughter, Ella, had talked to him about feeling like he wasn’t around enough when she was growing up, due to his work. He told Esquire that it was difficult to hear, as she expressed her feelings clearly. It was especially tough because he remembered feeling the same way about his own parents, actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and had vowed not to repeat that pattern.

While it wasn’t easy to hear, Ben said it was important to acknowledge Ella’s feelings. He was also trying to balance fulfilling his own ambitions. He clarified that Ella and her brother, Quinlin, weren’t tracking his absences, they simply missed spending time with him.

Ben realized that his children weren’t concerned with his career success. What they truly wanted was an emotionally available and supportive father – something he believes is more important than pursuing creative endeavors.

Ben Affleck recently shared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert that his daughter Ella turned him into a big Taylor Swift fan. He explained that playing Swift’s music helped calm Ella while she was learning to drive, and it ended up growing on him too. He went from being a casual listener to a full-fledged ‘Swiftie.’

Ben said Taylor’s music had a calming effect on both of them. He even detailed how deeply he’s gotten into her discography, mentioning albums like Folklore and Evermore, and songs like ‘Cardigan,’ ‘Betty,’ and ‘August’ – which he noted all tell the same love story from different perspectives, with characters inspired by Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s children. He capped it off by referencing the 10-minute version of ‘All Too Well’ from Taylor’s vault, proving just how much of a fan he’s become.

I was so impressed by Christine’s dedication to our family after she and Ben filmed Tropic Thunder back in 2007. She just naturally stepped back from acting to really focus on raising their kids, and it always felt like the right thing to do for her. I remember her saying in an interview on The Morning Call in 2010 that having Ella completely changed her world – she was overwhelmed with love and just wanted to be fully present. With Ben working so much, she felt it was important for one of them to provide that constant stability, and she happily took on that role. It was such a selfless thing to do. Ben himself even shared with Parade in 2016 how incredibly grateful he was that she made that choice – it clearly meant the world to him, too.

Over ten years ago, Ben and Christine decided to eat a plant-based diet and encourage their children to do the same. In 2012, Christine told People magazine that their kids initially reacted with disbelief when they made healthy green drinks. She jokingly urged them to try it, saying, “Just join the party!” Christine also shared that their daughter, Ella, prefers vegetables over fruit, while their son, Quinlin, has the opposite preference. Despite this, Christine remains optimistic that her children will eventually embrace the lifestyle, believing that, like many kids, they’ll eventually see their parents as cool. She describes their approach as simply “planting the seeds.”

Ella frequently joins her parents at events, but Quinlin is rarely seen in public. He did attend the Project A.L.S. Benefit in 2018 with his family. According to Christine, speaking to Us Weekly at the time, this was Quinlin’s first event and he was simply enjoying the experience. She explained that their daughter attended the event the previous year and encouraged him to come this time, and that it was special to share the occasion with their close-knit group of friends who have watched their children grow up together for two decades.

Quinlin also participated in the 2023 Project ALS 25th Anniversary Gala. Ben and Christine have made sure to share their charitable interests with their children. Christine, who serves on the organization’s board of directors, told Us Weekly in 2018 that it meant a lot to her when her kids would come to events, even on school nights, to have fun and learn about such a worthwhile cause. She said being able to dress up, take pictures, and then understand the impact of Project ALS was ‘huge’.

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2026-05-30 18:17