Celebrity Secrets to a Happy Marriage in Hollywood

Kyra & Kevin

Kyra Sedgwick’s No. 1 rule for a long and lasting union? “Keep the fights clean,” she once said. No. 2? “And don’t have sex with somebody else.” The Emmy winner, 58, has admitted she still “gets a little fluttery” when husband Kevin Bacon, 65, walks into a room — even after 35 years of marriage. “Sex is really important,” she’s advised, and “a sense of humor is crucial.”

Luciana & Matt

Sometimes it’s best to call a professional to work through issues. After acting nonstop for years, Matt Damon, 53, “negotiated extensively with my wife that I was taking time off,” he’s shared, explaining he and Luciana Barroso, 47, did it “in couples therapy.” They agreed to one loophole — Matt could answer if filmmaker Christopher Nolan called. So when the director unexpectedly offered Matt a role in Oppenheimer, it was already settled.

Chrissy & John

Chrissy Teigen, 38, and John Legend, 44, fêted their 10-year wedding anniversary with a beautifully planned vow renewal in Italy in September. But the couples therapy advocates believe spontaneity is important in a relationship, too: Chrissy’s admitted they joined the mile-high club by getting intimate under a blanket on a commercial flight. “We weren’t even in one of those pod things,” she said. “I feel like we should get a trophy for that!”

George & Amal

Nine years have passed since George and Amal Clooney tied the knot in Venice, Italy — and it’s safe to say they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses well by now. “My wife, who is a brilliant lawyer, she’s one of the advocates of the world. She takes on Isis,” the movie star, 62, told ExtraTV on December 12. “But I better be doing the cooking or we will all die.” George doesn’t mind picking up the kitchen slack for the 45-year-old, though — he’s even whipping up “a little Christmas turkey” this holiday season. “He adores Amal,” says an insider, “and still pinches himself that she agreed to marry him.”

Pauletta & Denzel

With 40 years of marriage to actress and pianist Pauletta Pearson, 73, under his belt, Denzel Washington, 69, might know what he’s talking about when it comes to relationships. Saying “‘Yes, dear,’ ‘Honey, you’re right,’ ‘How can I help?’” are the keys to making it work, he’s quipped. But “the truth,” he added, is “I have a good woman who stuck by me through thick and thin, who raised our [four] children when I was [away working] — that’s the bottom line.”

David & Elton

For the three decades they’ve been together, Elton John and husband David Furnish have maintained a loving tradition. “Every Saturday without fail,” Elton, 76, shared, “we’ve sent each other a card or a fax.” According to David, 61, it’s been “a very powerful bonding thing for us.” They’ve saved all their communications in a box and now, adds film producer David, have “a whole kind of catalog of our relationship.”

Matthew & Camila

It’s a philosophy that’s served him well in the 17 years he’s been with Camila Alves, 40: “Don’t make a straight line crooked,” Matthew McConaughey, 54, has said. “If things are going well, keep catching green lights. If they’re not, deal with them soon so they don’t bubble up and get you later.” According to his wife, the duo also spice things up by occasionally sneaking away from their three kids and getting “a hotel room that is 10 minutes away from the house.”

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Harrison & Calista

The secret to a successful marriage, according to Harrison Ford, 81 — who’s been with Calista Flockhart, 59, for nearly 22 years and wed for 13 of them — is “don’t talk.” Instead, the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchise lead has joked, just “nod your head.” The actor, who’s been married twice before, makes sure he completes the “chores” the actress gives him, too, explaining, “There are honey-do’s.”

Keith & Nicole

Nicole Kidman, 56, had a request for Keith Urban, also 56, when they started dating in 2005: Pick up the phone. “I was like, ‘If you want to get a hold of me, call me,’” she’s said, explaining, “I wasn’t really a texter…. He tried texting me a few times, and I never texted back.” They still don’t text, though Keith’s let it slip they make a “cool” exception each year — for some “nice sex texting.”

Beyoncé & Jay-Z

While Beyoncé, 42, and Jay-Z, 54, are generous with each other — he reportedly spent $5 million on her engagement ring, while she once gifted him a $2 million Bugatti car for his birthday — their shared commitment to privacy is what helps them stay solid. “Jay and I have always been very discreet when it comes to our relationship,” she’s said of their 15-year marriage, which he has called “something sacred” to “keep to yourself.”