PHOTOSMeryl Streep and Don Gummer's Relationship Timeline in 13 Photos Before Their Split
1978: Meryl Streep Met Don Gummer
Meryl Streep met Don Gummer through her brother Harry Streep III.
Meryl Streep initially dated The Godfather actor John Cazale and stayed with him until he died on March 13, 1978, at the age of 42 due to lung cancer.
In Michael Schulman's biography Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep, the author revealed that Meryl met Don Gummer through her brother Harry Streep III. She stayed in Canada with a friend after Cazale's death and lost the loft she shared with the late actor upon her return.
When Meryl started packing her things, her brother and his friend Don helped her.
September 1978: They Tied the Knot
Don Gummer offered Meryl Streep a room after being kicked out of the loft.
A few months after their first meeting, Meryl and Don tied the knot in the garden of her parent's home on Mason's Island, Conn.
November 13, 1979: They Welcomed Their First Child
Their first child currently has a career in the music industry.
Meryl and Don welcomed their first child, Henry Wolfe Gummer, a year after they wed.
Henry notably became part of the Bravo Silva band and expanded his career as a soloist. He married his wife, Tamryn, in 2019 and currently shares two children with her.
December 1979: They Marked One of Their First Public Appearances
Don Gummer made sure that Meryl Streep had all his support in everything she did.
When Meryl won her first Oscar, her then-husband was there to cheer her on. They marked more public appearances over the past years after their wedding.
August 3, 1983: Their Second Child Arrived
Mary Willa Gummer wed Ben Walker before she got remarried to Mehar Sethi in 2019.
Mary Willa Gummer, also known as Mamie, was born on August 3, 1983. She gave Meryl and Don their first granddaughter when she and her husband, Mehar Sethi, welcomed a son in 2019.
The Trelawny of the Wells cast member revealed to Interview magazine what it felt like to become a grandmother while working on a project.
"I've been working like mad for quite a while, so I'm getting ready for my first grandchild," Meryl said. "My daughter's having a baby in February, so I'm going to go out and ruin her life. I specialize in unsolicited advice."
June 1985: The Family Moved to Connecticut
They moved to Manhattan after their youngest child moved out of the house.
In June 1985, Meryl and Don's family decided to move to Salisbury, Conn., where the "happiest times" of The Deer Hunter star's life happened.
In her interview with Sydney Morning Herald, Meryl said it was an oasis for her.
"I had so much pleasure in watching over my children, being as much of a confidante as possible, and enjoying everything that came with helping them grow into independent young people," she went on.
May 9, 1986: They Welcomed Their Third Child
Meryl Streep and Don Gummer's third child made their debut on Broadway in 2011.
Meryl and Don expanded their growing family by welcoming their third child, Grace Gummer, who tied the knot with Mark Ronson following her split from Tay Strathairn.
June 12, 1991: Louis Jacobson Gummer Was Born
Meryl Streep calls Louisa Jacobson Gummer 'pickle.'
Louisa Jacobson Gummer completed the family on June 12, 1991. She grew up to follow in her mother's footsteps and became an actress.
Speaking with The Washington Post in 1998, Meryl said the role of motherhood was the most challenging for her.
"Mothering. Definitely. Acting — that's praise, money, fulfillment. Mothering — they don't even say, 'Thank you.' They don't even clear the table unless you say, 'Excuuuse me.' Real life, there's no comparison to acting," she said. "I can't really call acting work, since it's secretly so fun. Even the difficult things; it's satisfying to do the difficult things well."
2002: Meryl Streep Revealed Their Secret to a Lasting Marriage
Meryl Streep kept her relationship with Don Gummer private.
In 2002, the Only Murders in the Building actress unveiled the things that helped them keep their marriage healthy.
"Goodwill and willingness to bend — and to shut up every once in a while," she told Vogue. "There's no road map on how to raise a family: It's always an enormous negotiation. But I have a holistic need to work and to have huge ties of love in my life. I can't imagine eschewing one for the other."
2012: She Delivered a Heartfelt Message to Her Husband at the Academy Awards
Her role in 'The Iron Lady' earned her an Oscar.
When she won her third Oscar, she told the crowd that she was going to praise her husband.
"Because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with the music, and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives, you've given me," she went on.
So far, Meryl won three of the 21 Academy Award nominations she scored throughout her active career years.
2018: They Attended the 2018 Oscars
Don Gummer is famous for his works as a sculptor.
Meryl and Don marked their last public appearance at the 90th Academy Awards where she was nominated for Best Actress for her role in The Post.
2019: She Praised Don Gummer for Being a Great Father
Don Gummer was first married to Peggy Jenel Lucas.
In her interview with Sydney Morning Herald, she described her and Don's roles as parents — calling herself a "bad cop" while the sculptor was a good one.
"Teamwork is everything," she explained. "My husband Don was … very involved. He was a little more relaxed when it comes to raising kids. I was more of a tiger mom."
October 2023: Meryl Streep's Representative Confirmed the Split
Meryl Streep said she did not get over John Cazale's death.
Page Six broke the news about Meryl and Don's separation six years ago, which means they had already split when they made their last public appearance.
"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," a representative for the Little Women actress said.
Meanwhile, Fox News reported that Meryl was still wearing her wedding band when she attended the Princess of Asturias Awards 2023 Ceremony.
