Why Meryl Streep and Don Gummer Decided to Separate After 45 Years of Marriage

When Hollywood legend Meryl Streep walked down the aisle in September 1978, marrying sculptor Don Gummer after a whirlwind six-month courtship, the union seemed destined for the spotlight. Yet behind the red-carpets and trophy case lay years of quiet decisions, personal evolution and a relationship that would eventually drift into private territory.

From Meeting to Marriage: A Journey of Six Months – Meryl’s life shifted dramatically in early 1978, when her partner of two years, actor John Cazale, tragically passed away. Shortly thereafter she met Don Gummer—an artist from Louisville—and in just half a year the two were married. It was a union built on change, shared ambition and the hope of moving forward.