Mary Louise Parker and Billy Crudup: As They Were

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Maria Louise Parker And Billy Crudup‘s tumultuous split made headlines when the Almost Famous actor left the Weeds alum for Claire Danes.

The former couple started dating in 1996 after meeting as costars in the Broadway play Bus stop. The Red Sparrow actress was seven months pregnant with their son, William, when Crudup ended their relationship in 2003 to pursue a romance with Danes.

The Scenic beauty costars — who continued to date until 2006 — did their best to keep their romance private amid the public backlash. When the New York Times did a profile on Crudup in 2004, he sent an email to the interviewer Jesse Green “making an argument not to include anything about the Mary-Louise Parker situation,” noting that the matter was “personal, painful and involves a baby,” according to the outlet.

Parker, for her part, has also refrained from speaking directly about the split. however, the West wing alum alluded to the situation in her 2015 memoir, Dear Mr. Uin a chapter dedicated to a taxi driver she once yelled at because she was lost.

After the driver told her to get out of his car and said, “I don’t want you anymore,” Parker broke off and told him, “Nobody wants you.” … My life is worse than yours right now. … I am alone. Look see? I am pregnant and alone. It even hurts to breathe.”

While promoting the book on Today in November 2015, the California native described the exchange as a “very low point” in her life, but did not go into details.

“I think it’s less about what happened in my life, that’s private to me and always will be,” she said. Savanna Guthrie at the time. “But I was so attached to my own unhappiness that I wasn’t able to rise above the feeling of persecution, and it just created this dynamic with this complete stranger… and he held up a mirror to me, he kind of chased me more because I wasn’t thinking about him or his life.”

Danes meanwhile – who get married Hugo Dancy in 2009 – spoke about her relationship with Crudup during an October 2015 appearance on The Howard Stern Show.

“That was really hard. I didn’t know how not to do that,” said the Temple Grandinstar said at the time. “I was just in love with him. And I had to research that and I was 24. … I wasn’t sure what those consequences would be.

Although Parker and Crudup’s love story didn’t last, they continued to co-parent their son. (The Maker actress also adopted daughter Caroline in 2007). When the Big fish actor wed Naomi Watts in June 2023, Parker expressed her support for the newlyweds.

“I wish them the best,” she said The protector at the time. “Of course I wish them all the luck, because that is the father of my son. So I’m happy for them. I’m glad they found each other.”

Keep scrolling for a look at Parker and Crudup’s relationship over the years: