You know what they say, fifth times the charm!
Okay, that’s not how the saying goes, but in Katherine Ross’s case, five marriages are what it took for The Graduate star to finally get it right.
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She’s now been with Sam Elliott, known for his cowboy ruggedness, deep voice , and that thick mustache , for 38 years.
Here, we take a look at their enduring love story that proves that you can have a happily ever after in Hollywood.
How they met:
While the pair both worked on the film, Butch Cassidy , they never officially met. Elliott was too intimidated by her. “I didn’t dare try to talk to her then. She was the leading lady. I was a shadow on the wall, a glorified extra in a bar scene,” Elliott told AARP The Magazine in 2015.
They wouldn’t officially meet until 1978 on the set of the horror movie, ‘The Legacy.’
The sparks that flew may have had something to do with the fact that Elliott’s bare butt was featured in the film. Later, it was included in The Bare Facts , a guide to nudity in film.
But in all seriousness, Ross was attracted to everything about Sam — the deep voice, that iconic mustache, and his rugged good looks.
“Probably all that and more,” she told Mercury News. “We were working together and one thing led to another. And here we are.”
They get married!
Ross, who’s five years older than Elliot, was married to her fourth husband at the time she met Elliot. Meanwhile, he had never been married before. That all changed in 1984 after Ross divorced her spouse.
Then, they started a family.
The same year the couple was married, they welcomed their one and only daughter, Cleo Rose. Instead of the 37-year-old following in her parents’ acting footsteps, she decided to take a more musical path. She plays the flute and guitar.
Life hasn’t been all bliss, though, as Katharine Ross once asked for a restraining order against her daughter after she allegedly attacked her with scissors.
A statement from Ross to the Los Angeles County Superior Court claimed that Cleo had always been violent.
“Cleo verbally and emotionally abused me even as a little girl but became increasingly violent at age 12 or 13.”
Things have seemed to calm down, as she’s been photographed on the red carpet with her parents ever since.
They Made Sacrifices For Each Other
As actors, both Ross and Elliott knew that making a relationship work in Hollywood takes sacrifices.
So when they were on their honeymoon in Hawaii, Elliott almost passed on his breakout role as Cher’s biker boyfriend in the 1995 film, Mask .
Ross was the one who made the sacrifice.
She called the agent back and said that she would get her husband back in time. It’s a good thing she did, as this ended up being a turning point in Sam’s career.
They Appeared on Screen Together Again
The couple reunited on screen in 2017 for the western film, The Hero . In it, Elliott plays an aging western icon, while Ross plays his ex-wife. Ross believes that joining forces on projects nurtures their relationship.
“Sometimes that’s easier than real life,” Katharine once said.
“You’re [ sic ] got a script. You’ve got a part. You’ve got your creative juices flowing together. It’s not about the dirty dishes in the sink or whether you’ve picked something up at the laundry,” she said.
Elliott has also shared what it’s like to work with his partner.
“I think we just like making movies and having that creative experience together is the best,” he told the Los Angeles Times . “It’s just fun. It’s a whole different kind of energy to go home with some you’re working with rather than go home to somebody who isn’t working. It’s a totally positive experience.”
They’re Supportive of Their Careers
Both partners have accomplished a lot during their tenured careers. Elliott starred in Netflix’s The Ranch for many years and turned heads playing Bobby in A Star is Born , featuring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.
You may be surprised to learn that Elliott is the voice of “Smokey Bear”!
One of his most notable roles was being the narrator in The Big Lebowski . No one can tire of hearing his woodsy voice. Meanwhile, Ross has also had an incredible run in Hollywood.
As mentioned previously, she starred in ‘The Graduate,’ acting opposite Dustin Hoffman as Elaine Robinson.
This actually earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination. She was also in Stepford Wives and Donnie Darko . Most recently, appeared in the film, Attachments.
They Walked the Red Carpet
Ross was by her husband’s side at the 91st Academy Awards where Elliot was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for A Star is Born . “I think the thing off the top of my head might be, ‘It’s about [expletive] time,’” Sam joked about being nominated .
They Split Their Time Between Two Homes
The set of The Ranch isn’t the only ranch Sam has spent time on. He owns one with his wife! They’ve maintained the property since the 1970s. He and Ross also spend time in Oregon.
They Share the Secrets to Marriage
“We have a common sensibility, but we also work at being together,” Sam told AARP about making a marriage work . “You work past the s–t; you don’t walk away from it. That’s how relationships last.”
In another interview, Sam said that a movie career and a family are all he’s ever wanted.
“The two things that I wanted in my life were to have a movie career and to be married, to have a family, and it’s an embarrassment of riches that I’ve got both.” Aww!
