T-PAIN & AMBER NAJM
T-Pain is known for his colorful personality and catchy music. But behind his vibrant character lay a rather unconventional mindset. For T-Pain and his wife Amber Najm, marriage is a union that consists of freedom. After getting married back in 2003, T-Pain and Amber agreed that they would keep their relationship open to other women. It’s not clear whether it’s only women who are allowed into their relationship or if there are men as well, but we do know that they keep their doors open for whoever is interested. The concept seems to be working just fine for the couple as they are now in their 17th year of marriage. The two have also ventured into other investments, with T-Pain entering the mobile app business.
ALAN CUMMING & GRANT SCHAFFER
When it comes to marriage and relationships, The Good Wife’s Alan Cumming simply believes that monogamy is not feasible. So it’s not surprising that he and husband Grant Shaffer have an open marriage arrangement. The two got married back in 2007 and have been adopting the open marriage concept since then. Currently, the couple is living a very happy life and even intend to have children together. They also renewed their vows in New York back in 2017 to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Outside of their careers, Alan and Grant busy themselves with different investment ventures and hobbies. We also know that Grant is an accomplished graphic designer with three published graphic books under his belt. An open marriage may be a little unconventional, but we’re glad to see it work with some couples.
EMMA THOMPSON & GREG WISE
When it comes to marital models, Emma Thompson and husband Greg Wise simply do not believe in monogamy. For 17 years, the actors have kept their marriage open to other people, and they intend to keep it that way. Today, the two are very successful actors with a handsome credit score to boot. They also have a daughter, Gaia, which the couple conceived through the help of in vitro fertilization. A lot of people may have raised their eyebrows on the pair for keeping their relationship that way it is, but it surely did not affect their ability to be happy with the choices they made. If anything, it has even made their union stronger. It just goes to show that when it comes to marriage, there is no one-way street, and everyone is free to find a way that works for them.
WILL SMITH & JADA PINKETT-SMITH
For a long time, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s marriage was the epitome of a perfect Hollywood marriage. They initially intended to keep their romantic lives private, but constant attention from both their fans and the media challenged their privacy. Then, rumors about them having an open marriage began circulating in 2003. It quietly faded over the years, but it never really went away. In 2019, rapper August Alsina came forward about his relationship with Jada Pinkett-Smith. According to Alsina, his entire relationship with Jada was not without Will Smith’s permission. Jada has since denied August’s comments. Will, on the other hand, has yet to give a definitive answer about August’s claims. But whether the whole thing is true or not, the couple surely deserves some credit for keeping their marriage alive in whatever way they deem appropriate.
TILDA SWINTON & JOHN BYRNE
No one can deny that Tilda Swinton is a very interesting person. Not only because she has some of the most interesting acting credits, but also because she’s made some very unconventional lifestyle choices. One of those choices is her decision to keep another man by her side, all while maintaining her marriage with John Byrne. The arrangement was reached with John Byrne’s approval, of course, but it’s not clear whether or not John has someone aside from Tilda too. However, Tilda admits that although she finds their arrangement healthy, she does not promote it to everyone. It’s understandable, considering that every single person and every single relationship is unique from the others, and there’s no single way to do things when it comes to marriage. In the end, it’s still a personal decision based on the couple’s own beliefs.
ETHAN HAWKE & RYAN SHAWHUGHES
American actor Ethan Hawke and Ryan Shawhughes have been married for 12 years now, and when asked about their approach, Ethan had a very interesting answer. According to Ethan, he and his wife chose the open marriage route simply because they think monogamy is childish. Now, many people may disagree, but the actor is keen on defending his opinion. He went on to say that his decision stems from the belief that humans were not wired to maintain a single partner for the rest of our lives. So instead of avoiding temptation as most people do, Ethan simply embraced it. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it seems to be working wonders on the couple’s marriage. Today, Ethan and Ryan remain happily married with two children and a couple of shared investments.
TOM FORD & RICHARD BUCKLEY
If there’s one thing designer Tom Ford and Richard Buckley refuses to believe in, it’s monogamy. The 59-year-old designer and the 72-year-old journalist started dating in 1986 and tied the knot in 2014. Since the beginning of their relationship, the couple has kept their relationship open. This is because both Tom and Richard agree with the idea that monogamy is not something humans were ought to do. But whether people agree with the couple or not, we can’t deny the fact that their choices as a couple have been very successful so far. Not only have they been together for four decades, but they have also built a lovely family with their 8-year-old son. Today, if they are not busy running their investments in the United States, they are jetting off to their home in Italy, where they like to raise their little family.
OSSIE DAVIS& RUBY DEE
Not a lot of people may be familiar with them today, but Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were two of the most formidable Black culture figures in the United States. After rising to fame during the height of the civil rights movement, both Ossie and Ruby made it their mission to advocate for civil rights within the Hollywood industry and outside of it. But apart from their causes, Ossie and Ruby also stood out for their progressive approach to marriage. At a time when open marriages were basically taboo, the couple decided to take the forward step of making their union open. Although their practice was widely frowned upon, it didn’t stop the pair from speaking openly about it. Today, there are given credit for being one of the first couples in Hollywood to embrace and introduce the concept to a wider audience.
HUGH GRANT & ELIZABETH HURLEY
Hugh Grant may have snared some hearts back in the 90s for playing some of the most romantic roles, but his view on marriage is anything but romantic. Apparently, the actor doesn’t believe that marriage or any romantic relationship, for that matter, should be limited to a single partner. In other words, he doesn’t believe in monogamy. This was made obvious in 1995 when Hugh faced scrutiny for being with another woman while he was Elizabeth Hurley. The incident shocked some fans, but it was Elizabeth’s reaction that surprised fans even further. Instead of ending the relationship, Elizabeth simply ignored the whole thing to a certain degree and even accompanied Hugh to his premiere a few months later. The actor later revealed that he was never in favor of monogamy and have always preferred to keep his relationships open. The couple has since split but remains good friends.
COREY FELDMAN & SUSIE SPRAGUE
Corey Feldman and Susie Sprague are yet another pair of celebrity couples whose belief in marriage took them down the open marriage route. Corey and Susie first met at a night club in January of 2002 and got married just nine months after. They ultimately spent seven years being married until their split in October 2009. Throughout their marriage, the couple stayed open and welcomed people into their relationship almost often. They even threw parties to meet people who would be willing to get involved with them. This worked for some time, but not for long. The couple’s split was said to have been caused by their open marriage arrangement. Again, open marriages do not always give the insurance of a lasting union, and Corey and Susie sadly became an example of that.