Duration: Six years; married one year
Ages: 37 and 36
Previous pairings: Hunt reportedly stepped out with Matthew Broderick (they co-starred in “Project X“), Azaria with Julie Warner (CBS’ “Family Law”) in the early 1990s.
Love story: “I auditioned, like everyone else,” jokes Azaria about how he and Hunt met. The pair began dating in 1994; in 1998, Hunt won the Best Actress Oscar for “As Good as it Gets” and called a tearful Azaria “my beloved.” The pair married quietly at their Los Angeles home on July 17, 1999.
What went wrong?: “It’s a decision they came to together,” says Hunt‘s publicist. “They remain good friends.” After much speculation, it was confirmed Aug. 4 that they had been living apart for several months. Could too much work be a factor? After their marriage Hunt threw herself into four high-profile, back-to-back films: “Cast Away” with Tom Hanks, “What Women Want” with Mel Gibson, “Pay It Forward” with Kevin Spacey and “Doctor T and the Women” with Richard Gere. Azaria, meanwhile, busied himself with last winter’s “Cradle Will Rock” and his Emmy-winning role in “Tuesdays With Morrie,” co-starring Jack Lemmon. By the time summer began, Hunt was arriving solo to movie premieres.
Post-split romance: Azaria was alone at the Emmys this month, and no doubt with Hunt‘s upcoming films, she’ll have many public appearances and press encounters to fulfill (we’re sure she’s thrilled). Hunt is reportedly dating again, but whether it’s with “Pay It Forward” co-star Spacey or not remains unknown.
What they’ve said: “Utter shock and joy. I don’t think I have any other moment that I can say comes close to that,” said Azaria to the Los Angeles Times after Hunt‘s Oscar win. “I wonder if it’s even better to have it happen to someone you love than yourself, it’s such a proud feeling. One of the happiest moments of my life.”
