Relationships made in Hollywood arenโt exactly known for their longevity, but Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross are one of the few rare exceptions.
On May 1, 2024, they celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, a milestone that puts them in a league of their ownโboth onscreen and off. In a world filled with headlines about celebrity divorces, affairs, and falling-outs, Elliott and Ross quietly built a life full of shared projects, personal growth, and unshakable commitment.
This is the story of how a bashful young actor fell in love with a legendary starโand never let go.
From Glorified Extra to Life Partner
The beginning of their story reads almost like a Hollywood screenplay: Elliott first laid eyes on Ross on the set of the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
She was the luminous leading lady, portraying Etta Place alongside Paul Newman and Robert Redford. He, on the other hand, was just a minor characterโso minor, in fact, that he called himself a “shadow on the wall.”
โI didnโt dare try to talk to her then,โ Elliott told AARP in 2015. โShe was the leading lady. I was a glorified extra in a bar scene.โ
Nearly a decade would pass before fate would bring them back together on more even footingโthis time as co-stars in the 1978 horror film The Legacy, filmed in London. The story was spooky, but sparks flew behind the scenes. Elliottโs rugged good looks, signature mustache, and rich baritone voice proved irresistibleโand for Ross, who was on her fourth marriage at the time, something just felt different.
โProbably all that and more,โ Ross joked in an interview, when asked what first attracted her to him.
Fifth Timeโs the Charm
For Ross, Elliott would be her fifth husbandโbut her first lasting love. She had previously been married four times, none of them lasting more than five years. Elliott, in contrast, had never married before. It wasnโt just chemistry or charmโit was timing, trust, and truth. After her divorce in 1979, she and Elliott continued building a life together, culminating in their marriage on May 1, 1984.
That same year, their daughter Cleo Rose Elliott was born. Cleo, now a professional musician, grew up with the influence of two creative and grounded parents who taught her the value of hard work and humility.
It wasnโt always easyโHollywood marriages rarely are. But they both agreed on one thing: โYou donโt walk away from the hard stuff,โ Elliott said. โYou work past the s–t. Thatโs how relationships last.โ
When Work Meets Love
Over the decades, Elliott and Ross shared the screen more than once, including the TV Western Conagher in 1991, and The Hero in 2017. In The Hero, Elliott played an aging Western icon; Ross played his ex-wifeโonce again bringing their real-world connection to the silver screen.
Theyโve supported each otherโs careers without jealousy or ego. In fact, Ross helped kickstart one of Elliottโs most important career moments. When he was offered a role in the 1985 film Mask, opposite Cher, he initially turned it downโhe and Ross were on their honeymoon in Hawaii. But Ross knew it was the right role at the right time.
She called his agent back herself: โYouโll have him there on time,โ she said.
She was right. The role of the compassionate biker boyfriend became a breakout for Elliott, earning him praise from critics and fans alike. As The Los Angeles Times later wrote, โHis portrayal received nearly as much attention as Cherโs performance.โ
Private Lives, Public Legacy
Even after decades in the limelight, the couple has managed to keep their private life quiet and grounded. They split their time between homes in Oregon and California, surrounded by nature and family. They attend red carpets only occasionally, and when they do, it’s always a quiet show of affectionโnever spectacle.
Elliott, now 79, continues to command roles in film and television, most notably appearing in 1883, the Yellowstone prequel. Ross, now 84, remains selective but starred recently in the comedy Attachments.
Their 40th anniversary was celebrated privately, as expected. No flashy photoshoots, no headlinesโjust the way they like it. But fans and friends alike took to social media to celebrate their four decades of love, loyalty, and lasting partnership.
A Love That Defied the Odds
Hollywood marriages arenโt designed to last. But Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross didnโt follow a scriptโthey wrote their own.
From Butch Cassidy shadows to horror movie sparks, from fifth-chance romance to a lifelong bond built on mutual respect, theyโve shown the world that enduring love isn’t just possibleโitโs powerful.
And as Elliott once put it: โWe have a common sensibility, but we also work at being together.โ
Forty years in, itโs clear: the work was worth it.
