Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany largely fly under the radar, but they’re one of Hollywood’s most enduring couples.
The pair met while filming A Beautiful Mind in 2001, though they didn’t begin dating until after the shoot. Since then, the Oscar winner and the WandaVision star have been inseparable. They share daughter Agnes Lark and son Stellan, and raised Connelly’s son, Kai Dugan, (from photographer ex David Dugan) together.
Connelly and Bettany have worked together on several projects since A Beautiful Mind, including 2015’s Shelter. They’ve also both appeared in Marvel Cinematic Universe films — Bettany was the voice behind Iron Man‘s J.A.R.V.I.S. and later starred as Vision, while Connelly played a small role in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Peter Parker’s AI assistant Karen.
From their whirlwind beginnings to their low-key family life, here is a complete timeline of Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany’s relationship.
Summer 2001: Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany meet while filming A Beautiful Mind
Connelly recalled that she first noticed Bettany during a table read for A Beautiful Mind, in which she starred as mathematician John Nash’s wife, Alicia. Bettany played Charles, John Nash’s roommate. At the time, Connelly was dating actor Josh Charles.
“I remember meeting him at the first read through,” Connelly told Entertainment Tonight in November 2015. “I thought, ‘Hmm, he’s really good, that guy.’” Bettany, meanwhile, says he was stricken by Connelly’s beauty.
“I’ve never been this close to someone that beautiful before,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘I bet every man you ever met has tried to flirt with you.’”
Connelly said what really won her heart was Bettany’s musical talent, telling ET, “He started playing guitar and it was all over.”
Bettany later revealed that after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, he worried so much about Connelly that he realized he was in love with her. He proposed before they even began officially dating and moved to New York City to live with her almost immediately.
2003: Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany welcome their first child together
Though the couple never officially announced the birth of their first child together, they welcomed son Stellan sometime in 2003.
January 10, 2003: Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany confirm they’re married
A representative for Connelly confirmed to PEOPLE on Jan. 10, 2003, that the Labyrinth star and Bettany quietly wed over the 2002 holiday season. The couple reportedly had just family members in attendance for the nuptials, which took place in Scotland.
The relationship, described as a “whirlwind romance,” was fate if you ask Bettany. He previously told PEOPLE, “I knew from the first moment I saw her we were meant for each other.”
May 29, 2006: Paul Bettany says whether he and Jennifer Connelly have more kids is mostly up to her
When asked whether he and Connelly planned on expanding their family further, Bettany explained, “It’s a conversation that the woman in the relationship absolutely has the upper hand in, bearing in mind that she is the one who will be going through an enormous amount of pain in childbirth.”
He also said that fatherhood changed his outlook on life as a whole, calling the birth of his and Connelly’s son Stellan “miraculous” and noting that being a dad made him feel like “a good human being.”
October 14, 2007: Paul Bettany jokes that he wants to “make babies” with Jennifer Connelly
At an Elle Women In Hollywood event, PEOPLE asked Bettany if he and Connelly had any plans to work together again on any other projects following A Beautiful Mind. He joked, “Make babies. Or practice making babies.”
Bettany continued, “I’d love to work with Jennifer. She’s quite good at acting, so it would be foolish for me to pass up the opportunity if it came.”
He also joked of being former model Connelly’s date, saying, “I’m kind of like the eye candy. You know, as we walk down the red carpet, I know everybody’s kind of looking at us thinking, ‘How did she snag him?’ So it boosts my confidence.”
January 25, 2009: Paul Bettany reveals why Jennifer Connelly appeared in his film Inkheart
Bettany starred in Inkheart in 2009, and Connelly was featured in the film in a small role. He said of the decision to appear onscreen together again, “Jennifer was just there. It’s like an hour’s work and so I went, ‘Well why don’t you just put the dress on and it’d be nice for the kids, you know, when we get older really.’ “
December 14, 2010: Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly announce they’re expecting
On Dec. 14, 2010, a rep for Connelly confirmed to PEOPLE that the Aloft star was pregnant with her and Bettany’s second child together.
“Becoming a mother has made all the difference in terms of learning to take more responsibility for myself and my life,” she previously said. “Parenthood changed the way I do everything. The biggest thing for me is wanting my kids to grow up safely and have happy lives. To me, that’s enough.”
May 31, 2011: Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany welcome a daughter
A rep for Connelly confirmed to PEOPLE that the couple had welcomed daughter Agnes Lark on May 31, 2011. Connelly reportedly had a scheduled water birth in her and Bettany’s N.Y.C. home.
May 14, 2015: Jennifer Connelly reveals how she and Paul Bettany are different
In an interview with Town & Country, Connelly opened up what makes her and Bettany different — and what makes them work.
“I’m not the most gregarious person in the room, for sure. I think by coupling with Paul, that kind of works,” she said. “I’m more reserved. I can be kind of shy in a group. I mean, I manage it pretty well, but he’s much more outgoing than I am. Once I’m comfortable with someone, I’m not reserved.”
Bettany also discussed directing his wife in the drama Shelter, telling the magazine, “Working with Jennifer as a director is like getting in a gravel shower. It’s f—ing painful, but you come out so clean at the end of it. You can’t help yielding to it, because she is also putting herself through the wringer.”
November 13, 2015: Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly release Shelter
Bettany directed Connelly and Anthony Mackie in Shelter, in which Connelly starred as a heroin addict living on the streets. The project was loosely based on a couple that lived near Connelly and Bettany’s home in Brooklyn.
Connelly said in an interview on the red carpet premiere that she and Bettany are “creatively aligned,” and that she’d love to work with him more in the future.
“I would absolutely do it again. I felt I had a lot of freedom to explore,” she said. “Because he’s my husband and I trust him so much, I felt very safe.”
However, if their kids had their way, that might not be the case: Bettany said that while he’d love to helm another film the time away took its toll on the family, noting, “My son said don’t direct again.”
May 7, 2018: Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly attend the Met Gala
Bettany and Connelly walked the red carpet together at the 2018 Met Gala. For their take on the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme, Connelly donned a shining silver Louis Vuitton gown while Bettany wore an all-white Ermenegildo Zegna Couture suit.
January 14, 2021: Paul Bettany reflects on his marriage to Jennifer Connelly
While promoting WandaVision, Bettany revealed that the pandemic brought his family closer — and joked that home-schooling wasn’t necessarily his forte.
“I’m still quite an active dad, because I’ve got a 9-year-old,” he told PEOPLE. “There’s a lot of staring at a math problem, bewildered, and asking Jennifer to solve it for me.”
Bettany also spoke about the couple’s long-term relationship, saying, “Marriage and children changed my life. It really altered who I was and what I saw as my goals.” He added that the moments he cherishes most are “when I catch myself and realize the five of us are laughing together. And there is nobody on earth with whom I could be having a better time.”
February 25, 2021: Jennifer Connelly reveals she took Paul Bettany to vote for the first time in a U.S. election
During a chat on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Connelly revealed she was British-born Bettany’s “hot date” to vote in his first American presidential election in November 2020.
“I was his first. I was officially his first and in a season of few excursions, I think it kind of qualifies as a hot date,” she said. “It was great, it was a momentous election and what an election to start with as a new American citizen. As soon as we got home, the kids took the [I Voted] stickers!”
April 29, 2022: Jennifer Connelly joins Instagram and shows off a selfie with Paul Bettany
Connelly joined Instagram for the first time on April 29, 2022. “Making my Instagram debut. I’m told this is a ‘photo dump,’ ” she captioned a carousel of photos, which included a sweet selfie with Bettany.
Bettany posted a screenshot of Connelly’s Instagram page on his own account, writing, “Soooooo my Mrs @jennifer.connelly has finally joined Instagram. Follow her at your peril and believe only half the things she says about me.”
May 5, 2022: Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany bring their son Kai to the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick
The Top Gun: Maverick premiere in San Diego was a family affair for Bettany and Connelly, who brought her 24-year-old son Kai Dugan with them to walk the red carpet. Connelly stunned in a floor-length gold column gown with long sleeves and a high neck, while Bettany wore a classic suit. Kai wore a black leather jacket over a white shirt with navy pants.
Connelly stars as Tom Cruise’s love interest in the hotly-awaited sequel to the 1986 classic.
August 21, 2022: Paul Bettany jokes about box office competition with Jennifer Connelly
Bettany posted a screenshot from Variety, showing an article titled “Top Gun: Maverick Takes Down Avengers: Infinity War as Sixth-Highest Grossing Movie in Domestic Box Office History.”
In the caption, Bettany joked, “I’m just never gonna live this down in my house.”
Some fans chimed in to support Bettany’s franchise, with one commenting on the post, “Still got Endgame, bro ,” but plenty of others joined in to tease Bettany. Grey’s Anatomy actor and director Giacomo Gianniotti responded, “Hahahahahah! Wifes got ya beat mate!” with clapping emojis.
February 14, 2023: Jennifer Connelly shares first photo ever taken with Paul Bettany
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Connelly shared a major throwback of her and Bettany on Instagram.
“Our first photo together,” she captioned an image of the WandaVision star kissing her on the cheek.
April 22, 2023: Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany and Agnes attend a Brooklyn Nets Game
Connelly, Bettany and their daughter, Agnes, attended a Brooklyn Nets game together, supporting the team on the last game of their season.
The Maverick: Top Gun actress and Agnes were featured cheering on the Jumbotron while Bettany leaned forward and smiled as he watched his wife and daughter.
Two days later, Connelly shared a photo of the moment in an Instagram post. “@brooklynnets jumbotron catching my good side,” the actress wrote in the caption.
June 19, 2023: Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany go on a bike ride in New York City
On a sunny day in N.Y.C., Connelly and Bettany were spotted riding their bikes. The Blood Diamond actress wore a white T-shirt and jeans on the outing, while the WandaVision star was in a monochromatic white outfit and loafers.
December 3, 2023: Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany attend Academy Museum Gala
Connelly and Bettany hit the red carpet at the third annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, making a rare public appearance together in December 2023. The gala aims to raise money for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures before the awards season begins.
