Academy Award-nominated actor Don Cheadle and actress, interior designer and entrepreneur Bridgid Coulter go way back. Their relationship began at a time when their careers were first taking shape in the ’90s. For as long as he’s been a screen star, Bridgid has been by his side, at every red carpet premiere and more. The couple share two children, and plenty of love. That, you would likely think, was why amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided it was time to make things official and marry her after 28 years together. But it was actually a recommendation that made the couple decide to tie the knot.
“Our accountant proposed to both of us and he showed us the numbers, and we said, ‘Yeah, we should probably do it,'” he joked a year later to Entertainment Tonight when talking about the tax break they realized they could receive by marrying. He noted that they’d talked about marriage long before the accountant changed their minds, but always felt they were fine just as they were. “It came up a lot of times. But every time, we were like, ‘But we’re already together?’ [The accountant said], ‘Yeah, but this is a better reason to be together.’ Really, it’s because our accountant proposed to us. I wish there were some big sweet romantic story, but the romance happened, you know, the first year.”
The pair said “I do” in a low-key way, as that was really the only option in the pandemic. It was also fitting for them, though. “It was just me and her and our kids and our dogs and the pastor in the backyard,” he told PEOPLE.
These two have always appeared so solid, so in sync, and while they don’t spend their interview time talking about one another, they do take to social media to give us some glimpses into their dynamic. That includes Don telling her “love you to the moon and back again, girl. i’m ALL IN!!” during a Mother’s Day tribute, and Bridgid saying, “Still wanna rock with you” in a sweet Valentine’s Day post in 2024. We don’t know the ins and outs of their love story (including how they initially met), but we do know it works, and that we love to see it.
Check out photos of the Cheadles and their journey from over the years.
01
01
1997
HOLLYWOOD – OCTOBER 15: Actor Don Cheadle and girlfriend Bridgid Coulter attend the “Boogie Nights” Hollywood Premiere on October 15, 1997 at the Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
02
02
1998
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – AUGUST 18: Actor Don Cheadle and girlfriend Bridgid Coulter attend the Screening of the HBO Original Movie “The Rat Pack” on August 18, 1998 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
03
03
2000
(Original Caption) Arrival of Don Cheadle with his wife. (Photo by Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)
04
04
2001
ANAHEIM, CA – FEBRUARY 8: Actor Don Cheadle, girlfriend Bridgid Coulter and children Imani and Ayana Cheadle attend the Disney’s California Adventure Park Grand Opening Celebration on February 8, 2001 at Disney’s California Adventure Park, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
05
05
2001
Don Cheadle & Wife during 2001 ESPY Awards at MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. (Photo by L. Cohen/WireImage)
06
06
2002
Don Cheadle and guest during 2002 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards – Arrivals at Santa Monica Beach in Santa Monica, California, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
07
07
2003
SANTA MONICA, CA – SEPTEMBER 13: Actor Don Cheadle and his girlfriend, actress Bridgid Coulter arrive at the fundraising reception and ceremonial ribbon cutting at the new Edgemar Center for the Arts on September 13, 2003 in Santa Monica, California. The celebrity-filled event was hosted by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
08
08
2004
HOLLYWOOD – DECEMBER 8: Actors Don Cheadle and guest arrive to the Warner Bros. premiere of the film “Ocean’s Twelve” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre December 8, 2004 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Carlo AllegriGetty Images)
09
09
2005
Actor Don Cheadle and Brigid Coulter arrive at the 77th Annual Academy Awards�� at the Kodak Theatre. (Photo by Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)
10
10
2005
Don Cheadle and guest during 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards – Arrivals at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)
11
11
2007
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 21: Actor Don Cheadle and guest arrive to the Los Angeles Film Festival opening night screening of the Focus Features film “Talk to Me” at the Mann Village Theatre on June 21, 2007 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
12
12
2008
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 21: Actor Don Cheadle (R) and his wife Bridgette Cheadle attend The Dream Believe Achieve Inspiration Gala at the Ahmanson Ballroom on October 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Dr. Billy Ingram/WireImage)
13
13
2010
NEW YORK – MARCH 02: Actor Don Cheadle (R) and guest attend the premiere of “Brooklyn’s Finest” at AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 theater on March 2, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
14
14
2015
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 5: Don Cheadle and wife Bridgid Coulter attend the Showtime celebration of the all-new seasons of ‘Shameless,’ ‘House Of Lies’ And ‘Episodes’ at Cecconi’s Restaurant on January 5, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JB Lacroix/WireImage)
15
15
2015
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 11: (L-R) Actors Bridgid Coulter, Don Cheadle and guests attend the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 11, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)
16
16
2016
HOLLYWOOD, CA – APRIL 12: Actor Don Cheadle and actress Brigid Coulter attend the premiere of Marvel’s ‘Captain America: Civil War’ at Dolby Theater on April 12, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)
17
17
2018
Actor Don Cheadle and his wife Brigid Coulter arrives for the World Premiere of the film ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ in Hollywood, California on April 23, 2018. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
18
18
2019
STUDIO CITY, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 01: Don Cheadle (R) and Bridgid Coulter attend the 7th Annual Ed Asner And Friends Poker Tournament Celebrity Night at CBS Studios – Radford on June 01, 2019 in Studio City, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
19
19
2021
Actor Don Cheadle (R) and wife Bridgid Coulter arrive at the Warner Bros Pictures world premiere of “Space Jam: A New Legacy” at the Regal LA Live in Los Angeles, California, July 12, 2021. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
20
20
2022
VENICE, ITALY – AUGUST 31: Don Cheadle and his wife Bridgid Coulter attend the “White Noise” and opening ceremony red carpet at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2022 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty Images)
21
21
2024
US actor Don Cheadle and his wife actress Bridgid Coulter attend the world premiere of Peacock’s “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York on September 4, 2024. (Photo by John Lamparski / AFP) (Photo by JOHN LAMPARSKI/AFP via Getty Images)