Christine Baranski is finest identified for her roles on reveals like The Good Spouse and Cybill, however she truly acquired her begin in theater, and that’s how she met her late husband, Matthew Cowles.
Baranski, a Buffalo native and Julliard grad, spent the Nineteen Seventies as a stage actress in Shakespeare productions and different classics like Cat on a Scorching Tin Roof. Then, in 1982, she did a Henrik Ibsen play in Backyard Metropolis, New York, the place she starred alongside Cowles.
The 2 had been married a 12 months later and shortly welcomed two youngsters. They stayed collectively for greater than 30 years till Cowles’ sudden demise in 2014 at age 69.
Baranski has stored her love life comparatively personal since then, however in August 2025 she walked the pink carpet on the Mama Mia! Broadway opening hand-in-hand with singer King Princess. Princess shared a photograph of the pair through her Instagram with the caption “#LoveIsLove.”
As Baranski’s life and profession continues to evolve, preserve scrolling for a glance again at her relationship with Cowles.
1982
Christine Baranski and Matthew Cowles Photograph by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Photos
Baranski and Cowles met whereas engaged on an Ibsen play collectively in Backyard Metropolis, New York, she instructed The New York Occasions in 2011.
“And he requested me if I needed to trip residence on his motorbike one evening,” she mentioned. “He was this shaggy blond-haired man who smoked unfiltered Mexican cigarettes. He was actually unique. I used to be in my early 30s. He cherished using round decrease Manhattan — again when SoHo was a bit darkish.”
1983
The couple married in 1983 and moved to Connecticut one 12 months after Cowles’ two-year-long marriage to actress Kathleen Dezina got here to an finish.
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1984
Baranski and Cowles welcomed their first youngster, daughter Isabel. Isabel initially pursued appearing, like her mother and father, earlier than changing into a prosecutor and ultimately a author.
“There’s nothing like rising up round a profitable actor to make you understand how unglamorous of a life it truly is,” Isabel wrote in a 2014 essay for Elle. “Clearly there are extra perks to being a star than there are for many professions, however, when you’re fortunate sufficient to seek out common employment, you’re employed laborious. You spend your days on a windowless soundstage, take most meals alone, mutter traces to your self like a madwoman, and dwell other than your loved ones when alternative strikes.”
1987
Christine Baranski and daughter Lily Photograph by Rob Kim/FilmMagic
Three years after having Isabel, Baranski and Cowles welcomed daughter Lily. Like her sister, Lily additionally pursued appearing — one thing she has made a profession out of. Lily starred in The CW drama Roswell, New Mexico, showing in all 52 episodes over 4 seasons from 2019 to 2022. She has additionally carried out voice-over work for the Name of Obligation online game franchise.
Lily opened up about how her mother impressed her appearing profession in a 2019 interview with City & Nation.
“My mom has at all times been so skilled and at all times stored her nostril to grindstone,” she mentioned. “She taught me it takes loads to achieve a status, and it may also be ruined in a short time.”
2014
Cowles died in 2014 of congestive coronary heart failure. Baranski mirrored on his demise in a 2018 story for Parade, the place she credited her job with serving to her cope.
“A couple of months after Matthew handed away, I needed to be again in entrance of a digicam — however it helped to be with my group of individuals,” she mentioned. “All of them knew and cherished me, so going again to work was good.”
