Actor Billy Crudup has broken his long-standing silence, offering a rare glimpse into his current dynamic with former partner Mary-Louise Parker. This comes more than two decades after their relationship ended in a dramatic Hollywood scandal that captivated the public.
The Scandal That Rocked Hollywood
Crudup and Parker's seven-year relationship collapsed in 2003 under a cloud of controversy. The couple, who met in 1996 while performing in a Broadway revival of 'Bus Stop', were expecting their first child. In a move that shocked their peers and fans, Crudup ended the relationship with Parker when she was seven months pregnant.
The catalyst for the breakup was his connection with co-star Claire Danes, whom he met while filming the romantic comedy 'Stage Beauty'. At the time, Danes was also in a relationship with singer Ben Lee. Both left their partners for each other, and their new romance became public knowledge shortly after Parker gave birth to their son, William Atticus Parker, in January 2004.
Life After the Controversy
The fallout was immediate and severe. Crudup and Danes faced a wave of public criticism, while Parker, as a new mother, received an outpouring of sympathy. The love triangle became one of the most talked-about scandals of the era.
Ultimately, Crudup's relationship with Danes also dissolved, ending by 2007. Since then, both have moved on and married other people. Crudup wed actress Naomi Watts two years ago, and Danes has been married to fellow actor Hugh Dancy since 2009.
A Focus on Family and Legacy
Now, 22 years later, the 57-year-old Crudup was asked by The Times of London about his current equation with Parker, 61. He artfully sidestepped direct commentary, instead choosing to focus on their shared pride in their son.
'Well, without commenting on any of our…. Our adoration for our son is boundless,' Crudup stated. He enthusiastically praised William, now 21, who uses his mother's surname. 'He has, through the mash-up of the two of us, been endowed with superpowers for theatricality. He’s such a bada**. Mary-Louise and I appeared in most of his films,' Crudup revealed.
William has indeed followed his parents into the entertainment industry, working as both a filmmaker and an actor. He directed his feature debut, 'Forty Winks', in 2022 while still a teenager, assembling an impressive cast that included John Turturro and Susan Sarandon.
Parker has largely remained private about the events of 2003. However, in her 2015 memoir 'Dear Mr. You', she alluded to the difficult period, writing about feeling 'pregnant and alone' and trying to get through circumstances by herself. Despite the pain, she reflected that it was 'part of my life, one piece of a bigger story that is mostly beautiful.'
Danes also addressed the controversy that same year, telling The Howard Stern Show, 'That was really hard. I didn’t know how to not do that.' She explained that at 24, she was 'just in love with him' and felt compelled to explore the connection, despite not fully anticipating the consequences.
In a surprising twist, Crudup and Danes had a shock reunion this past April, where they were seen chatting amiably and sharing a hug at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts Gala, demonstrating that time has healed some of the old wounds.
