Cyndi Lauper has always been loud. The hair, the voice, the unapologetic Brooklyn energy—she’s a neon sign in a world of beige. But when it comes to her personal life, specifically her marriage to actor David Thornton, the volume drops to a steady, rhythmic hum. It's actually kind of wild. In an industry where a "long-term" relationship is often measured in months, Cyndi Lauper and husband David Thornton have been a solid unit for over three decades.
We’re talking about 1991. That's when they tied the knot. Honestly, most people probably couldn't pick David Thornton out of a lineup, even though you’ve definitely seen him. He’s that guy. He was the bumbling crook Earl Unger in Home Alone 3. He was in The Notebook and Law & Order. While Cyndi was busy becoming a global icon and a Tony-winning composer, David was the "strong arm," as she puts it.
How Cyndi Lauper and Husband David Thornton Actually Met
Forget the glamorous gala meet-cutes. This started in the trenches of a 1991 movie called Off and Running. Cyndi wasn't exactly in a "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" headspace at the time. She had just gone through a brutal, messy breakup with her manager and long-time boyfriend, Dave Wolff. She felt "ugly" and "dull," convinced her career was basically a sinking ship.
She took the movie role just to escape her own head. Then, she met David.
He was shy. Like, really shy. They barely spoke during rehearsals because David was worried that being too friendly would mess up the chemistry for their scenes, which—funnily enough—involved a lot of anger and violence. It wasn't some immediate lightning bolt of "he's the one." It was more of a slow burn that started over group dinners with assistants and crew members.
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Cyndi, being Cyndi, started sending him teasing notes to break the ice. She even called him a "wimp" because he couldn't do as many push-ups as she could. Eventually, a moonlight walk on a beach in Miami sealed the deal. She said something poetic about wanting to be a kite over the waves, and he replied, "Why not be a wave?"
That was it. She was hooked.
The Wedding Officiated by Little Richard
They didn't wait long. They spent a month alone at Cape Cod after the movie wrapped just to see if they could actually tolerate each other 24/7. Apparently, they could. On November 24, 1991, they got married at a Friends meeting house in New York.
Neither of them are Quakers. They just liked the vibe of "friendship and tolerance." But the real kicker? The ceremony was officiated by the legendary Little Richard. It’s hard to imagine a more chaotic, brilliant energy for a wedding. David proposed with an antique Roman ring featuring the stamp of Eros, but Cyndi made him get down on one knee before she’d even look at it.
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Living in the Shadow of a Legend? Not Quite.
You might think being married to a powerhouse like Lauper would be a lot. But David has his own pedigree. His father was Robert Donald Thornton, a renowned English professor who taught at Harvard. David himself is a Yale Drama School grad. He’s an "actor’s actor."
He isn't trying to be the star. When their son, Declyn Wallace Thornton Lauper, was born in 1997, David was the one who stepped up so Cyndi could keep the wheels turning on her career. While she was on the road or writing the score for Kinky Boots, David was holding down the fort.
"My husband became the strong arm of the family," Lauper told Vanity Fair recently. He’s the guy who understands the storytelling behind the music, the one she bounces ideas off of. It’s a partnership that works because it isn't a competition.
Why They’re Still Together in 2026
It’s easy to get cynical about celebrity couples. But here’s the thing about Cyndi Lauper and husband David Thornton: they seem to actually like each other. Like, for real.
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They’ve shared the screen a few times since they met, notably in the 2009 film Here and There. They show up to red carpets, but they aren't "professional celebrities" in the way some modern couples are. They don't sell their family life for clicks.
What You Can Take Away From Their Story
- Friendship is the foundation. They didn't start with a "buzz"; they started by laughing. If you can't laugh at 2 AM when the world is falling apart, the romance won't save you.
- Support isn't 50/50, it's 100/100. There were years when David’s career took a backseat to Cyndi’s massive tours, and vice-versa.
- Space matters. Cyndi has often mentioned that even when she took her son on tour, he needed his own space—and she and David needed theirs too.
- Don't overthink the timing. They were talking marriage two weeks into the relationship. Sometimes when you know, you just know.
If you’re looking for the "secret" to their longevity, it’s probably simpler than you think. They’ve stayed out of the tabloids by staying in the work. Whether it’s David’s role in the 2023 thriller God Is a Bullet or Cyndi’s ongoing activism and music, they remain two distinct individuals who just happen to be incredibly good at being a pair.
The next time you’re scrolling through news of another celebrity divorce, remember Cyndi and David. They’re proof that even in the brightest spotlight, you can still find a way to keep things quiet, steady, and real.
To dig deeper into their history, you can check out David Thornton’s filmography on IMDB to see the range of work he’s put in over the years, or watch Cyndi's documentary Let the Canary Sing for a more intimate look at her life behind the curtain.