You’ve probably seen the movie. You know the one—Matt Damon, looking rugged and stressed, buys a dilapidated zoo while grieving his wife. Scarlett Johansson plays the tough, no-nonsense head zookeeper who eventually helps him find his footing. By the end of We Bought a Zoo, there’s that heavy, hopeful tension between them. A kiss. A promise of a New Year’s Eve date. It feels like the start of a classic Hollywood "happily ever after."
But movies have a funny way of blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s just good for the box office. If you've ever found yourself wondering is Benjamin Mee married to Kelly Foster in real life, the answer is a bit more complicated than a simple "yes" or "no."
Actually, it’s mostly a "no."
The Reality Behind the Characters
Here is the thing: Benjamin Mee is a very real person. He actually did buy Dartmoor Zoological Park in Devon, England. He actually lost his wife, Katherine, to a brain tumor right as the zoo was opening. His story is one of incredible, almost crushing, resilience.
Kelly Foster, on the other hand? She’s a bit of a ghost.
In the film, Kelly is the romantic interest who bridges the gap between Ben’s past and his future. But if you look through the real Benjamin Mee’s memoir or the history of Dartmoor Zoo, you won't find a "Kelly Foster." The character was essentially a composite. She was created by director Cameron Crowe and the screenwriters to give the story a narrative arc that worked for cinema.
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While there were certainly many dedicated keepers who helped Ben save the zoo from the brink of collapse, the specific romantic relationship portrayed on screen was largely a fictional addition.
Why People Think They Are a Couple
It’s easy to see why the confusion exists. Most people consume the story through the film rather than the book. In the movie, the chemistry between the leads is a central pillar of the plot. When the credits roll, the audience is led to believe that Ben and Kelly are moving toward a life together.
Social media doesn't help. A quick search for "Benjamin Mee wife" often brings up images of Scarlett Johansson and Matt Damon. Algorithms don't always distinguish between a biographical subject and the actor playing them.
Is Benjamin Mee Married Now?
As of 2026, Benjamin Mee has remained remarkably private about his personal romantic life. Following the death of Katherine in 2007, his primary focus has been two things: his children, Milo and Ella, and the survival of the zoo.
He has spoken openly in the past about the difficulty of dating as a widower. In a 2010 article for The Guardian, he reflected on the strange experience of becoming "attractive" to people because of his grief—a phenomenon he found both baffling and a bit overwhelming.
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- The Widowhood Journey: Ben has spent over a decade as a single father.
- The Zoo Legacy: He successfully turned the zoo into a charity, the Dartmoor Zoological Society.
- Current Status: There are no public records or announcements indicating that Benjamin Mee has remarried or is in a long-term relationship with anyone named Kelly Foster (or anyone else in the public eye).
Honestly, the real story is arguably more moving than the movie. In the film, he finds a new woman to help him heal. In real life, he found a way to heal through the animals and the community he built.
Fact vs. Fiction: A Quick Breakdown
When you're trying to figure out what's true, it helps to separate the Hollywood "gloss" from the British reality.
The Name: In the movie, the zoo is called Rosemoor and is located in California. In reality, it’s Dartmoor Zoo in the UK.
The Relationship: The "Kelly Foster" character is a Hollywood invention. While there were female zookeepers at Dartmoor, none of them became Benjamin's wife or a public romantic partner in the way the film suggests.
The Timeline: Katherine’s passing happened in the midst of the real zoo's renovation, just like in the movie. This part of the story is heartbreakingly accurate.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that We Bought a Zoo is a documentary. It’s not. It’s "based on a true story," which is code for "we changed the location, the names, and added a romance to make it more exciting."
Benjamin Mee didn't buy a zoo to find a new wife. He bought it because his family (including his mother and siblings) wanted a project that would bring them together. It was a massive gamble that nearly bankrupt them multiple times.
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Lessons from the Real Benjamin Mee
If you’re looking for the "Kelly Foster" in Ben’s life today, you’re looking for a person who doesn't exist. Instead, look at what he actually built.
The takeaway from Ben’s life isn’t about finding a new partner to replace what was lost. It’s about "20 seconds of insane courage." That’s a real quote from Ben, by the way. He believes that sometimes you just need twenty seconds of embarrassing bravery to change your life forever—whether that’s buying a zoo or just starting a conversation.
What to do next
If you want the full, un-Hollywoodized version of this story, you should read Benjamin's original book, We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Animals That Changed Their Lives Forever. It’s much grittier and more honest than the film.
You can also support the real-life zoo. Since Ben turned it into a charity, it relies on visitors and donations to keep its conservation work going. Checking out the Dartmoor Zoological Society website will give you a real look at the animals and people who actually live and work there today.
Practical Next Steps:
- Watch the Documentary: Look for the BBC documentary Ben's Zoo which aired before the movie came out. It shows the actual struggle without the Hollywood romance.
- Follow the Zoo: Search for "Dartmoor Zoo" on social media to see the real staff (no Scarlett Johansson, but plenty of actual heroes).
- Read the Memoir: Grab a copy of the book to see how Ben handled the loss of Katherine without a fictional love interest.