If you’ve ever watched 30 Rock and thought the music felt like its own character, you’ve already met Tina Fey’s husband without even realizing it. Jeff Richmond isn't just "the guy next to her" on red carpets. He’s the architect of the "Fey-sound."
Honestly, in a town where marriages usually last about as long as a Netflix series, these two are outliers. They’ve been together for over 30 years. It’s kinda wild when you think about it. While everyone was obsessing over who Liz Lemon was dating, Tina Fey was heading home to the same guy she met in a Chicago basement in 1993.
How Tina Fey With Husband Jeff Richmond Actually Started
Forget the "glitzy Hollywood premiere" meet-cute. This was Chicago in the 90s. Specifically, the Del Close’s ImprovOlympic. Jeff was the in-house pianist, the guy sitting at the keys watching a thousand hopefuls try to be funny.
Then came Tina.
She wasn't a star yet. She was a 24-year-old taking classes and working the front desk at a YMCA to pay the bills. Jeff, who’s nine years older, was already the "mature" one with a steady gig. He recently told the New York Post that he knew she was special immediately. Not because she was "funny for a woman"—a phrase he luckily avoided—but because she could hold her own with the guys in a way that felt effortless.
They didn't rush it. They dated for seven years. Seven years! That’s a lifetime in your twenties. They hung out offstage, bonded over a shared love for the Jerky Boys and old Broadway soundtracks like Guys and Dolls. By the time they got married in a Greek Orthodox ceremony on June 3, 2001, they had already survived the transition from Chicago improv to the high-pressure cooker of Saturday Night Live.
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The "Travel-Sized" Dynamic
You can’t talk about Tina Fey with husband Jeff Richmond without mentioning the height thing. It’s the first thing people notice on the red carpet. Tina is 5'4". Jeff is 5'2".
Alec Baldwin famously nicknamed him "travel-sized."
Does it matter? Not to them. If anything, they lean into it. At the Death Becomes Her Broadway opening in late 2024, Tina was towering over him in a black longline coat and heels, and they both looked like they were having the time of their lives. Jeff once told Vanity Fair their marriage is "borderline boring—in a good way." No drama. No scandals. Just a guy who likes to cook roast chicken (he says he does all the cooking) and a woman who likes to take the subway to work so she can think.
Working Together Without Killing Each Other
Most couples would lose their minds if they worked together as much as these two do. They aren't just partners; they're a business.
- 30 Rock: Jeff composed the theme song and the entire score. He also played Alfonso, the piano player for Jenna Maroney.
- Mean Girls: Jeff wrote the music for the Broadway musical and the 2024 movie.
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: He was the executive producer and composer (yes, he wrote "Peeno Noir").
- Girls5eva: Again, his music is all over it.
Tina has said she trusts him implicitly because they "met in a work environment." They have a shorthand. If she says a scene needs to feel "more purple" or "faster but sad," he knows exactly what that means musically.
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But they have boundaries. When they were working on the Mean Girls movie musical recently, they made a point of not occupying the same creative spaces 24/7. She might be in the writer's room while he's in the recording studio. They meet in the middle.
Raising Kids in the "Fey-Verse"
They have two daughters, Alice (born 2005) and Penelope (born 2011). And if you think having Tina Fey as a mom makes you cool, think again.
Tina told People in late 2023 that her kids are her toughest critics. They basically tell her she’s not cool. Alice, now a young adult, actually appeared in 30 Rock as a young Liz Lemon. Penelope got a part in Girls5eva, but only after another actor couldn't make it due to travel issues. Tina was actually hesitant to cast her own kid—she didn't want the "boss's kid" to get the first job she ever auditioned for.
The family lives on the Upper West Side. They aren't "Hollywood" people. You’re more likely to see them at the US Open (like they were in September 2024) or a Broadway show than at a flashy club in LA.
Why This Relationship Works in 2026
Looking at Tina Fey with husband Jeff Richmond today, it’s clear the "secret sauce" is mutual respect. Jeff isn't threatened by her massive fame. He calls himself the "Joe Biden of husbands"—the guy in the background getting things done while the principal takes the podium.
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They’ve navigated the shift from 90s improv to the streaming era without losing their minds or their marriage. As of 2025 and early 2026, they are still showing up to premieres like Netflix's The Four Seasons looking as solid as ever.
Actionable Insights for Longevity
If you're looking for the "Fey-Richmond" blueprint for a long-term partnership, here is what actually works based on their three decades together:
- Build a Shorthand: Find common interests (like their love for food and theater) that create a private language only you two speak.
- Respect the "Solitude": Even when working together, maintain separate routines. Take the subway alone if you need the headspace.
- Keep it "Boring": Stability isn't a lack of passion; it's the foundation that allows you to be creative and risky in your professional life.
- Humor as a Shield: When the world gets caustic, having a partner who shares your specific, sometimes "bitter" wit (as Jeff described Tina’s) is a survival mechanism.
They’ve proven that you don’t need to be the same height or have the same role to be on the same level.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to see their creative chemistry in action, go back and watch the "Mazel Tov, Dummies!" episode of 30 Rock to see their daughter Alice’s cameo, or listen to the Mean Girls (2024) soundtrack to hear how Jeff modernizes the Broadway sound for a new generation. Both are masterclasses in how this duo blends family and work.