You know how some celebrities just seem like they've lived a thousand lives while somehow staying exactly the same? That’s Bernadette Peters. We’ve seen her dominate Broadway for decades, belt out Sondheim like nobody else, and basically freeze in time with those iconic curls. But when it comes to her private life, things get a little quieter. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering who is Bernadette Peters' husband, the answer is actually a mix of a beautiful love story and a really heartbreaking tragedy.
Honestly, it's not a secret, but it's something she doesn't go around shouting from the rooftops.
For the longest time, the name most people associated with her was Steve Martin. They were the "it" couple of the late '70s and early '80s. He even wrote a role specifically for her in The Jerk. But they never actually tied the knot. That happened later, with a man named Michael Wittenberg.
Michael Wittenberg: The man who won her heart
Michael Wittenberg wasn't a "theater person." He wasn't an actor or a director. He was an investment adviser. Basically, he lived in a completely different world than the bright lights of Broadway.
They met in a way that sounds like it was ripped straight out of a romantic comedy script. It was 1992. Bernadette was standing outside her apartment building in Manhattan, waiting for a date to pick her up. Michael happened to be walking by, decked out in a tuxedo on his way to a charity event. He saw her, walked right up, and joked, "Are you ready to go?"
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Talk about confidence.
That one-liner started everything. They ended up getting married on July 20, 1996. It wasn't some massive, bloated celebrity wedding either. They kept it intimate, holding the ceremony at the home of Bernadette's long-time friend, the legendary Mary Tyler Moore.
Michael was younger than Bernadette—about 14 years younger, actually. But by all accounts, they were a perfect match. In interviews, she’d talk about how marriage gave her a "rooted place." It was like having a solid home base that allowed her to take more risks in her career. They didn't have children, but they were huge animal lovers. They had two dogs, Stella and Kramer, and Michael fully supported Bernadette’s massive commitment to animal rescue (you’ve probably heard of Broadway Barks, the charity she co-founded).
The tragedy in Montenegro
Life was going great until September 2005. That’s when the story takes a sharp, painful turn.
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Michael was on a business trip in Montenegro. He was a passenger in a helicopter that crashed after reportedly striking a power line. He was only 43 years old.
It was a total shock. The Broadway community is tight-knit, and the news hit everyone hard because people knew how happy they were. Just days before it happened, Bernadette had been performing at a benefit for Hurricane Katrina victims. Then, suddenly, her world was upside down.
Is she married now?
For years after Michael passed away, Bernadette was very private. She poured herself into her work and her charity. If you look at her history, she isn't someone who jumps from relationship to relationship. She’s loyal.
However, something changed recently.
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If you've been keeping up with the latest buzz—specifically a 2025 interview with Vanity Fair—there’s a new name in the mix. When asked about the greatest love of her life, she mentioned her husband, Tom. It turns out she quietly remarried. This was a surprise to a lot of fans because she had been single (at least publicly) for nearly two decades after Michael's death.
It’s kind of beautiful, right?
Finding love again after a loss like that isn't easy. While she hasn't shared every detail about Tom—she’s always been one to keep her "home life" home—it’s clear that she’s found a new chapter.
Moving forward with legacy
Even though Michael Wittenberg has been gone for a long time, his name still pops up in meaningful ways. In 2012, The Center for Discovery opened the Michael Wittenberg Center for Imagination. Bernadette was right there for the naming, noting that Michael was deeply connected to the environment and the protection of all living creatures.
It’s a legacy that fits a man who apparently loved life as much as he loved the woman he met on a New York City sidewalk.
If you’re looking to follow in Bernadette’s footsteps regarding her passions, the best thing you can do is check out Broadway Barks. It’s the organization she and Mary Tyler Moore started to help shelter animals find forever homes. Supporting animal rescue is a direct way to honor the values she and Michael shared during their nine-year marriage. You can also look into the work done by The Center for Discovery, which continues to help individuals with complex disabilities in Michael's name.