When you think about Hollywood marriages, the mind usually goes to messy divorces, three-month flings, or dramatic "conscious uncouplings." It’s basically the wild west of relationships. But then there’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus. While her iconic character Elaine Benes spent nine seasons navigating the hilarious, disastrous dating pool of 1990s Manhattan, the real Julia was doing something much more radical for a celebrity: staying happily married.
So, who is Julia Louis-Dreyfus married to? The answer is Brad Hall.
He’s not just some guy in the background of her red-carpet photos. He’s a comedian, a director, and her literal partner-in-crime since before they were even famous. Honestly, in an industry where a decade-long marriage is considered a "golden anniversary," their nearly 40-year run is basically a miracle.
The College Audition That Started It All
They didn’t meet at a fancy Oscar party or through a high-profile talent agent. Nope. They met at Northwestern University in the early 1980s.
Brad was a senior with what Julia later described as "Jesus hair" and a big, bushy beard. He had started a comedy troupe called the Practical Theatre Company. Julia was just a nineteen-year-old student who decided to audition for his show.
She has been very open about the fact that it was pretty much love at first sight. While they were supposed to be focusing on satire and oil dependency sketches, Julia admits she was mostly just staring at Brad. She told Craig Ferguson in 2013 that she knew "almost immediately" that he was the one.
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From SNL to the Altar
The couple’s chemistry wasn't just romantic; it was professional. Their entire comedy troupe was so good that Saturday Night Live producers scouted them and hired four members at once—including both Julia and Brad.
They moved to New York together in 1982 to join the cast. Julia was only 21, making her the youngest female cast member in the show's history at the time. While SNL was notoriously "sexist" and drug-fueled during those years, having each other helped them navigate the chaos. Brad even manned the Weekend Update desk for a bit.
After leaving the show, they didn't wait long to make things official. On June 25, 1987, they got married in Santa Barbara, California. The ceremony was intimate and deeply personal—Brad’s father, who was a minister, actually officiated.
A Career Built Together
One of the coolest things about who Julia Louis-Dreyfus is married to is how much they actually work together. Usually, celebs keep their work and home lives in separate boxes. Not these two.
- Watching Ellie: Brad created this sitcom specifically for Julia in the early 2000s.
- Veep: Brad stepped behind the camera to direct several episodes of the show that earned Julia a record-breaking string of Emmys.
- Picture Paris: He wrote and directed this short film starring Julia, which they took to the Tribeca Film Festival.
It’s a rare dynamic. They seem to genuinely enjoy each other’s creative brains, which probably helps when your wife is one of the most decorated actors in television history.
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Raising a Family in the Limelight
Julia and Brad have two sons, Henry and Charlie, and they’ve managed to raise them mostly out of the toxic tabloid cycle.
Henry, born in 1992, is a singer-songwriter. You might have seen him performing on The Tonight Show. Charlie, born in 1997, followed the family business into acting and even played basketball for Northwestern—his parents’ alma mater.
They are famously supportive parents. Julia calls herself a "momager" sometimes, helping them read lines or promoting their music on her Instagram. If you look at photos of the family today, they actually look like people who like each other, which is kind of refreshing.
Facing the Hard Stuff
The marriage wasn't just about red carpets and laughs. In 2017, Julia was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a massive shock to the public, but behind the scenes, Brad was her rock.
She has often credited her "glorious" family for getting her through the treatments. When she announced she was cancer-free in 2018, it felt like a win for the whole "Team Hall-Louis-Dreyfus" unit.
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Why Their Marriage Still Matters in 2026
In January 2026, as Julia celebrated her 65th birthday, the couple was still going strong. Just last year, they celebrated 38 years of marriage. Julia posted a sweet photo on Instagram with the caption: "38 years later (WTF), you're still my Home Screen."
The reason people are so obsessed with who Julia Louis-Dreyfus is married to isn't because of drama. It’s because they represent a type of stability that seems impossible in Hollywood. They met as kids, stayed together through the "Seinfeld" mania, supported each other through health crises, and are still making each other laugh four decades later.
Practical Lessons from a Hollywood Power Couple
If you're looking for the "secret sauce" to a long-term relationship based on their journey, here are the takeaways:
- Shared Humor: If you can't laugh at the "Jesus hair" phase, what's the point?
- Professional Support: Cheer for your partner’s wins, whether it’s an Emmy or a local gig.
- Privacy: Keep the intimate details for yourself. Julia often says there are moments from their early days she "will not share."
- Flexibility: They’ve moved between New York, LA, and Santa Barbara, adapting as their careers shifted.
Ultimately, Brad Hall isn't just "Julia’s husband." He’s the person who saw her talent before the rest of the world did. And for Julia, he’s clearly the "good choice" she made back in 1987.
To keep up with the latest on Julia's career and family life, you can follow her official social media updates or check out Henry Hall's latest music releases, which often feature "cameos" from his famous parents.