If you’ve been following pop culture since the days of "The Simple Life," you probably remember when Nicole Richie was basically the poster child for Hollywood chaos. But honestly, that version of her is ancient history. People still find themselves asking who is Nicole Richie married to because the couple has managed something almost impossible in the public eye: they stayed together and stayed quiet.
She is married to Joel Madden.
You know him. He's the lead singer of the pop-punk band Good Charlotte. While other early-2000s couples were crashing and burning in spectacular fashion on reality TV, Nicole and Joel were busy building a fortress around their private life. They’ve been together since 2006. That is practically a millennium by Hollywood standards.
How It All Actually Started
Most people assume they met through some high-profile celebrity networking event, but it was way more low-key than that. They met at a friend's party in December 2006. At the time, Nicole was 25 and Joel was 27.
Nicole has joked in interviews that she actually lied to him when they first started hanging out. He asked her if she had ever watched The Wire, and she said yes just to keep the conversation going. It backfired immediately. He tried to talk to her about specific episodes in Season 3, and she had to admit she didn't have a clue what was happening. It worked out anyway, though. By 2007, they were expecting their first child.
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The Wedding: Elephants and Marchesa
They didn't rush into marriage. They actually had both of their children before they officially tied the knot. The wedding finally happened on December 11, 2010. It wasn't some cold, corporate hotel ballroom vibe either.
They got married at her father Lionel Richie’s estate in Los Angeles. It was a whole production.
- The Dress: Nicole wore three different custom gowns by Marchesa. One of them had a skirt made of 100 yards of silk organza.
- The Vibe: The ceremony took place under a tent designed to look like a French garden.
- The Elephant: Yes, there was a real, live elephant named Tai. Nicole apparently wanted one for good luck since she was a little girl.
The Kids Are Grown Up (Literally)
If you want to feel old, just look at their children. They have two: a daughter, Harlow, and a son, Sparrow.
As of January 2026, Harlow is 18 years old. She actually just celebrated her milestone 18th birthday on January 11. Interestingly, Nicole revealed recently that Harlow now goes by her middle name, Kate. She even has her Instagram handle set as @katemaddennn. Their son, Sparrow James Midnight, is 16.
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For years, the couple kept the kids almost entirely off social media. They wanted them to have a "normal" upbringing away from the paparazzi. Lately, we’ve seen them more often, like at the premiere of Nicole’s movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead back in 2024. The family looked like a coordinated goth-chic unit, with the kids looking like carbon copies of their parents.
Why This Marriage Actually Works
It’s easy to be cynical about celebrity marriages. But Joel and Nicole seem to have a "team" mentality. They even started The Richie Madden Children’s Foundation together early on.
Joel is still very much in the music world. In fact, he just played a massive hometown show with Good Charlotte at the iHeartRadio ALTer EGO at The Kia Forum on January 17, 2026. Nicole is usually there in the wings, or more likely, at home being the "CEO" of the family.
They are opposites in a lot of ways. Joel is the shy, reserved rock star from Maryland. Nicole is the quick-witted, fashion-forward L.A. native. Maybe that's the secret? They don't try to be the same person.
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Common Misconceptions
Some people still confuse Joel with his identical twin brother, Benji Madden. Benji is also married to a very famous woman—Cameron Diaz. This makes Nicole and Cameron sisters-in-law, which is a duo we honestly need a reality show about (though we'll never get one).
Another thing people get wrong is the "party girl" image. Nicole hasn't been that person for twenty years. She’s built a legitimate fashion empire with House of Harlow 1960 and has become a respected actress.
What You Should Do Next
If you're looking to keep up with the family's latest moves, here is what to keep an eye on:
- Follow the Fashion: Keep an eye on Kate (Harlow) Madden’s social media. She’s clearly inherited her mom’s eye for style and is becoming a bit of a fashion icon for her generation.
- Catch the Tour: Good Charlotte is planning an Australian tour later in 2026. If you're a fan of the music, that’s where Joel will be most of the year.
- Watch the Reruns: If you only know Nicole as "Joel's wife," go back and watch Great News. It shows off her actual comedic timing, which is top-tier.
The reality is that Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are one of the few success stories from that era of Hollywood. They grew up, leaned into the "boring" parts of family life, and ended up with one of the sturdiest marriages in the business.