You probably know Steve Martin as the "wild and crazy guy" from SNL, the frantic dad in Father of the Bride, or the investigative semi-retired actor Charles-Haden Savage in Only Murders in the Building. He’s a banjo-strumming, prop-comedy-wielding legend who has been in our living rooms for decades. But honestly, for a man who spent his early years performing for thousands of screaming fans, his home life is shockingly quiet.
If you’re wondering who is Steve Martin married to, the answer is Anne Stringfield.
She isn't an actress. She doesn't have a reality show. In fact, she’s so intensely private that she has reportedly never walked a red carpet with him, even though they’ve been together for nearly twenty years. It’s a bit of a Hollywood anomaly. Most celebrity couples are splashed across Instagram every other Tuesday, but Martin and Stringfield have built something that feels almost old-fashioned. They just... live their lives.
The Fact-Checker Who Caught the Comedian’s Eye
Their meet-cute wasn’t exactly a Hollywood script. It was more like a workplace interaction that got out of hand. Back in the mid-2000s, Anne Stringfield was working as a fact-checker for The New Yorker. If you know anything about that magazine, you know their fact-checking department is legendary for being meticulous.
Steve Martin, who is a frequent contributor to the magazine's "Shouts & Murmurs" section, had written a piece that needed checking. Stringfield was the one on the other end of the line.
They didn't meet in person for a long time. They talked on the phone for an entire year before they ever actually saw each other. Think about that. A year of just voices. Martin has mentioned in interviews that he was attracted to her mind and her sense of humor before he ever knew what she looked like.
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When they did finally meet, it wasn't just a brief spark. It was a slow burn. Anne, who grew up in Pensacola, Florida, and graduated from Davidson College, was described by friends as "deeply shy." That actually suited Martin perfectly. After decades in the spotlight, he wasn't looking for another star; he was looking for a partner.
The "Secret" Wedding That Fooled Everyone
By 2007, the couple was ready to make it official. But they didn't want a paparazzi-fueled circus. Instead, they pulled off one of the best "gotcha" moments in celebrity history.
They invited about 75 people to their home in Los Angeles. The invitation said it was just a regular party. When guests like Tom Hanks, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, and Carl Reiner showed up, they probably expected some hors d'oeuvres and maybe some banjo music. Instead, they walked into a wedding.
- Date: July 28, 2007
- Best Man: Lorne Michaels (The creator of SNL)
- Officiant: Former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey
- The Look: Steve wore an Inspector Clouseau-style mustache he was growing for The Pink Panther 2.
It was intimate. It was low-key. And most importantly, it was exactly what they wanted. Stringfield wore Vera Wang, and they swapped vows in front of a crowd that actually cared about them, not just people looking for a photo op.
Yes, She Really Does Look Like Tina Fey
If you’ve watched Only Murders in the Building, you might have noticed a running joke. Tina Fey plays Cinda Canning, a cutthroat true-crime podcast host. At one point, she has a group of assistants who look exactly like her.
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One of those lookalikes? Anne Stringfield.
It was a brilliant meta-joke. For years, people have pointed out that Anne looks remarkably like Tina Fey. Even Tina herself has joked about it. During a tribute speech for Martin's AFI Life Achievement Award, Fey quipped that Martin married a "younger, thinner, smarter version" of her. Martin took it in stride, later admitting in People magazine, "She does look like my wife!"
Becoming a Father at 67
For a long time, it seemed like Steve Martin might never have kids. He played the quintessential dad on screen, but his real life was focused on art, music, and comedy. That changed in December 2012 when he and Anne welcomed their daughter, Mary.
Martin was 67.
Most people are thinking about retirement at that age, not diapers. But Martin has been incredibly vocal about how much better he is as a father now than he would have been in his 30s. He told AARP that if he'd had a child earlier, he would have been a "lousy father" because he would have been too focused on his career.
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Now? He’s all in. He’s often spotted around New York or LA just being a dad. He keeps Mary out of the spotlight—no public photos, no social media posts. He’s very protective of that "joy in the family life" and doesn't want to compromise it for a headline.
Why Their Marriage Actually Works
So, why are we still talking about them in 2026?
Because they’re stable. In an industry where marriages often have the shelf life of a carton of milk, Martin and Stringfield have hit nearly two decades. Martin describes their life together as a "gentle uphill slope to a real, real happiness."
They share a love for the arts—they’re big collectors of Aboriginal Australian art—and they seem to value their privacy above all else. Anne isn't trying to be a "celebrity wife." She’s a writer, a mother, and a partner. She doesn't need the red carpet, and Martin, at this stage of his life, doesn't seem to need it much either.
If you want to emulate the kind of balance they have, there are a few takeaways:
- Prioritize the person over the image. Martin fell in love with Anne's brain over the phone. That’s a solid foundation.
- Protect your peace. You don't have to share everything with the world. Keeping some things "just for us" makes them more special.
- It’s never too late for a new chapter. Whether it’s marriage at 61 or fatherhood at 67, life doesn't have a strict timeline.
Steve Martin’s marriage to Anne Stringfield is a reminder that even the biggest stars can find a quiet, normal kind of love. It’s not flashy, but it’s real. And in Hollywood, that’s the rarest thing of all.
For anyone interested in the more personal side of the comedian's journey, his 2024 documentary STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces offers the most intimate look yet at their home life, including rare glimpses of Anne herself. It's worth a watch if you want to see the man behind the banjo.