John Lithgow and His Wife of 43 Years Try to Follow This Rule When He’s Away on Location Filming (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Mary Yeager and John Lithgow in 2021.Photo:Michael Buckner/Variety/Penske Media via Getty

Michael Buckner/Variety/Penske Media via Getty

John Lithgowand wife Mary Yeager have learned to turn the actor’s work trips into vacations.

Now that Yeager is retired from her job at UCLA, where she was a professor of business and economic history for decades, she’s freer to join her husband, 79, when he flies abroad to film.

“By that time, I sort of know what I’m doing and I’m no longer a nervous wreck. And then at the end of the job we go off on holiday somewhere,” continues the six-time Emmy winner, who has won trophies for his work onThird Rock from the Sun,Dexter,The Crownand more. “It’s been completely wonderful.”

John Lithgow and Mary Yeager Lithgow at the 2012 Tony Awards.D Dipasupil/FilmMagic

D Dipasupil/FilmMagic

In recent months, Lithgow has been living in London while performing inGiant, a play that explores the antisemitism ofCharlie and the Chocolate FactoryauthorRoald Dahl. “It’s an incredible play,” says Lithgow.

“Professors and actors are not supposed to marry. Our lives are so incompatible,” added Lithgow, who nevertheless wed Yeager in 1981.

They settled in Los Angeles for Yeager’s job, but work often took Lithgow away. It still does. “I’m going off to do fantastic things with fabulous new friends. It’s exhilarating and gives me life,” he toldThe Guardian. “But there are stretches where we’re apart, and it’s hard.”

John Lithgow in ‘Conclave.'.Philippe Antonello/Focus Features

Philippe Antonello/Focus Features

For his new movieConclave— a tense drama about the Cardinals who must elect a new Supreme Pontiff when the pope dies — Lithgow spent two months in Rome,exploring the city with costars Stanley Tucci and Ralph Fiennes. “It made you feel like a total nobody to walk down the streets of Rome with Stanley,” Lithgow says of Tucci, whose food and travel series,Searching for Italy, aired on CNN.

“Ralph and I felt like extras inGandhi— absolutely no attention was paid! So you just had to swallow that bitter pill,” he says.

Conclaveis in theaters Friday, Oct. 25.

source: people.com