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Bryce Dallas Howard might be known for her many roles in popular series and film franchises, but she has also seemingly discovered the secret to a long, happy marriage.

The actress, most recently seen in Jurassic World: Dominion opposite Chris Pratt, has been married for 16 years. Her husband is actor Seth Gabel, appeared on Fox's sci-fi series Fringe and Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story.

The couple has recently celebrated 22 years together, giving fans a glimpse of their family life on their social media, where they regularly post cute tributes to one another.

Bryce Dallas Howard Got Married To Her College Boyfriend

Despite hailing from a well-known family in the entertainment industry — her father is actor and director Ron Howard — the Spider-Man 3 star has had a very normal experience when it comes to dating. Unlike many others of her fellow celebrities, Howard got engaged to and married her college boyfriend.

Gabel and Howard met while they were both attending New York University in the early 2000s. They dated for five years before tying the knot on June 17, 2006.

Howard And Gabel Didn't Plan On Having A Baby Right Away

Howard has often said that she and Gabel didn't plan on having kids soon after they wed. However, she found out she was pregnant when she and her husband were on their honeymoon, with Bryce's entire family.

"I found out I was pregnant seven days after my wedding. I was on my honeymoon with my family. It's a long story—but yes, I shared my honeymoon with my entire family. I have a heroic husband!" Howard wrote in 2010.

"After taking the pregnancy test, I held the paper strip while waiting for the telltale sign to appear and thought, 'I have to be pregnant! I will not be okay if I am not pregnant.'

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"It was an odd thought since I was 25, and my husband and I had no intention of starting a family until we were in our 30s, but as the slender strip turned blue, I leapt into the air with joy."

Bryce Dallas Howard Was Diagnosed With Severe Postpartum Depression

Howard has been candid about her experience with postpartum depression after the birth of her first son Theo.

In 2010, she penned an op-ed for Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop, writing that she "treasured every moment I had with this new life growing inside me." Still, after giving birth to Theo, Howard "felt nothing."

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At the hospital, the star recalled feeling empty and handing her son to her husband.

"Even as I write this, I’m moved to recall the gentleness of my 25-year-old husband holding this new human being, his son, for the first time—and saying over and over, 'anything is possible,'" she wrote.

"He still says these words every night before our son drifts off to sleep," she continued.

Howard opened up on feeling like a "rotten" mother.

"Before Theo was born, I had been in good humor about my 80-pound weight gain, but I was now mortified by it. I felt I was failing at breast-feeding. My house was a mess. I believed I was a terrible dog owner. I was certain I was an awful actress; I dreaded a film I was scheduled to shoot only a few weeks after the birth because I could barely focus enough to read the script.

"And worst of all, I definitely felt I was a rotten mother—not a bad one, a rotten one. Because the truth was, every time I looked at my son, I wanted to disappear."

After months of crying the shower whilst pretending she was fine with family and friends, Howard got honest with her midwife and was then referred to a therapist. She was diagnosed with severe postpartum depression.

Thanks to this new awareness, Howard started getting better and connecting with her son, particularly when she realized she wasn't alone in experiencing feelings of despair. In the US, 1 in 7 women may experience postpartum depression in the year after giving birth, while 1 in 10 men experience postnatal depression.

"A friend invited me to a 'pow-wow' of mothers (in a tepee nonetheless); there we talked about the trials and tribulations of motherhood. The woman next to me coined the phrase 'postpartum denial,' and hearing her story helped me to understand my own," Howard wrote.

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"I still mourn the loss of what could have been, but I also feel deep gratitude for those who stood by me, for the lesson that we must never be afraid to ask for help, and for the feeling of summer that still remains," she continued.

Howard credited her recovery to the professional help she has received, as well as the understanding and support of her loved ones, including her husband. The actress and her husband also have another kid, daughter Beatrice, born in 2012.

Seth Gabel And Bryce Dallas Howard Have Known Each Other For Half Their Lives

Howard and Gabel have known each other for nearly half their lives, as they adorably remind their followers on Instagram with regular posts.

"I've been with this gorgeous woman for more than half my life and today I have the honor of celebrating her 40th birthday! Everyday with @brycedhoward is better than the last and there's no one I'd rather share my everything with. Happy birthday baby!" Gabel wrote to mark Bryce's 40th birthday in 2021.

Howard, too, penned a sweet tribute to Gabel for his 40th lap around the sun in October of the same year, praising him for taking care of the family while she was on set in the UK.

"My hot husband is juggling it all (kids, pets, moving, new schools) all while I’ve been filming in the UK," Howard wrote.

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"We are all very needy with Seth because he's everyone's favorite person. He's turning 40 today and it feels like lifetimes ago and also just yesterday that he turned 20 and we were two crazy kids in love. I love our life together and I love you, Seth. Happy Birthday," she added.

Last June, the pair celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary, and it looks like they'll have many more to spend together.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or anxiety during pregnancy, or in the postpartum period, contact the Postpartum Health Alliance warmline at (888) 724-7240, or Postpartum Support International at (800) 944-4773. If you are thinking of harming yourself or your baby, get help right away by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or dialing 911. For more resources, you can visit Postpartum Support International.

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