As one of the stars of Friends, one of the defining sitcoms of the 1990s, David Schwimmer was once one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. Though he has changed much since the show ended, one thing remains true: he is a very private man, even when it comes to his relationship with some of the most important people in his life.
This includes his marriage to Zoë Buckman, which, despite David's enormous fame, remains somewhat unknown for the most part. Though they divorced three years ago, they were recently seen strolling and having coffee in New York. Now with a Friends reunion on the horizon, let's take a look at everything we know about David Schwimmer and Zoë Buckman's relationship.
12 They Met In 2007 In London, While David Was Directing His First Film "Run Fatboy Run"
In 2007, David made his film directorial debut with the American-British comedy Run Fatboy Run, starring Simon Pegg. He was no stranger to directing, as he had directed a number of episodes of Friends during the show's run. However, the location of this film proved fortuitous: David and Zoë met in the city when Zoë, a waitress and photographer, served David at Cuckoo Club in London's West End.
David and Zoë started dating soon after, and even walked the red carpet together when the film premiered in March 2008.
11 David Is 19 Years Older Than Zoë
When David and Zoë met in 2007, David was already a seasoned actor, while Zoë was a part-time photographer at the beginning of her career. But they were not only separated by professional experience, but by a significant difference in age: David was born in 1966, Zoë in 1985.
Still, this was another couple who proved that age is just a number when it comes to love. The romance bloomed between the two and after a few years of dating, Zoë moved to the United States to be with David.
10 The Couple Married In A Secret Ceremony In June 2010
The couple got engaged in March 2010, and a few months later, in June 2010, they married in a secret wedding. While the pair was happy to attend and pose together during public events, they kept this milestone private for several months,
In fact, David and Zoë only confirmed they were now husband and wife four months later, in October 2010.
9 They Welcomed Their First Daughter In 2011
The couple welcomed their daughter, Cleo Buckman Schwimmer, on May 8, 2011. It was an event that, understandably, changed both of their perspective's on life.
"[It's] hundred per cent life-changing and in every way the most joyous and fulfilling and meaningful thing. Period. Hands down," David said recently to The Guardian when talking about his daughter, while Zoë, who features Cleo frequently on her Instagram account, has said her daughter "[has] bewitched [her] body and soul." Some really beautiful words by these loving parents!
8 The Couple Kept Their Relationship Very Private
From the very beginning of their relationship, David and Zoë kept a very low profile when it came to their personal lives, probably because of David's experience with stardom after he became Ross Geller in Friends.
"As an actor, the way I was trained, my job was to observe life and to observe other people, and so I used to walk around with my head up, and really engaged and watching people. The effect of celebrity was the absolute opposite: It made me want to hide under a baseball cap, not be seen. And I realized after a while that I was no longer watching people; I was trying to hide," David revealed to The Hollywood Reporter in 2016.
7 In 2017, David And Zoë Announced They Were Separating
Sadly, in April 2017, David and Zoë released a surprising statement via USA Today explaining they were taking a break from their marriage: "It is with great love, respect and friendship that we have decided to take some time apart while we determine the future of our relationship. Our priority is, of course, our daughter's happiness and well being during this challenging time, and so we ask for your support and respect for our privacy as we continue to raise her together and navigate this new chapter for our family."
6 They Finalized Their Divorce Later That Year
Unfortunately, the separation proved to be final rather than temporary as the couple finalized their divorce the same year.
Though the couple never officially confirmed it, David alluded to the fact the couple had divorced during an interview in February this year. "I waited a long time to decide to marry. But I took it just as seriously – I would say even more so, because I waited to decide until I thought: ‘Right, I’m going to start this chapter of my life now, and see it through.’ But I wouldn’t say my experience [with divorce] was harder than anyone else’s,” David thoughtfully answered after a question regarding his parents' long marriage.
5 David Has Called Their Separation "Heartbreaking"
After their divorce, David and Zoë have continued to be very private about their relationship. However, David opened up about the separation recently during an interview with The Guardian.
"Anyone would say the same thing, but of course it’s heartbreaking. You feel somewhat responsible and a sense of failure – and you grieve. I certainly didn’t get married with the idea that it wouldn’t last. I really believed it would," David revealed.
4 Despite The Difficulties In Their Marriage, They Have Continued To Thrive Professionally
The ultimate professionals, both David and Zoë have continued to shine in their careers. In 2016, David had a critically-acclaimed return to TV as lawyer Robert Kardashian in American Crime Story: The People v O.J. Simpson, a role for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy. More recently, David starred in Intelligence, a British workplace comedy.
For her part, Zoë has steadily risen in the world of contemporary art as a multimedia artist and photographer. Her work focuses on feminism and equality, and she has had solo exhibitions in Los Angeles and New York, and her writing about art has been featured in publications such as Vogue and The New York Times.
3 They Have Been On Very Good Terms After Their Separation
Proving once again how respectful they are of each other, David and Zoë's relationship after their divorce has been friendly and cordial.
As David told The Guardian recently referring to his ex-wife, "We’re still great friends and, touch wood, we’ve worked out a way to be really respectful and loving and caring and flexible in terms of our co-parenting." Though still private as ever, they have been seen together talking and walking on a number of occasions since their divorce.
2 And They Have Very Quietly Co-Parented Their Daughter
That cordial relationship extends to their role as parents of Cloe, who naturally, remains their priority. In addition to sharing a few quiet moments alone as exes, Zoë has shared a few family photos of the three together after the divorce.
Some of the occasions she has commemorated include Cleo's birthday in May 2019, or the start of her 3rd grade in September of the same year. Nobody really knows the truth of any family, but David and Zoë do seem to be genuinely trying to set a great example for their daughter.
1 They Were Recently Seen Taking A Stroll Together In New York
Once again, the couple was seen enjoying a walk and some coffee together in New York in early March, just before the pandemic and the lockdown paralyzed the city.
The photo, first shared by The Sun, shows the couple quietly talking and both in casual attire. A few weeks later, on April 28th, Zoë shared a throwback photo of the two, which she warmly, and teasingly, captioned "SchwimSchwimmer we were young then, Man. 🕺🏽" Whatever David and Zoë are doing, this is a relationship from which we all could learn a thing or two--hats off to them!