It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is notoriously lacking in sentimentalism, but the story behind the marriage of its stars, Rob McElhennney and Kaitlin Olson, is actually really sweet. Whereas the show revels in darkly shocking storylines, from cannibalism to insinuating that one of its monstrous protagonists may be a serial killer, the world that McElhenney and Olson inhabit away from the cameras is wholesome and loving.
In addition to starring in the hit show, McElhenney also created it and is Always Sunny's primary writer along with co-stars Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day. But despite essentially being his wife's boss, McElhenney has a healthy, egalitarian relationship with Olson. Unlike many other celeb couples, McElhenney and Olson prioritize their privacy and lead a fairly normal life despite their massive net worth and immensely popular TV show. Here's an inside look at their marriage, and just how Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson met.
When it comes to one of the best sitcoms, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia certainly comes to mind. The show first began back in 2005, which is exactly when Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson first met. The two clearly hit it off considering they began dating in 2006 when the show entered its second season. By 2007, the couple was officially engaged and tied the knot in September of 2008. The two welcomed their first son in 2010 and their second in 2012, proving that being part of the TV series truly paid off.
Updated on January 28, 2022: Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson's marriage seems to be as strong as ever in 2022. Season 15 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered in late 2021, and Rob and Kaitlin are set to reprise their roles in at least three more seasons – the show has been renewed through season 18. They continue to post photos of one another on Instagram, and of course they continue to work together on Sunny. While Rob is surely busy these days with "The Always Sunny Podcast" and with the soccer team he owns, Kaitlin is staying busy too, and season 2 of her show Hacks will hopefully premiere sometime in 2022.
11 How Did Rob McElhenney And Kaitlin Olson Meet?
While the two are fan favorites both off and on-screen today, it seems as if Kaitlin didn't initially think Rob was cute when she first met him. The duo crossed paths for the very first time when Olson joined the cast of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
She revealed that at the start, she felt like quite the outsider, however, it didn't take much time before becoming close with her co-stars, especially Rob. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kaitlin revealed that she had never met Rob prior to the show, and while she didn't think he was cute at first, she does "take it all back now."
10 Rob McElhenney And Kaitlin Olson Didn't Start Dating Until Season 2
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the longest-running live-action sitcom in history, with its first season airing all the way back in 2005. But it wasn't until the second season that stars Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson, who were both in their late 20s at the time, started dating.
9 Rob McElhenney And Kaitlin Olson Kept It A Secret From The Cast
The couple first hooked up at a party held by the Fox network, with Kaitlin making the first move. But they kept it a secret from the rest of the cast and this made Glenn Howerton, who plays the villainous and vainglorious Dennis, very jealous.
"Glenn would come to work jealous and be like, "God, Rob is just like, he's just out there at bars, just like meeting people? ****ing every bar he goes to, he goes and spends the night at her house!" Kaitlin said. Life imitates art, since Mac (played by McElhenney) and Dennis have an oddly competitive bromance on the show itself, with the scheming Dennis even going as far as to hide letters from Mac's dad at the height of his jealousy.
8 It Was A New Kind Of Love For Kaitlin Olson
In an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, Kaitlin said that she fell deeply in love with Rob. She told interviewer Dax Shephard, "Like, once I fell in love with him, I realized that I was deeply in love with him in a way that I hadn't been in love with anyone before." The couple married in 2008 and have been going strong ever since.
7 Rob McElhenney Was Attracted To Kaitlin Olson's Comedic Talents
Kaitlin Olson is famed for her hilarious turn as Dee Reynolds on Always Sunny. Although Dee was originally supposed to be the voice of reason in the gang, she quickly became as obnoxious as the guys.
Whether she's trying out her misguided comedic impressions or being as shockingly selfish as her pals, Dee is consistently hilarious. Subsequently, Rob has described Kaitlin as "hands down the funniest woman on television."
6 Kaitlin Olson's Pregnancy Was Written Into 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia'
In the seventh episode of season 6, "Who Got Dee Pregnant?" Dee reveals that she has fallen pregnant and the gang tries to work out who the father is, with hilarious consequences.
Kaitlin was actually pregnant with her first child at the time, so it was written into the show. In a nod to their real-life relationship, it is suggested that Mac may be the father, the thought of which nauseates both Dee and Mac.
5 Rob McElhenney Has Said How Lucky He Is To Be With Kaitlin Olson
In a moving Instagram post, Rob recalled seeing Kaitlin for the first time in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and being in awe of her beauty and comedic skills. He also believed that she was out of his league, writing, "What a lucky person I am. I do not deserve her." Always Sunny may be largely bereft of emotional content, but these real-life lovebirds are doing all they can to tug at our heartstrings.
4 Rob McElhenney And Kaitlin Olson Dedicated An Episode To Their Baby Son
In the season 6 episode "Dee Gives Birth", Dee, well, gives birth! The episode ends on a touching note, with a photo of Rob and Kaitlin's newborn first son accompanied by the text, "Axel Lee McElhenney/ September 1, 2010". They have a second son, Leo Grey, born in 2012.
3 Rob McElhenney Pokes Gentle Fun At Kaitlin Olson On Instagram
Rob posted a humorous series of videos on Instagram, featuring him playing guitar and duetting with his wife. The videos start innocently enough but have a hilarious twist. In one video, Rob sings soulfully, while Kaitlin is dubbed over with chicken noises, a reference to Always Sunny's long-running gag that Dee resembles a bird.
2 Kaitlin Olson Said She Loves Working With Rob McElhenney
While her husband is also technically her boss, this doesn't bother Kaitlin, who has explained that their working relationship is collaborative as opposed to autocratic. Furthermore, she said that she loves working with Rob. In her interview with Dax Shepard, she elaborated, "he's just a wonderful boss and he's a collaborator".
1 Rob McElhenney Is Always Praising Kaitlin Olson
Unbelievably, Always Sunny has never won a Primetime Emmy Award. But this isn't a problem for Rob when he has his beloved wife at home. Referring to the show being snubbed by the prestigious awards ceremony, he posted a photo of himself and Kaitlin on Instagram, writing, "Who needs an Emmy when you get to take home this golden trophy? Damn that girl is fine."