- Jude Law recently opened up about his marriage with Philippa Coan, a behavioral psychologist.
- Law said they “talk a lot about how they feel” and enjoy a “very healthy relationship.”
- While communication is important in a relationship, couples should be intentional about it.
Jude Law’s key to having a healthy marriage lies in good communication.
In an interview with GQ published on Tuesday, the English actor opened up about his relationship with his wife, Phillipa Coan.
When asked if Coan, 38, helps him make bolder career choices, Law, 51, agreed. “Yeah, I think so,” he said.
“Also, Phil’s a psychologist,” he said. “So we enjoy a very healthy relationship where we talk a lot about how we feel, our relationships with friends, relationships with our families, and she has a wonderful perspective on all of that.”
The “The Talented Mr Ripley” actor added that people in middle age should start to reflect on their relationship patterns.
“What are the patterns I’ve created? What are the relationships I have? Why do I have them like that? How do I feel about them?” he said.
Law met Coan, a behavioral psychologist and business coach, through a mutual friend. They married in 2019 and share two children, whom they keep out of the spotlight.
Law is a dad to five additional kids from his previous relationships with Sadie Frost, Samantha Burke, and Catherine Harding. He was previously married to Sadie Frost and engaged to Sienna Miller.
A representative for Law did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.
Communication in a healthy relationship
Chris Leeth, a professor of counseling at the University of Texas at San Antonio, previously told BI that having clear communication is a sign of a healthy relationship. It suggests that both partners can express and understand each other’s wants and needs, he said.
Being honest with each other’s feelings is key. Cassandra Fallon, a therapist and Regional Clinic Director at Thriveworks, previously told BI that couples should aim to share their feelings without guilt or fear.
“Open honesty can promote truthfulness and transparency, encouraging an overall healthy relationship that eradicates problems or conflicts rather than ignoring they exist,” she said.
Still, couples should strive to adopt healthy communication habits instead of unpacking every relationship issue, which can be overwhelming.
Sandra White, 58, has been married for 18 years and previously told BI that she used to call out every problem in her relationship with her partner. “It was super negative and caused a lot of friction,” she said.
Now, White and her husband schedule a time each week to discuss their issues. This has allowed them to be more intentional about their discussions, and they no longer unload their frustrations on each other.
“Yes, I want to be with this man. He’s a wonderful man, so I need to think about is this worth a big conversation?” she said. “And sometimes they are. But a lot of the little things fall by the wayside.”
