Stanley Tucci Defends 21-Year Age Gap With Wife Felicity Blunt

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Stanley Tucci Defends 21-Year Age Gap With Wife Felicity Blunt

Stanley Tucci knows love doesn't follow a rulebook. 

The Devil Wears Prada 2 star explained why his relationship with wife Felicity Blunt—the older sister of his costar, Emily Blunt, who was instrumental in bringing the couple together—works despite a large age difference.

“It just sort of made sense, even though there is this age gap of 21 years,” Stanley, 65, told Jenna Bush-Hager during a May 7 episode of her Open Book podcast. “I knew her family, or I knew her sister was one of my best friends. And we just hit it off.” 

Stanley first met Felicity, now 45, at the premiere of 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada before reconnecting with her at Emily’s wedding to John Krasinski in 2010. At the time, the actor “wasn’t sure” if he would ever remarry following the 2009 death of his first wife Kate Tucci, with whom he shared 26-year-old twins Nicolo and Isabel, as well as 24-year-old daughter Camilla.

"We had a lot in common, even though we had nothing in common," Stanley recalled of how he fell for Felicity. "It just sort of stuck. But I think she changed my life in the sense that she gave me a sense of security. She gave my children a sense of security. And she's fun. Like, she's fun to hang out with."

He also noted that the literary agent is “incredibly positive," a trait he admittedly doesn't always possess himself.

“Her mind is incredible,” raved Stanley, who married Felicity in 2012 before welcoming their kids Mateo, 11, and Emilia, 8. “Her capacity to take in information, not just from a book, but from the world and process it, and turn it into something else is just extraordinary. She's pretty cool.”

(Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for The Walt Disney Company Limited)

But that doesn't mean Stanley didn't initially feel the pressure of dating someone two decades his junior. As he told BBC Radio in 2023, "I kept trying to break it off. I'm 21 years older than she is, and I didn't want to feel old for the rest of my life. But I knew that this was an incredibly special person."

However, Stanley also recognized that Felicity “was an incredibly special person."

"Felicity has been so incredible, taking on a widower and three children whose mother died," he added. "That's a huge thing at a very young age, too. If anybody made things better for all of us, it's her. She's the one."

The Italian cuisine expert isn't the only star to find love with someone from another generation. Read on for more insights from celebrity couples with sizeable age gaps...

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Sarah Paulson & Holland Taylor

The practice of ignoring what people say about their 32-year age gap is nothing new for the actresses.

"If someone wants to spend any time thinking I'm strange for loving the most spectacular person on the planet, then that's their problem," Sarah told Modern Luxury in 2018 while discussing her relationship with Holland. "I'm doing just fine." 

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Heidi Klum & Tom Kaulitz

As for the former Project Runway host, she simply says auf wiedersehen to any negative comments about her 16-year age gap with the Tokio Hotel guitarist.

"My boyfriend is many years younger than me, and lots of people are questioning that and asking about it," she shared with InStyle in 2018. "That's really the only time when age seems to be shoved in my face and I have to give an answer for it. I don't really think about it that much otherwise."

And Heidi—who married Tom the following year—made it clear she's going to continue living life on her terms.

"You have to just live a happy life without worrying too much about what people think," the supermodel continued, "because worrying is only going to give you more wrinkles." 

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Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas

Meanwhile, the Quantico star has called out a double standard.

While she noted people have a lot to say about her being 10 years old than the Jonas Brother singer, she suggested this wouldn't be the case if it were the other way around.

"People gave us a lot of s--t about that and still do," Priyanka told InStyle. "I find it really amazing when you flip it and the guy is older, no one cares and actually people like it."

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Sam Taylor-Johnson & Aaron Taylor-Johnson

And if you'd ask the Fifty Shades of Grey director, she'd say her 23-year age difference with the Kraven the Hunter actor just doesn't come up in their day-to-day.

“No, it never does," she said in a 2024 interview with The Guardian. "I mean, it’s coming up now because you’re asking. And it comes up on the outside perspective of people who don’t know us, because I guess people will always...We’re a bit of an anomaly, but it’s that thing: After 14 years you just think, surely by now it doesn’t really matter?”

Sam even pointed out her relationship with Aaron has lasted longer than her marriage to her ex-husband Jay Jopling, who is about four years older than she is.

"So, if you think of it in that way," she continued, "then the age gap doesn’t really make any difference.”

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Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones

Though the couple share a birthday (Sept. 25), they aren't on the same page...of the calendar.

"My husband is 25 years older than me; that’s not a secret," the Chicago star told WSJ. Magazine in 2021. "With any relationship, it wouldn’t be normal if there weren’t any ups and downs. The constant is love and respect."

Marco Garcia/Getty Images for Lionsgate Entertainment

Dennis Quaid & Laura Savoie

The Parent Trap alum may argue that the only ones who should be focused on his relationship with the Bonniedale Films cofounder is them. T-H-E-M, them. Get the picture?

Still, Dennis indicated he and Laura are unfazed by any attention around her being 39 years younger. 

"We just don't even notice it," he told Today in 2021 about their age difference. "We've never related to someone in my life better than we do. We have such a great relationship. And love finds a way, wherever it is. And you never know, when love is coming, who that's going to be. And you have no control over it. And we just couldn't be happier."

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Hilaria Baldwin & Alec Baldwin

The yoga instructor has admitted she used to judge couples with big age gaps before her relationship with the actor, who is 26 years her senior.

"Alec and I are on all the lists of 'Celebrities with the Biggest Age Differences' and stuff like that," she explained on her podcast Witches Anonymous in 2022. "And I would look at it and be like, 'This older man wants some young bimbo with no opinions whatsoever. And then that younger woman is obviously a gold digger, and she obviously doesn't even care and is just like OK, whatever, I hope you die and I'm gonna take all your money.'"

However, she's since had a change of heart.

"Now that I'm in that relationship and people will say those things about me regularly, I'm like, 'Oh my God, why was this trained into my head? Why was I so judgmental about other people who are literally just finding love?'" she added. "And maybe their love looks different from you, and from your love, or from what I thought love would be, but it doesn't make it not valid."

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Paul Smith

Felicity Blunt & Stanley Tucci

Gird your loins because The Devil Wears Prada actor previously spoke about how he almost ended his relationship with the literary agent in the early days of their romance.

"I'm 21 years older than she is and I didn't want to feel old for the rest of my life!" Stanley told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs in 2023. "But I knew that this was an incredibly special person.”

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Oli Green & Sienna Miller

The Alfie actress and the Lift actor know not everyone understands their relationship.

 “I would imagine it would be complicated for anyone to get their head around," Oli put it to Vogue while referencing their 15-year age gap, "but there’s been nothing but love and joy.” 

And frankly, Sienna suggested nobody else needs to understand it.

“I don’t think you can legislate on matters of the heart," she added. "I certainly have never been able to."

Stefanie Keenan/VF24/WireImage for Vanity Fair

Jeff Goldblum & Emilie Livingston

The Jurassic Park star recalled a lighthearted moment with his Olympian wife, who is 30 years his junior.

"I said, 'Which Beatle would I be if I was one of the Beatles?'" he remembered on The Hoda Show. "She said, 'Rex Harrison.' I said, 'Wait a minute, I know we saw that My Fair Lady yesterday. I think you're thinking of that.'"

However, Jeff noted it didn't take Emilie long to realize she meant George Harrison

"So there's that kind of thing," he noted of the couple's age gap. But other than their differing cultural touchpoints, he continued, life together is "so far so good."

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Rosie Huntington-Whiteley & Jason Statham

The model also doesn't feel the need to deliver a fast and furious response to any critics of her 20-year age gap with the actor.

"His knowledge and strength are really inspiring and attractive, and that can come with a man who's had a bit of time," she told Glamour in 2013. "We have a connection that has nothing to do with age. Work comes and goes, but if you have someone at home who thinks you're the greatest person in the world, that keeps you going."

Dia Dipasupil/WireImage

David Foster & Katharine McPhee

As for how the American Idol alum feels about any judgment towards her nearly 35-year age gap with the composer? Probably so over it.

"I totally get the judgment initially, but things are never as they appear," Katharine said on Dr. Berlin's Informed Pregnancy Podcast in 2023. "And I'm in love with our love story, and that's all that matters is that I'm in love with the love story."

Instagram/Kristin Cavallari

Kristin Cavallari & Mark Estes 

One thing that’s not unwritten? The way Kristin felt about her 13-year age gap with ex-boyfriend Mark Estes

“Me dating a 24-year-old is not something that I was searching out,” The Hills alum said on a March 2024 episode of her podcast Let’s Be Honest. “It’s not something that I ever thought would ever happen. If you guys listen to the podcast, you know I thought 30-year-olds were too young for me.” 

And while Kristin said she understands how “it looks to the outside world,” she insisted Mark is “not a typical 24-year-old” and that there’s more to a person than their birth year. 

“I really think age is just a number,” she continued. “It’s what you’ve been through in your life, how you were raised. There are just so many factors that go into maturity other than age.”

But months later, Kristin shared she broke up with Mark.

“I just know long-term he needs to experience life,” she said on an October episode of her podcast. “He’s young. He is. I started to feel the age a bit just with life experience. I look back when I was 24 and how much life has happened for me in between then. Those are crucial years. Those are formative years. This is when you find yourself and he needs to be able to do that.”

Still, she called their romance "the best relationship" of her life and expressed hope that Mark will realize their split was for the best.

"I know that one day he will look back and he will understand it," she added, "and I actually think one day he will thank me."

Mat Hayward/Getty Images for MGM's Seattle Community

Amal Clooney & George Clooney

When the Oscar winner first started crushing on the barrister, he wasn't sure she'd feel the same way.

“I liked her, but I didn’t want to jump the shark on it,” George said on The Howard Stern Show about his early romance with Amal. “I couldn’t tell if she liked me. ‘Cause I’m 17 years older than her so she might’ve thought I was grandpa.”

However, it turns out she liked him right back and they wed in 2014.

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Spotify

Nick Viall & Natalie Joy

Age is only a number for the Bachelor alum, who is 18 years older than his wife. As he put it during a March 2025 episode of his The Viall Files podcast, "When it comes to age gaps, looks matter."

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