How These Celeb Couples Made It Work Despite Vastly Different Political Views

Could you stay in a relationship if you and your partner were political opposites? According to marriage counselor Stephanie Wijkstrom, MS, LPC, NBCC, it can be a very difficult thing to pull off — especially in the absence of mutual respect. "Differences in political beliefs can wreak havoc on a relationship, but only when a partner forces unwanted debate or pushes their beliefs onto their partner with a need to be right," Wijkstrom exclusively confirmed to The List. She continued, "In a perfect world and within a healthy relationship, partners can maintain a respectful relationship with others who think differently than they do. This comes from a mutual respect and understanding of your partner and their beliefs. However, when differences in political beliefs can't be communicated or discussed healthily, it can create conflict, hurt, anger, and distance between loved ones."

Despite these challenges, plenty of high-profile couples have actually managed to make it work over the years, such as author and political consultant James Carville, a Democrat who played a key role in getting Bill Clinton elected president, and his wife of more than 30 years Mary Matalin, a Republican turned Libertarian who worked for the George W. Bush administration. As it turns out, the whole "not forcing a debate" thing has worked out quite well for these two in particular. That said, in a 2016 interview with Business Jet Traveler, Carville confessed that this approach probably wouldn't scale up and especially not when it came to actual disagreements within the government. "The way we deal with it is we don't talk about it, which is probably not a good model to run a country," he said.

Another celebrity couple who seems to be in it for the long haul despite their vastly different political opinions are legendary actors Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. In a 2015 interview with the Daily Beast, the "Big Trouble in Little China" star described himself as a "hardcore libertarian." In more recent times, though, Russell has pulled back on discussing his politics publicly, and has encouraged other celebrities to do the same. Hawn similarly tends to keep her stances out of the spotlight, though she did tell CNBC that she planned to vote for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Further, during a 2024 appearance on the podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend," Hawn came right out and confirmed that she and her longtime partner often disagreed politically. However, the "Death Becomes Her" star also explained that while they don't always see eye to eye, they do have one very important thing in common: Hawn and Russell's (technically) four kids. "You know, there's all these things that could divide you. But the one thing that we have, the greatest thing in God's world, is our family," she gushed. "That is where we thrive and where we have incredible amounts of joy and really focus on that."

This chimes with what Stephanie Wijkstrom told us, advising couples in a similar position: "Instead of looking at politics, focus on common ground and shared values." While Russell and Hawn never tied the not (and have no plans to), the A-listers have been together for decades. They share one son, fellow actor Wyatt Russell, alongside Hawn's kids from a former relationship, Oliver and Kate Hudson, and Russell's daughter Boston Russell.