Sam Elliott, the rugged Hollywood heartthrob, has stolen the hearts of fans worldwide. But despite his fame and countless admirers, Elliott’s heart belongs to one woman: his wife of over three decades, Katharine Ross.

Their love story began on the set of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, where Ross had a leading role. Elliott, however, played only a small part as an extra in a bar scene. Reflecting on that time, Elliott told AARP, “I was just a shadow on the wall, a glorified extra.” He was instantly captivated by Ross but didn’t dare approach her, considering her a major star while he was just starting out.

“All I could do was watch Katharine come and go,” he recalls. “I never spoke to her. I wouldn’t have even thought to.”

Though taken by her from the beginning, Elliott patiently waited for the right moment. It wasn’t until they worked together again in 1978 on The Legacy that Elliott finally made his move. Sparks flew, and six years later, they were married. While it was Ross’s fifth marriage, it was Elliott’s first, and this time, the union stuck.

Despite her previous failed marriages, Ross took the plunge once more, and three decades later, it’s clear she made the right choice. Elliott and Ross have built a strong, supportive relationship, even when it came to their careers. When Elliott was offered his breakout role as Cher’s biker boyfriend in the 1985 film Mask, he almost turned it down to continue his honeymoon with Ross in Hawaii. But it was Ross who called his agent and arranged for her husband to return in time to test for the role.

The couple shares a daughter, Cleo Rose, who has made a name for herself as a musician after studying professionally at Joanne Barron/D.W. Brown Acting Studio.

Elliott and Ross’s enduring love is based on mutual respect and a commitment to working through challenges together. “You work past the s—t; you don’t walk away from it. That’s how relationships last,” Elliott said in an interview with AARP Magazine. Simple but true advice that has clearly worked for them.

The couple splits their time between homes in California and Oregon, with Elliott hinting that a future move to “La La Land” might be on the horizon.

In a dream come true, Elliott and Ross also got the chance to play husband and wife onscreen in The Hero and Love Letters, the latter being a career highlight for Elliott.

When asked about the secret to their long-lasting marriage, Elliott credits it to “mutual love and mutual respect,” calling Ross “a pretty stable girl who has been around the block.”

Their love story, full of patience, determination, and devotion, continues to inspire couples everywhere. As Elliott wisely notes, “There are peaks and valleys like everything else, but you have to push on.”

Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross’s love story is a shining example of how true love and hard work can keep a marriage strong. Here’s hoping we’ll see more of this iconic duo, both in life and on screen, in the years to come.