This isn’t a terribly controversial story, but it made me smile just a bit because Pierce Brosnan seems so terribly devoted to his wife of over a decade, Keely Shaye Smith. Pierce is currently promoting Love is All You Need, which is of those romantic comedies that he’s been drawn to lately either by choice or by necessity. To me, it’s still really weird to see Pierce doing something other than James Bond movies, but I think it’s great that I appear to be the only one who feels that way because (obviously) he continues to score roles.
For her part, Keely is not an actress but a journalist and author by trade. She doesn’t make out with other people as part of her job, but being married to Pierce means that she must accept him doing so in order to get a paycheck. I really don’t think I could ever deal with a husband who swaps bodily fluids with others even if it’s only acting. There would always be a lingering twinge of unhappiness to hear about how he’s been kissing Sarah Jessica Parker or whomever. Hell, Pierce is even pursuing a new “passion project” that involves him knocking up Jessica Aba, and so he’ll certainly be grabbing the infamous Alba ass. However, none of this seems to bother Keely in the slightest, and she even refers to the phenomenon as “legal cheating.” Pierce seems very amused by this as well:
Irish actor Pierce Brosnan says Keely, his wife of nearly 12 years, is remarkably understanding when it comes to his romancing actresses on the big screen.
The former James Bond star can now be seen opposite Danish actress Trine Dyrholm in the romantic comedy Love is All You Need.
Asked how the real-life mother of his two youngest sons feels about his cinematic dalliances, the 59-year-old Brosnan told reporters in New York recently, “My wife calls it ‘legal cheating.’
“She said this at a dinner party once and I just about choked on my shrimp,” he laughed. “I’m a lucky guy, what can I say? Women are beautiful and it’s just a great job that I have to be able to fall in love and play out the romance of life and the sexuality of life, however, if I were to go down every avenue, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not very good at such a job as going out there and leading such a life. I want to have my cake and eat it, so to speak. It’s lovely being out there with Trine or whatever leading lady and make movies and make romance, but I like the stability of one woman and family and the continuity of that.”
[From UPI.com]
Both Pierce and Keely seem to have the right attitude about this inevitablity in the career of an actor. I always wonder though if it bothers non-actresses who are married to actors — like say, Matt Damon’s wife, Luciana — to watch their men romance other women on a massive movie screen. Of course, these scenes are usually anything but sexy when they’re being shot in front of a huge camera crew and a screaming director. So I won’t judge Pierce and Keely for possessing a slightly flippant perspective of the situation because they honestly seem like a solid couple. However, I will freely judge them for their rampant PDA. Get a room, kids.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet
it would bother me to see my man getting intimate with someone else. even though it’s pretend. I came across very old photos of my husband with an old girlfriend. Needless to say, they no longer exists.
Yup! I can’t understand how some girls say it never bothered them. I think they’re fibbing because some guys have said the girl who isn’t jealous is more attractive. Their are levels of jealousy. Not being able to see your husband kiss another woman even if it is just for a paycheck is healthy jealousy.
Aims
I have also discarded my husbands old girlfriend photos. They were in with his old college items and he hadn’t seen them in years, but for good measure…
I’m one of those “not-over-the-top jealous” girls. When I end a relationship it means only there was nothing to be saved. At that point I stop caring about the other person. Depending on the relationship there’s total discard or a vague good will attitude. I don’t keep in touch or keep memorabilia. A couple of rings only.LOL
My husband has some papers/letters I think but it doesn’t bother me indeed.
I prefer to go with the “Trust”. Can’t be bothered to check mails, letters, phones and such. It drains too much energy.
The other side of it is though that if an affair knocks me between the eyes I’ll mobilize all that saved energy and will turn his life into a living hell till the end of time.
Micki
My husbands pics of this ex were quickly discarded, but she was the person to run to him after a break up or when he had a gf she had to get his attention again. It was easier to just destroy it all. We were also moving into our 1st home and I wanted a 100% clean slate/no past gf memorabilia.
The checking letters, emails, and phones is a a more extreme level of jealousy. I’m too busy for that nonsense and he’s too busy to cheat on me.
@FLORC:
I do get your point.If a GF doesn’t want to let loose I’d probably do the same.
My husband ex-GF made a point of saying that “he obviously didn’t take the relationship that seriously if he could move so quickly”
Anyway, I think she was following somebody’s advice “how to deal with men” and pokered with high risk.
I left him deal with her. That was the only time though.
I dont think some of you understand the film making process. Its not just the many people in the room, watching and judging. Its the many takes, with a director telling you that you arent doing it right. Its the fact that your screen partner is likely at best to be just an acquintance. At worst the two of dont even get along. Its that in addition to having to stay on script, follow the Directors instructions, you also have to stick to the agreed-upon boundaries that your screen partner has set out.
I used to dance competively and my friends would ask if I got hot from the steamier moves. The answer is no! How do you get hot on choreographed moves? And this applies to screen acting too because everything down to when and how you slip in some tongue is plotted.
Everybody understands the process but it does not prevent of being jealous. Even me who is not a natural jealous person, I think that I shall support(bear) badly the fact that my man walks nude in front of unknowns and feign a sexual act with one or several partners
Champ
I get that. Many actors say how strange it is to create chemistry while so many people are watching it. However, many actors have sparked up affairs with their current costars. And many relationships are created from 2 actors acting as love interests. There’s too much accessibility and pheromones to not continue it. It’s very risky to have a solid relationship in hollywood.
Yes. Every actor – even those known for putting it about off-screen – says that there is nothing LESS sexy than a sex scene. What we see as a flowing, passionate sequence involving two hot people is rather more mundane when it’s being filmed. Not only are there loads of people looking at you, there are bright lights, none of the ‘romantic’ music we hear in the finished scene, and a director constantly telling them to cut so they can film it from another angle, and giving precise instructions about how loud to moan and where to place their bum. Ugh.
Natalie Dormer – who’s done a few sex scenes in her day – likened it to having a full pelvic exam. That’s how sexy it is!
It isn’t the sex scenes, for everyone knows how mechanical those need to be for them to be filmed properly. It is the time spent off-screen that can lead to an emotional attachment. The time when you have a chance to bond. That is the time I would worry about.
This reminds me of an anecdote I read many years ago which I believe was about Dustin Hoffman. Apparently he refused any projects which would require him to film a love scene, since it would upset his wife. But I can’t find that info online to verify it! But since I also can’t think of a movie which would break this rule, I’ll just go with it.
I remember reading that about Hoffman too 🙂
I’m sure not many actresses are to upset by not getting the chance to film a love scene with Dustin Hoffman.
There are good roles out there that do not require love scenes at all or very minimal love scenes. But in all fairness I say this; if you don’t want your spouse engaged in a love scene then don’t marry an actor/actresses.
Amen. In all my Hems fantasies he gives up all the roles that involve anything more than kissing (bc he did look so well doing it in Thor). And in my Hiddles fantasies, he’s not an actor 🙂
Lol! 🙂
Rainman 🙂
@Anna you are sick but I love it.
I feel the same way about my RDJ; he saves those lips for me only. He’s not allowed to do love scenes. I tell myself those are body doubles and not my man.
@V4
Damn straight I am 🙂 But I start to feel extremely well-adjusted and RL-grounded every time I read comment threads on Cumby posts on CB!
I meant to reply to your comment: I believe Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rainman didn’t have a love scene 😉
The Graduate and Straw Dogs are the closest things I could find With Hoffman in some kind of sexual situation. Nothing like Dudley Moore and Bo Dereck in “10”. Dudley had a secret hand signal for the director to cut scene because things were getting too heated for him. In interviews with Bo later she was in the dark why the director kept calling for a break 1 minute into shooting that 1 scene.
I love the fact he loves his woman with some meat on her bones. Such a refreshing thing to see!
+1
And can you imagine that this is always a topic? Like he’s so generous that he’s with her, not vice versa! It says much about our society when people can’t believe he’s with her because he loves her.
I find her very beautiful by the way.
Absolutely; and it’s not an “in-spite-of” thing – he’s said before he thinks she’s pretty damn hot. Obviously!! 🙂 They’re adorable.
I totally agree with you. It’s good to know that a very good looking actor likes a regular woman. He’s so sexy.
It’s heartwarming how much he obviously loves her. Sweet couple.
I think they are a very, very sweet couple & I hope they live happily ever after.
I just sobbed with how cute they freaking are – PDA SCHMEE-DA I could actually not get squicked by watching these two!
This is pretty much the only reason I could never have a relationship with an actor, even my dreamy Hems/Hiddles combo. However fake or unsexy the process might be, it’s still my dude kissing or groping or frolicking naked with another woman.
Also, in order for the actors to be at least a bit successful at creating the appearance of chemistry/love/romance, some emotional intimacy does end up developing from physical intimacy or ‘playing pretend’, and that’s scary for a partner. That’s also why so many on-screen couples end up being couples in RL.
So… Brosnan would get a little spanking for his comment, but also props for staying true to his lady.
Even far more frightening than love scenes, to me it’s the being off on location for three, four months and creating this little world away from your loved one. People get close, bond, have long, deep conversations over that period, get excited to see them every day on set, flirt, develop sexual attractions and relationships within the context of that bubble develop. I imagine most, not all, actors/actresses have had at least one fling during their long career while married and/or living with someone else.
i agree, the sex scene is a pretty short thing but the rest will be too tempting for most people.
sure, if one day I’m in a relationship with an actor (impossible I have the impression they’re all (the majority for sure) narcissic, self_centred people and I can’t stand people like that) I think I would be with everywhere (I’m sure I will appreciate the life in palace and visit a lot of countries with their culture) and I would wait for him every evening after the shooting 🙂
It’s true that many actors have affairs with their leading man/woman, but I’d say this is despite, not because of doing sex scenes together. Sex scenes, with all their bright lights, flesh-coloured knickers and strategic covering of private parts, supremely unsexy – or at least that’s what anyone who’s ever done one says. However, scenes where the characters are expected to show a deep emotional bond with one another might well trigger real-life longings. Plus, there’s the logistics of it all – being away from your partner, in a very intense setting, among a small group of very attractive people. Even taking away the on-screen romance, it’s the perfect setting for an illicit affair.
I agree. That’s also probably why the industry is so incestuous – for the most part only someone who does the same type of thing for a living can understand/handle their partner doing this. Whether it’s with implied infidelity or utmost commitment is another question…
On GMA this morning, Steven Soderbergh
was discussing Behind the Candelabra. He was talking about how Matt Damon and Michael Douglas did some of the sexual scenes while Matt Damon’s mom was in the studio watching. I’m sure Luciana probably had a good ol’ chuckle about that situation.
ACK! LOL
I think I could get over this “legal cheating” if it came with millions of dollars and a mansion in Malibu.
+1
so many actors/actresses start hooking up with their co stars, single or married. so i also wouldnt feel good about it.
especially when the world is talking how much chemistry they have together and then all the rumours…
not to speak of all the chances to cheat and never be caught (if you are not as dumb as Kstew)
i just dont think you can pretend to be a couple for some months and not become attached in some way. maybe some can but i wouldnt want to date someone who can so clearly turn on and off his emotions.
the combination lots of time away from your partner+people catering to your every wish+being around beautiful and interesting people all the time = recipe for disaster
It says a lot about how we pass judgement on people based on their employment
What a lovely couple!
Doesn’t Nike run sweatshops?
I love this couple!!
I wrote a novel about this very subject: non-famous wife married to very famous actor husband. How does the dynamic work? I was fascinated by that and it was really interesting to write about these characters. I don’t know if it’s cool to post a link here. I usually lurk and don’t post. It comes out this week!
If you all don’t mind I’ll come back and post the link when it’s up.
Oh man, I feel like the older he gets the more my love and admiration for him grows. He could be my father but whatever.
I love this couple. They seem grounded and down to earth. And he is forever all up on that lucious bod in the candids. He loves his wife and she loves him which is great. I am afraid to fangirl them all the way because my fav couples never last!
She looks like a brunette Laura Linney to me
I don’t know, in my family we’ve always been relaxed about it. One of my dad’s ex-girlfriends came to his wedding to my mom and my parents have been married 31 years. To me, it’s whatever works for you. Personally I’m just glad that they seem to be happy and in love. Good for them.
I would want to become an actress just to have a chance to make out with PB, BUT his obvious love for his wife stops my fantasy dead in its tracks.
They are adorable. So in love. How refreshing!
He’s actually a pretty great guy. He was married for 14 years to Cassandra Harris, and adopted her two children when their father died. She died in 1991 from ovarian cancer, so it’s great that he was able to find love again and be happy.
Keely was once upon a time a model and actress. She was most “famously” in the Huey Lewis Video ‘Stuck With You’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J08ZwySCoJ8
and had a brief role on General Hospital. So she’s been in the business. They’ve also now been together for almost 20 years so she’s has plenty of time to get used to it and no doubt laugh about it.
Pierce’s first wife, the late Cassandra Harris was also an actress so he’s been on the other side. When asked about that once he said he enjoyed watching her in scenes with other men and joked he guessed that made him kinky. Then again he was watching her with Roger Moore, so how jealous could he get – he’s Pierce Brosnan. 😀
I could easily accept “legal cheating” in a romantic type love scene, but no if my guy was a porn actor and actually “did it”. I think they’re a great couple ; he’s quite dapper with a quick grin and she seems to understand and love him very much. I think they’re secure together.
I couldn’t do this – too jealous! Just have to add the sex scenes he did with Renee Russo in The Thomas Crown Affair were extremely realistic – it was one of those ‘they had to be doing it for real’ moments.