Steve Martin's Journey Of Love: From Victoria Tennant To Anne Stringfield

Ms. Dulce Botsford 18 May 2025

Back in the late '60s, Steve Martin started his career as a late-night comic, and since then, he's become one of Hollywood's most celebrated stars. Outside the spotlight, the Parenthood actor found happiness with his second wife, Anne Stringfield. Before he met Anne, Steve was married to Victoria Tennant from 1986 to 1994. Despite some bumps along the road, Steve kept his heart open to love and found it again with Anne in the mid-2000s. In a candid May 2017 interview with AARP, Steve described how thrilled he was to have found "The One."

“I’m incredibly happy. Life has this perfect shape now. Sure, there were tough times early on—disharmony, panic, pain—but there were also moments of great affection and comedy success," Steve said. "It’s been a gentle uphill climb to a place of true happiness.”

Who Is Victoria Tennant?

steve martin ex-wife victoria — Jean Cummings/Fotos International/Getty Images

Steve Martin, the star of Father of the Bride, has been a romantic lead in many films and TV shows. He met his first wife, Victoria Tennant, on the set of the 1984 film All of Me. Their marriage lasted until 1994, and they worked together again in L.A. Story, a film written by Steve himself.

In a February 1991 interview with The Morning Call, Victoria shared her thoughts on their early relationship. “Back in England, no one really knew who Steve was," she said. "When I told my mom about my new boyfriend, she didn’t recognize the name Steve Martin. There was a long pause, and she said, ‘Oh, no, not an actor.’ I replied, ‘I know what you mean, Mom, but he’s better than most.’”

In the same month, Steve opened up to the Los Angeles Times about his personal growth during his first marriage. “I always felt guilty in my relationships, like I was a bad boyfriend or making someone unhappy," he admitted. "Then I met Victoria, and everything changed. I realized it wasn’t me—it was something else.”

Although Steve and Victoria’s romance didn’t last, both continued thriving in their Hollywood careers. Steve has been linked to other stars like Bernadette Peters and Anne Heche. Victoria, too, moved on, marrying her third husband, Kirk Stambler, in 1996.