Susan Sarandon, who turns 80 on October 4, once formed one of Hollywood’s most enduring power couples with fellow actor Tim Robbins. Their relationship lasted more than two decades, and when it unexpectedly ended, even fans struggled to believe the news.
Sarandon met Robbins on the set of the 1988 baseball movie “Bull Durham.” Their chemistry quickly moved beyond the screen, despite the 12-year age difference between them. Robbins would remain by her side for the next 23 years.
For years, the pair were considered unusually solid by Hollywood standards. Sarandon’s free-spirited personality and Robbins’ calmer demeanor seemed to complement each other, making their 2009 separation all the more surprising. Sarandon later recalled strangers approaching her to say they had cried after hearing about the breakup. She admitted she had never imagined their relationship would end either.
Although they never married, Sarandon and Robbins built a family together. They welcomed sons Jack in 1989 and Miles in 1992. Sarandon also has daughter Eva Amurri, born in 1985 during her earlier relationship with Italian director and screenwriter Franco Amurri.
Sarandon later explained that remaining unmarried had been a conscious choice. She liked the idea of two people continually choosing to stay together rather than feeling bound by marriage. Despite the breakup, she said she and Robbins remained friendly, particularly because of their children.
Robbins also built an impressive Hollywood career of his own. His credits include “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Mystic River” and “Dead Man Walking,” which he directed. Sarandon won the Best Actress Oscar for “Dead Man Walking,” while Robbins later took home an Academy Award for his supporting performance in “Mystic River.”
His private life after Sarandon remained considerably more guarded. It was later revealed through court documents that Robbins had been married to Romanian actress Gratiela Brancusi between 2017 and 2020.
Beyond acting, directing and producing, Robbins has pursued music and social causes. He has performed with Tim Robbins and the Rogues Gallery Band and created the Actors’ Gang Prison Project, aimed at helping incarcerated people through rehabilitation programs.
Sarandon and Robbins were also known for their shared political and social activism while they were together. Their romance may have ended after 23 years, but the interests, family ties and remarkable Hollywood history they shared have ensured that their former partnership is still remembered today.
