Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph have had quite the story
Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph have been in a long-term relationship since 2001 and have four children together. The notoriously private couple is not legally married, but Rudolph refers to Anderson as her husband. The couple currently resides in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph's relationship timeline
- 2001: Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph began dating
- 2005: Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph welcomed their first child
- 2009: Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph welcomed their second child
- 2011: The couple welcomed their third child
- 2013: Paul and Maya Rudolph welcomed their fourth child
- February 2018: Paul shared that Maya inspired his 2017 film Phantom Thread
- September 2018: Maya Rudolph revealed that being present is what makes their relationship work
- 2022: The couple attended the 94th Academy Awards
- 2024: Anderson admitted he fell for Maya at first sight
- FAQs
Key takeaways
- Comedian Maya Rudolph and filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson began dating in 2001.
- The couple have since welcomed four children together: Pearl, Lucille, Jack and Minnie.
- Despite their long-lasting relationship, Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph have never married.
Profile summary
Full name | Paul Thomas Anderson | Maya Khabira Rudolph |
Gender | Male | Female |
Date of birth | 26 June 1970 | 27 July 1972 |
Age | 55 years old (as of 2025) | 53 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Studio City, Los Angeles, California, United States | Gainesville, Florida, United States |
Current residence | Los Angeles, California, United States | Los Angeles, California |
Nationality | American | American |
Ethnicity | White | African-American |
Sexuality | Straight | Straight |
Religion | Christianity | Christianity |
Height in inches | 6' | 5'10'' |
Height in centimetres | 183 | 178 |
Weight in pounds | 180 | 150 |
Weight in kilograms | 82 | 68 |
Hair colour | Brown | Dark brown |
Eye colour | Brown | Dark brown |
Father | Ernie Anderson | Richard Rudolph |
Mother | Edwina Anderson | Minnie Riperton |
Siblings | 8 | Marc Rudolph |
Relationship status | Dating | Dating |
Partner | Maya Rudolph | Paul Thomas Anderson |
Children | 4 (Pearl Bailey, Lucille, Jack, Minnie Ida) | 4 |
Education | Buckley School, John Thomas Dye School,Campbell Hall School, Cushing Academy, and Montclair College Preparatory School | Crossroads School, University of California |
Profession | Director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer | Actress, comedian |
Net worth | $70 million | $20 million |
Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph's relationship timeline
Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph are one of Hollywood’s most private couples. Even though they have been together for over two decades, they have managed to keep their love life away from the spotlight. Here is a closer look at their relationship timeline.

Source: Getty Images
2001: Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph began dating
After Paul Thomas Anderson’s breakup with singer Fiona Apple, he started dating Maya Rudolph around 2001. In a December 2015 interview with The Guardian, Rudolph was asked how they had met, and she replied,
No, it’s a sweet thing . . . Too personal. I don’t want to share it.
2005: Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph welcomed their first child
In October 2005, Paul and the famous actress welcomed their first daughter, Pearl. Becoming a mother changed Maya’s life in a big way. She left her full-time job on Saturday Night Live in 2007 and moved to Los Angeles to focus on her family. She told The Guardian in December 2015:
Before I became a mother, the show was the most important thing to me. And it was a strange experience, to go from having one love — and I truly loved that job, it was everything to me — to that love being secondary.
2009: Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph welcomed their second child
In 2009, while filming the comedy Grown Ups, Maya Rudolph was pregnant with her and Paul Thomas Anderson’s second child. She continued working during the movie’s production and gave birth to their daughter, Lucille, in November 2009, just a few months after filming began.

Source: Getty Images
2011: The couple welcomed their third child
While filming the comedy Bridesmaids, the popular comedian was pregnant with her third child. To hide her pregnancy, her character often wore belts and loose clothing. A few months after the movie premiered in April 2011, Maya gave birth to their son, Jack, in July.
2013: Paul and Maya Rudolph welcomed their fourth child
In August 2013, Maya and Paul welcomed their fourth child, a daughter named Minnie, after Maya’s late mother, singer Minnie Riperton. Just days after giving birth, Maya returned to work to reshoot scenes for Paul’s film Inherent Vice. During an interview with Today, she joked that she did it out of love, saying,
Those are the things you do for the people that you love.
February 2018: Paul shared that Maya inspired his 2017 film Phantom Thread
On 9 February 2018, during a Q&A at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Paul Thomas Anderson shared that Maya Rudolph inspired his 2017 film Phantom Thread.
I remember that I was very sick, just with the flu,” the director said at the time. “And I looked up and my wife looked at me with tenderness that made me think, ‘I wonder if she wants to keep me this way, maybe for a week or two.

Source: Getty Images
September 2018: Maya Rudolph revealed that being present is what makes their relationship work
In September 2019, Maya told Us Weekly that the secret to their long relationship is showing up and being present every day, saying:
To show up every day is kind of the most romantic part because you can bail at any moment,
The same month, during an interview with The New York Times, Rudolph explained that she began calling Anderson her "husband" after the birth of their first child because "boyfriend" felt strange.
People know what that means. It means he's the father of my child, and I live with him, and we are a couple, and we are not going anywhere,
2022: The couple attended the 94th Academy Awards
In 2022, Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson attended the 94th Academy Awards together, showcasing their classic Hollywood style. Anderson wore a black tuxedo, while Rudolph was locked in a bright orange Valentino gown with feathered trim.
2024: Anderson admitted he fell for Maya at first sight
In a May 2024 interview with Town & Country, Maya Rudolph shared that Paul Thomas Anderson once told her he fell in love with her the first time he saw her on screen:
He said he saw me in a sketch and thought, ‘That’s the girl I’m going to marry,’....But I don’t know — maybe he just said that to be sweet.
FAQs
- Who is Paul Thomas Anderson? Paul Thomas Anderson is an American director, screenwriter, film producer, and cinematographer best known for directing hit movies such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, and Licorice Pizza.
- Who is Maya Rudolph? Maya Rudolph is an American actress, comedian, and singer best known for her work on Saturday Night Live and films like Bridesmaids and Away We Go.
- What is Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph's age gap? Paul Thomas Anderson was born on 26 June 1970, and Maya Rudolph was born on 27 July 1972, making their age gap just over two years.
- Are Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph still together? Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph are still together. They have been in a long-term relationship since the early 2000s.
- How did Maya Rudolph meet Paul Anderson? Maya and Paul reportedly met through mutual friends in the entertainment industry.
- How many times has Maya Rudolph been married? The talented actress has never been married.
- What happened between Fiona Apple and Paul Thomas Anderson? Fiona Apple and Paul Thomas Anderson dated from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.
- Who are Maya Rudolph and Paul Thomas Anderson’s kids? Rudolph and Thomas Anderson have four children: Pearl, Lucille, Jack, and Minnie.
- Did Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph split? The couple have never separated.
Paul Thomas Anderson and Maya Rudolph began dating around 2001 and have since welcomed four children together: Pearl, Lucille, Jack and Minnie. Despite their long-lasting relationship, they never married. Rudolph and Anderson have managed to keep their marriage private.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng