Inside Susan Sarandon's Forgotten Marriage

Susan Sarandon's love history isn't as prolific as her multi-award-winning career, but it includes some rather famous names. Sarandon has dated David Bowie, Sean Penn, Oscar-winning French filmmaker Louis Malle, and Italian director Franco Amurri, who's the father of her daughter Eva Amurri, according to the Independent. Despite her high-profile dating rap, the "Thelma & Louise" star spent most of her public life in a monogamous relationship. Between 1988 and 2009, Sarandon was with Tim Robbins, whom she met while filming the 1988 classic "Bull Durham," ABC News noted.

Even though they lived together for 23 years and share sons Jack and Miles, the couple never tied the knot. "I am too afraid of taking him for granted or him taking me for granted," she told The Times in 2004 (via Us Weekly). But Sarandon and Robbins split in 2009, shocking fans who may have taken the couple for granted themselves. Despite her efforts, Sarandon believes she may have, too. "I thought that if you didn't get married you wouldn't take each other for granted as easily," she told The Telegraph in 2010. "I don't know if after twentysomething years that was still true."

Their split came amid rumors Sarandon left for Jonathan Bricklin. She and Malcolm Bricklin's son went public with their romance shortly after and dated until 2015, Page Six reported. While these relationships have marked her time in the public eye, Sarandon was actually once married — a short marriage that nonetheless left a long-lasting legacy. 

Susan Sarandon has written her name in film history. But her famous last name is the result of her decision to marry her college boyfriend to avoid expulsion, the Daily Mail reported. In 1967, Susan said "I do" to Chris Sarandon, who also become an actor and went on to star in iconic pictures like "Friday Night" and "The Princess Bride." Susan, whose birth name is Tomalin, and Chris had met at the Catholic University of America three years earlier. "I was so grateful I decided to get married. And only because we would've gotten kicked out of school," she said on the "Divorced Not Dead" podcast in 2021 (via Daily Mail).

But Susan and Chris married on one condition. "We agreed that we would decide every year whether or not to renew because I didn't like the idea of taking it for granted," she explained. Even though she chose to change her relationship status for practical reasons, Susan jumped into marriage knowing what it entailed. "I married so young but took it very seriously; I never had that kind of free-love 1960s," she told The Telegraph.

Her only husband was also Susan's first lover. "He was the first person I ever had sex with and my best friend," she added. They amicably split in 1974. "Every year we would decide if we wanted to stay married and after seven years we decided mutually to move on," she said (via Daily Mail).

Susan Sarandon landed her first meaningful role after accompanying her then-husband to an audition, The Telegraph reported. Chris Sarandon was up for a part on the 1970 psychological drama "Joe," but it was Susan who ended up in it — though she'd be happy if the world forgot about it. "Oh, God. That movie was so bad," she said. "Actually I hate watching myself in almost everything." 

But Susan also indirectly helped Chris snag his first film role in "Dog Day Afternoon" in 1975, a year after the two separated. "I knew [director] Sidney [Lumet] slightly because my ex-wife, Susan, had done a picture with him called 'Lovin' Molly,'" he told the Los Angeles Times in 2015. "I read the script and thought this is an amazing script." Though their marriage ended pretty early on in their careers, Susan and Chris continued to have a friendly relationship, according to "Made In Heaven: The Marriages and Children of Hollywood Stars" by Victoria Houseman.

Now in her 70s and single, Susan doesn't expect a whole lot of romancing in her future — but she wouldn't mind being wrong in her assumption. "That window may have closed, but I'm forever hopeful — but not desperate," she told People in August 2021. If that special someone does show up in her life, she'd like him (or her) to have a strong, adventurous nature. "I would like to have a travel companion, male, female — age doesn't matter," she quipped.