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Actress Minnie Driver, known for her roles in "Good Will Hunting" and "Ella Enchanted," recently opened up about her past relationships and the valuable lessons she's learned along the way. In a revealing interview with The Sunday Times, the 54-year-old star shared insights into her personal life, including a near-miss with matrimony that she now considers a fortunate escape.
Driver's perspective on relationships was shaped by a tumultuous childhood revelation. At age 12, she discovered her father had been leading a double life, complete with a second family. This discovery profoundly impacted her views on marriage and partnership. "If I look at my history, what it did was make me want to be married so much and then choose men who were so not the right men to be married to," Driver confessed.
One such relationship was with actor Josh Brolin. The pair met on the set of their 2000 film "Slow Burn" and quickly became engaged in April 2001. However, their whirlwind romance was short-lived, with the engagement called off just five and a half months later. Reflecting on this period, Driver didn't mince words: "The one time I was engaged it would have been, I think, the biggest mistake of my life."
This sentiment echoes her previous comments about romantic entanglements in Hollywood. During a June 2023 appearance on the 3rd Hour of TODAY, Driver humorously advised her younger self, "Don't date actors." She added, "Find a nice plumber. Find an electrician. Find someone who just wants to stay home and support you."
Despite past heartaches, Driver has found contentment in her current relationship with filmmaker Addison O'Dea. The couple has been together for nearly six years, celebrating their fifth anniversary in November 2023. Driver gushed about O'Dea to The Sunday Times, saying, "Now I'm with someone who doesn't want to get married but who is the most devoted, loving, extraordinary... Everything I could have wanted in my childhood idea of a husband, he actually is."
Driver's journey to finding happiness in love mirrors her evolution as an actress and person. Looking back at her younger self in "Good Will Hunting," she remarked, "Oh bless her sweet heart. I love her so much. I wish she knew all the stuff I know now."
As Driver continues to navigate her career and personal life, her candid reflections offer a glimpse into the complexities of love, especially under the glare of Hollywood's spotlight. Her story serves as a reminder that sometimes, the path to happiness involves embracing the unexpected and learning from past experiences.
