At a Glance
- Rose Byrne thanked her “husband” Bobby Cannavale for skipping the 2026 Golden Globes to hunt for a bearded dragon in New Jersey
- The couple has been together since 2012 and shares two sons, Rocco and Rafael
- Despite calling each other husband and wife, they are not legally married
- Why it matters: The rare Hollywood couple balances blockbuster careers with family life and still manages to prioritize parenting over red carpets
Rose Byrne accepted her Golden Globe in January 2026 with a shout-out to Bobby Cannavale, explaining his absence was due to a reptile expo in New Jersey. The couple, together since 2012, continue to blend family priorities with award-winning careers while raising two sons.
How They Met and Built a Family
Byrne and Cannavale were introduced by mutual friends in fall 2012. Glenn Close, Byrne’s Damages co-star, recalled their instant chemistry: “The chemistry between them, it’s just so remarkable. They’re both kind of universally loved.”
They made their red-carpet debut at the CFDA Fashion Awards on June 3, 2013, in New York City.
Working Together On-Screen and On-Stage
The pair quickly became frequent collaborators:
- 2014 – Adult Beginners (first feature together)
- 2014 – Annie remake
- 2015 – Spy
- 2017 – Martha the Monster
- 2022 – Seriously Red
- 2024 – Ezra
In 2020 they starred opposite each other in a Brooklyn Academy of Music production of Medea. Cannavale called joint projects “a very pragmatic thing” once their children arrived, noting, “You don’t want to spend the time apart.”
Life as Parents
Rocco Robin arrived February 1, 2016. Cannavale told News Of Losangeles they “just love the name” and used Byrne’s father’s name, Robin, as the middle name.
Rafael followed in November 2017. Cannavale chose the name to honor his mother’s Latin heritage and, jokingly, Rafael Nadal’s stellar tennis season.
Cannavale also has adult son Jake from his first marriage. “I have three sons. I would do anything for them,” he told AARP The Magazine in 2024.
Why They Aren’t Married-Yet
Cannavale dislikes standard labels: “I hate all the other words! It’s just easier to say ‘husband and wife.’ ‘Boyfriend and girlfriend’ feels so young. ‘Partner’ feels so sterile.”
Byrne told The Sydney Morning Herald in July 2021 that life kept intervening: “Let’s get around to it… then, oh, there’s another baby… Pandemic.”
She reiterated to The Washington Post in November 2025: “I say ‘married.’ We just haven’t gone to the courthouse yet.”
The Bearded Dragon Excuse
Accepting her Best Actress Globe on January 11, 2026, Byrne explained Cannavale’s absence: “He couldn’t be here because we’re getting a bearded dragon and he went to a reptile expo in New Jersey.”
Days earlier on The Tonight Show, she told Jimmy Fallon the expo fell on the same day as the ceremony and skipping it would be “such a parent fail.”
Key Takeaways
- A decade-plus partnership shows shared priorities: family first, career second
- Joint projects keep them close amid parenting duties
- Their relaxed approach to marriage highlights personal choice over convention
- Even Hollywood A-listers swap red carpets for reptile expos when parenting calls
