Marlo Thomas Still Dresses up for 42-Years-Husband Phil Donahue after He Changed Her Mind about Marriage

Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue have been married for 42 years. But before Thomas met Donahue, the actress never thought she would be married. Four decades later, she shared some of her thoughts on what makes a marriage last.

Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue are one of the longest-standing couples in Hollywood. The couple first met when Thomas was promoting a movie and was a guest at "The Donahue Show" in 1977.

The actress shared a picture from that interview and said, "it was instant chemistry." Donahue flirted, and she responded, and "his TV audience watched [them] fall in love," she added.

The interview was flirtatious, Donahue held the actress's hand, and she had his back while they both showered each other with compliments.

While guesting on "The Drew Barrymore Show," the couple looked back at the infamous interview, and Thomas was gushing over the moment and what she loved about Donahue. She said: "We clicked on his show. It was obvious that we were very attracted to each other. I love his confidence."

Thomas also shared a story of their first date. The actress said Donahue flew to Cleveland from New York, they had dinner, and that is when their love blossomed.

Thomas continued to explain that she loved Donahue because they shared the same "middle class" and "mid-western" values, which the actress had not experienced since she grew up in Hollywood.

Therefore, finding someone understanding but with foundational values made Thomas feel like she was connected to her "tribe," as she explained.

Donahue did not only bring love and understanding to Thomas' life, but he also changed her mind on something she never thought she would do.

Why Marlo Thomas Thought She Would Never Get Married

In an interview with CBS, Thomas revealed some reasons she did not believe in marriage. The interviewer, Jane Pauley, asked the actress what influenced her thoughts on marriage, and she confessed that it was her parents.

Thomas said she saw her mother sacrifice her singing career to support her famous talk show host husband, Donny Thomas, as he grew his TV show "The Donny Thomas Show."

Therefore, when Donahue asked why she was not married, the actress responded, "I just don't believe it's for me. It seems like it's only a place for one-and-a-half persons, you know, the person who has the dream and the other person who supports it."

So when Thomas decided to marry Donahue, she was surprised at what marriage could be, and it was a significant change in her life. She told Cape Cod Times:

“It was a very big thing for me to see that marriage could be a roomy enough place for my dream and his dream. I had to meet the right kind of man, and the world had to change a lot and I had to change a lot.”

However, Thomas did not dispute why she never wanted to be a wife. The "That Girl" alum confessed that she still does not think she believes in marriage as a concept or an institution but emphasized that she trusts in her union.

Thomas is still skeptical about the institution of marriage because she said she is not entirely sure if it was "rigged against women."

However, after being happily married for 42 years, Donahue and Thomas still make their wedding anniversaries special for each other.

Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue Still Make Their Anniversaries Special

After four decades of marriage Thomas and Donahue still celebrate their love. The actress shared many throwback pictures of how they sent their anniversaries on Facebook.

For their 40th anniversary, the couple chose a grand celebration that was also challenging. Thomas and Donahue wrote a book titled "What Makes Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated Couples Share the Secrets to a Happy Life."

Thomas wrote on Facebook that she and Donahue wanted to celebrate their milestone in a big way. The couple shared that they always got questions about how they sustained their marriage for so long, but they realized they did not have the answers, so they turned to other couples to find out why some couples last longer than others.

For their 42nd anniversary, Thomas celebrated with a throwback picture she shared on Instagram. The couple looked dapper, and the actress even said she and her husband always dress up for each other and enjoy a nice dinner together.

Thomas shared another old picture from their anniversary. The couple was showing off their beautiful view while enjoying the anniversary meal.

After speaking to other long-term couples, Thomas shared on "The Drew Barrymore Show" that she realized that all couples were willing to fight for their marriage, and there was no option to exit.

Thomas pointed out that it sounded easier said than done but emphasized that both parties were willing to make it work. But Thomas did give a conclusion on what she believes keeps a marriage airtight; she explained to CBS News that:

“I believe that marriage is a cushion of life, and it does help you get up and over whatever issue it is and get through it to the other side. And every time you do that for each other, that braid of love and trust and steel just gets tighter and tighter, so that somebody else can't break it.”

From the mouths of a couple that has been together for 42 years, it is clear that marriage takes two tangles. As Thomas and Donahue have proved, trust is built, and when it is strong enough, nothing from the outside will break it.