Peter Billingsley's Wife Moved from Chicago to Los Angeles to be Closer to Him - Facts about Buffy Bains

Buffy Bains may have married into Hollywood royalty, but she is a much lesser-known part of her husband's life. When she moved to a different city to be closer to her beau, Peter Billingsley, Bains left a youth Republican group and continued pursuing her passion for ballet.

Colorado native Buffy Bains is a private woman. Her official social media accounts are closed from the public, and little is known about her relationship with Peter Billingsley. And although the actor's remarkable career spoke for itself, Billingsley rarely mentioned his personal life.

He recently reprised his role as Ralphie Parker from the beloved 1980s film "A Christmas Story," in HBO Max's "A Christmas Story Christmas." While the original classic explored young Ralphie's journey as he learned valuable lessons during the Christmas season, the sequel followed adult Ralphie navigating his life as a father.

Billingsley said he found the idea of Ralphie being a dad in the sequel intriguing since the character was quite close with his father in the original film. Although he received many offers to revive the classic over the last few decades, Billingsley said nothing felt right.

The actor's fans have also been curious about whether he's a family man in real life and about his wife. While Bains stayed out of the spotlight, she appeared on the official pages of the organizations where she was previously employed or affiliated.

Those appearances have led to speculations about her life with Billingsley. Although their engagement was announced and confirmed many years ago, it was the couple's last official statement about their relationship.

Peter Billingsley's Engagement Came to Light in 2015

Bains and Billingsley had kept their romance under wraps even before the engagement announcement, which the actor's representative confirmed. That year, she moved from Chicago to Marina del Rey to be closer to her husband.

While Bains still lived in Chicago, she was a member of the Chicago Youth Republicans. In a video posted on the organization's website, the South Methodist University alum gushed about the city, talking about how much she loved the "big city feel" and how easy it was to meet people.

Buffy Bains Billingsley's Mother Was a Ballerina

Although the year she was born is unknown, Bains drew her first breath on March 9, making her a Pisces. Before joining The Bar Method studio in Marina del Rey as a ballet instructor in November 2015, she had taught the dance genre in other Chicago studios for a year and a half.

The company excitedly announced her entry in a Facebook post, revealing that she had taken classes and guest taught within the previous three months. Describing Bains as "grace personified" with "impeccable" form, The Bar Method also revealed that Bains' mother was a ballerina.

Afterward, she made regular appearances on The Bar Method's social pages, with the studio celebrating her birthdays and announcing her participation in charity events. In 2016, she held classes on the weekend to raise funds for the dog foster company Wags and Walks.

Peter and Buffy's Wedding Was Not Publicly Announced

Bains and Billingsley provided no information about their wedding or officially tying the knot. However, following subtle changes on Bains' social pages, they were rumored to have married secretly. Bains added her husband's last name to hers on her Facebook account.

Her profile picture also depicted a woman in a wedding gown. The Bar Method addressed her as Buffy Bains Billingsley in a 2016 post and dropped her maiden name in a 2017 birthday tribute the following year. In the latter post, the company also hinted at her pregnancy using the hashtag "#babyonboard."

About two months later, Bains appeared on the studio's page with a large baby bump. She was nine months pregnant at the time and due to give birth soon. She took maternity leave and returned later that year in October. After the new addition to their family, Bains and Billingsley continued guarding their privacy.

In His Latest Film, Peter Billingsley Plays a Family Man

Billingsley's role in "A Christmas Story" has been his most memorable. Reviving the classic alongside his best friend, Vince Vaughn – who welcomed daughter Lochlyn Kyla Vaughn with his wife, Kyla Webber – Billingsley said exploring Ralphie's transition from childhood to adulthood and fatherhood was exciting.

He explained that as a kid, all Ralphie cared about was having the perfect Christmas present. However, the said transition caused a shift in perspective, where Ralphie simply wanted the "perfect Christmas" for his family.

Recently, Billingsley penned a letter to his younger self, telling him that he would one day reprise the role that skyrocketed his career. He advised his younger self to thank his family often for the sacrifices they made to support his dreams. The actor noted that starting his own family helped him appreciate the gravity of their support.

In his career, Billingsley is credited for his on-screen and behind-the-scenes contributions to the theatre and film industry. Among his many productions is the 2013 Broadway rendition of "A Christmas Story: The Musical" and the documentaries "Prescription Thugs" and "Give Us This Day."