Though Ben Stiller and wife Christine Taylor announced their separation in 2017, we’re still mourning the loss of the couple. The two were together for 18 years! They got married in 2000 and share two children together: daughter Ella, 19, and son Quinlin, 16.

“With tremendous love and respect for each other, and the 18 years we spent together as a couple, we have made the decision to separate,” the couple said in a statement at the time of their separation.

In some miracle, the two have recently announced that they have reconciled their differences and are back together! And you’ll never guess what helped them make amends…the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s right, the global health crisis has helped bring these lovebrids back together, once and for all.

It began back when the lockdown for the pandemic started. Ben, who wasn’t living with Christine or their kids, had decided to move back into their family home so that he was able to quarantine with his children.

Well what do you think happens when Dad comes back home? Life gets a bit more merry—especially when Dad is Ben Stiller.

“Then, over the course of time, it evolved,” he told Esquire. ““We were separated and got back together and we’re happy about that. It’s been really wonderful for all of us. Unexpected, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic.”

So what exactly changed while the couple started living together again? “I think we have a respect for the ways that we’re similar and the ways we’re different. And I think accepting that, you can really appreciate someone more because you’re not trying to get them to change for you,” Ben explains. “Once you accept that, you save a lot of energy. ‘This is something that works for me; this is something that doesn’t work for me.’ If you have that trust level with your partner, you know that me saying ‘I don’t like doing that thing’ is not me saying ‘I don’t like you.’”

Surely this is something many married couples struggle with, and hopefully a great lesson to be learned! We’re so happy for this couple and wish them nothing but the best.

Check out the video below to hear Stiller himself open up about reconciling with his wife during the pandemic.

Did you ever think Bena and Christine would get back together? Do you know any other couples who’ve had similar situations occur during the pandemic?