From snoring to conflicting work schedules, there are plenty of reasons even the most devoted couples opt for separate bedrooms. The practice – sometimes called “sleep divorcing” – can actually strengthen relationships, and many celebrity pairings have embraced it for a variety of reasons.
From the Beckhams’ separate living quarters in their Cotswolds country home to the Hollywood star advocating for separate bedrooms to be “normalised”, we’re taking a look at some of the famous faces who reportedly sleep apart – and why they choose to hit the hay away from their partner.
The Trumps allegedly have separate suites in the White House
Donald Trump and Melania Trump
With 16 bedrooms in the White House, the Trumps aren’t exactly lacking in space, though it’s alleged the President and First Lady simply prefer their separate quarters. Michael Wolff, author of the book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House (2018), wrote that the President “retreated to his own bedroom” during his first Presidential term, marking the first time since the Kennedys that a presidential couple had held separate rooms.
According to Kate Bennett’s 2019 biography Free, Melania (2019), the reporter wrote that the President slept in the master suite, while Melania had her own two-room suite on the third floor, which once housed Michelle Obama’s mother.
Renovation plans reportedly revealed the Beckhams' unique sleeping situation
Victoria Beckham and David Beckham
Though they’ve never spoken out about their sleeping arrangements, it’s believed the Beckhams maintain separate bedrooms at their lavish barn conversion in the Cotswolds. The MailOnline previously reported that the couple, who renovated the property extensively, have a 'his and hers wing' and submitted planning permission requesting “two distinct living quarters” with individual bedrooms and kitchens.
With busy schedules and jet-setting commitments, separate bedrooms may simply be a way for Posh and Becks to recharge before tackling their next glamorous outing.
Gwyneth and Brad didn't live together during the first year of their marriage
Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk
Gwyneth Paltrow is always at the forefront of a relationship trend – see “conscious uncoupling” – so it’s no surprise the Sliding Doors star and her husband Brad Falchuk were previously advocates for sleeping apart. The pair initially didn’t live together full-time during the first year of their marriage, an arrangement Gwyneth told The Sunday Times was backed by her intimacy coach to keep their relationship “fresh”.
“All my married friends say that the way we live sounds ideal and we shouldn’t change a thing,” she told the publication. Though the pair have since moved in together, it’s not known if the Goop founder has given up on these sleeping arrangements.
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Cameron has called for separate bedrooms to be "normalised"
Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden
While she’s since begun sharing a room with her husband, Cameron Diaz is a huge advocate for separate bedrooms in the early stages of a relationship, something she said should be “normalised” on the Lipstick On The Rim podcast in 2023.
"I have my house, you have yours. We have the family house in the middle. I will go and sleep in my room. You go sleep in your room. I'm fine,” the actress said, adding that she “doesn’t feel that way now” after marriage. Cameron married Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden in 2015, and the pair share two children.
Will and Jada are allegedly "not a couple" anymore
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith
Though they’re reportedly still a close-knit pair and devoted parents to Willow and Jaden, it’s rumoured that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith are no longer together in the traditional sense, with Parade reporting that the pair “don’t sleep in the same room and are not a couple”.
Jada previously made headlines in 2023 with her explosive memoir Worthy, where she revealed Will had grown frustrated sharing their marital bed with their young children. The Red Table Talk host also shared that she “built a separate, beautiful love nest” for her and Will; though the couple have seemingly grown apart, Jada also remarked in her NBC News special the same year that “there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce”.
Robin called separate apartments the "true secret" to her lasting relationship
Robin Roberts and Amber Laign
Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts has spoken openly about how maintaining separate living spaces has strengthened her 20-year relationship with wife Amber Laign. The couple, who tied the knot in 2023, maintain separate apartments – a setup Robin told E! News is the “true secret” to their lasting bond.
“I mean, 20 years. Something's got to be working,” she told the publication, adding that “communication, keeping it fresh, and trust” are all key aspects too. The couple have reportedly never lived together, but own apartments in New York City a short ten minutes from one another.
