Ideally, all of us are looking for that one person to spend the rest of our lives with — however long that may take. But for some, especially Hollywood celebrities, the second time is the charm. 

The Hurt Locker star Guy Pearce also found his soul mate in his second partner, Carice van Houten. Fans may recognize Houten as the evil Red Woman, Melisandre from the hit TV series Game Of Thrones. 

The actor and the Game of Thrones actress met on the set of the film Brimstone in 2016 and welcomed their first child later that year.

In 2018, speaking on Andrew Denton’s Interview, Pearce revealed that they fell in love ‘quickly and messily,’ and admitted that their son sped things up.

He shared that they started their relationship as a rebound from their previous heartbreak, but their son made them rethink their relationship. 

That same year, the singer also released his album The Nomad, and in the liner notes, he wrote a heartfelt tribute to his family. 

The star thanked his family and close friends, but his biggest thanks went to his partner and his son. 

And especially a big loving thank you to Carice van Houten & our darling boy Monte, whose arrival in our world came right in the middle of this record. You’ve both changed my life forever and for the better.

Since welcoming their son, the pair have kept a relatively low profile, with Carice occasionally sharing posts about parenthood on Twitter.

On Ending 18 Years of Marriage

Pearce was previously married to a regarded psychologist, Kate Mestitz, who ended their 18-year marriage in 2015. During that time, many speculated that Pearce had cheated on Mestitz while they were married.

The actor dealt with a barrage of online abuse and shared that he was heartbroken when fans labeled him a ‘bastard’ for assuming he left his wife for Houten just months after the divorce. But that was far from the truth. 

He revealed Mestitz had abruptly called it quits and blindsided him in the process.

According to him, the reason for their split, as his ex-wife put it, was that they were kids when they got married and, over the years, they had grown apart. 

It was difficult for both of them to end their marriage, which is why the actor has so much respect for his ex-wife for being brave enough to end it. 

For the longest time, Pearce was in shock, which even prompted suicidal thoughts, but he eventually recovered from this challenging period thanks to the support of his new partner and son.