Jason Ritter Makes Fans Cry as He Explains His Struggle With Alcoholism and ‘Slow Burn’ Relationship With Now-Wife Melanie Lynskey
Celebrity relationships are often a point of interest among fans, particularly when the couple in question does everything they can to evade media attention. But every once in a while, a famous couple will open up about their journey, endearing fans to them even more. Such is the case with Melanie Lynskey and Jason Ritter, the latter of whom shared his personal account of their relationship.
Where fans have seen Jason Ritter and Melanie Lynskey before
Ritter and Lynskey have both been balancing careers in film and television for decades. In Ritter’s case, the actor — son of the late John Ritter — has appeared in movies such as Freddy vs. Jason, Frozen II, and The Wicker Man. And on TV, he’s starred in Joan of Arcadia, Gravity Falls, and Parenthood, the latter of which landed him an Emmy Award nomination.
Lynskey, meanwhile, landed significant roles in shows such as Two and a Half Men, Mrs. America, Yellowjackets, and most recently, The Last of Us. She’s also been in movies such as But I’m a Cheerleader, Coyote Ugly, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Ever After. Lynskey and Ritter first met while working on the 2013 film The Big Ask and began dating soon thereafter.
Jason Ritter recently opened up about his personal struggles
Beyond what we can only assume was a rom-com worthy meet-cute, Lynskey and Ritter had to overcome a lot to commit fully to each other. At the time they met, Lynskey had recently split from ex Jimmi Simpson. And as he discussed in depth on The Drew Barrymore Show, Ritter did a lot of soul-searching before he felt himself worthy of being with Lynskey.
“It’s not as cute of a story as you would like to think. It was messy and interesting and weird. Mixed in with that, I was dealing with some alcoholism issues. So at a point, I knew how amazing she was, and I thought she would be incredible for someone who deserved her basically. And I didn’t feel like that person. I felt a little bit too crazy. It was only after maybe a year into not drinking where I started to go, ‘Oh, maybe I can promise some things to someone else. Maybe I can be this person.’ And it’s been like a slow burn. So I knew that she was incredible. It was working on myself enough to feel like maybe I could be the one for her too.”
Ritter’s comments offer fans a glimmer into how complicated his relationship with Lynskey was, especially early on. Thankfully, the couple seems to be stronger than ever. They married in 2020 and have a daughter together.
Fans and other stars have been supportive of the couple
Following Ritter and Lynskey’s appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, celebrities weighed in on social media with their support for the couple. Hilarie Burton Morgan, for instance, shared her experience working with Ritter on the 2005 film Our Very Own. Writing on Twitter, Morgan said, “I did my very first movie with Jason Ritter. You will never meet a kinder, more inclusive, emotionally intelligent man. He is also wickedly fun. So proud of the punk a– 20 something you were and the man you’ve become, Jason. You and Melanie Lynskey are a dream. Made me cry! Xo”
Likewise, Yvette Nicole Brown took to Twitter to share her admiration for how open Ritter was. “Whew. The vulnerability and transparency of @JasonRitter in this clip with @DrewBarrymore talking about his love @melanielynskey has just taken my breath away!” she wrote. Lynskey and Ritter have, of course, enjoyed the support of their peers before.
