Sterling K. Brown Opens Up About His Relationship with Ryan Michelle Bathé as They Approach 20 Years of Marriage

Ryan Michelle Bathé and Sterling K. Brown at the Golden Globes on Jan. 11, 2026.
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Christopher Polk/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty

Key Insights

• Sterling K. Brown shared insights into the enduring partnership with his wife, Ryan Michelle Bathé, after nearly two decades of marriage.
• The star of Paradise revealed the secret to their relationship during a live recording of That Was Us, a podcast dedicated to the show This Is Us.
• “My wife is the love of my life, not because it’s always easy, but because we keep choosing each other,” he stated.

Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathé continue to thrive as a couple since their college days at Stanford University in the 1990s, where they first met and began dating.

During a live podcast taping on January 17 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Brown discussed the importance of commitment in his long-term relationship while reflecting on the fictional marriage of characters Kate and Toby from This Is Us. Brown, who portrayed Randall on the show, shared his experience of love with Bathé.

“I celebrate 20 years of marriage [in March],” Brown noted, referencing their 2006 elopement and subsequent ceremony the following year.

He continued, “My wife is the love of my life, not because it’s always easy, but because we keep choosing each other. You know what I’m saying? So even when we’re not perfect for each other, you can still choose each other and just choose to be perfect for each other.”

Brown and Bathé initially dated on and off during their college years, ultimately parting ways after graduation in 1998. However, they rekindled their relationship, tying the knot in 2006. The couple welcomed their first son, Andrew, in 2011, followed by the birth of their second son, Amaré, in 2015.

Ryan Michelle Bathé and Sterling K. Brown at the Emmys in 2016.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

As they celebrate their lasting bond, their story serves as a testament to the power of love and commitment in relationships.