Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor Seen in Public Together for First Time Since 2017 Split

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor announced their separation in May of last year after 17 years of marriage

By
Dave Quinn
Dave Quinn
Dave Quinn

Dave Quinn is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE. He has been working at the brand since 2016, and is the author of the No. 1 New York Times best-selling book, Not All Diamonds and Rosé: The Inside Story of the Real Housewives from the People Who Lived It.

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Published on July 31, 2018 10:24AM EDT
Friendly exes Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor are all smiles in NYC
BACKGRID

Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor announced their separation in May 2017 after 17 years of marriage. But on Monday, the estranged pair were all smiles as they stepped out together in New York City.

The actors — who share daughter Ella, 16, and son Quinlin, 13 — were photographed on the streets of Manhattan after dining together at a Tribeca restaurant.

Stiller, 52, wore dark jeans and a navy T-shirt, and carried a backpack on his shoulders as he pushed his bicycle. Taylor, meanwhile, wore a summery dress that she accessorized with a brown purse, gold jewelry, and pink shades. The 47-year-old star also carried a white shopping bag.

It’s the first time the two have been seen together publicly since news of their split made headlines.

A source tells PEOPLE that “the pair remain friendly and devoted parents to their kids.”

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Putting the kids first has been a priority for the stars from the beginning, both mentioning it in their joint statement about the split.

“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,” Stiller and Taylor said. “Our priority will continue to be raising our children as devoted parents and the closest of friends. We kindly ask that the media respect our privacy at this time.”

A source told PEOPLE at the time that Stiller’s hectic work schedule helped contribute to the breakup.

“It gets hard — he has a very busy Hollywood career, and she’s been very focused on being a mom,” the insider said.

“They are a very loving family,” added the source, who didn’t expect a messy uncoupling from the pair. “[Christine] and Ben respect each other and will do anything to make sure their kids are happy.”

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Stiller and Taylor, who costarred in Zoolander, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Tropic Thunder, and Zoolander 2, wed in May of 2000 in Kauai, Hawaii — with Stiller popping the question to Taylor while in rehearsals for Meet the Parents inNovember 1997.

“[Our] relationship was a gradual thing that happened over a quick period of time, maybe seven or eight months,” Stiller told Parade about his relationship with Taylor in December 2013. “We just started hanging out with each other and it developed into, ‘Wow, this feels great. I really like this person. I think I love this person. I really do – I love this person.’ It hit me out of the blue.”