The Untold Truth Of David Schwimmer And Zoe Buckman

According to IMDb, in 2006 David Schwimmer was in London from October 21 until December 8, 2006, to direct the comedy Run Fatboy Run starring Simon Pegg and Thandie Newton. Multiple reports have revealed that it was during this stint in London that Schwimmer met his future wife, Zoë Buckman, an artist and photographer who was, at the time, waitressing at the Cuckoo Club.

Of the burgeoning relationship, a source reportedly told News of the World (via Metro UK), in March 2007, "David's always seeing loads of girls but he's stuck with Zoë for a few weeks now." The source continued, "He definitely fancies her like mad." The publication noted that Schwimmer had allegedly been dating Buckman for two months when news of their romance broke, which would potentially place their first meeting in January 2007, after shooting on the film had already wrapped. Does that mean Schwimmer stuck around the UK just for Buckman? If the rumors about the sultry start of their romance are true, that wouldn't be hard to believe. 

Metro UK also revealed, "The couple were spotted drinking champagne and dancing provocatively at London's Aura club," with a source telling News of the World, "When they danced to some sexy R&B tracks it got very close and very, very steamy." It sounds like love at first sight to us.

While many celebrities have glamorous weddings, photos of which they often share with magazines or on social media, David Schwimmer and Zoë Buckman kept their 2010 wedding on the down low. In fact, the couple's wedding was such a big secret that the general public didn't even find out that Ross Geller had tied the knot until months later. In October 2010, People reported, "David Schwimmer has been secretly married to his British girlfriend Zoë Buckman for four months, the actor's rep confirms." The publication noted that Schwimmer and Buckman "tied the knot in a small private ceremony in early June."

It was the first marriage for both Schwimmer and Buckman, and in many ways, it makes sense that the Friends star would want to keep his nuptials private. In 2016, Schwimmer opened up about his fame during The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast. He explained, "The effect of celebrity ... made me want to hide under a baseball cap and not be seen. And I realized after a while that I was no longer watching people; I was trying to hide." However, just before meeting Buckman, Schwimmer hinted that he may be finally ready to settle down, and told People in 2006 that it "will happen when it feels right ... Maybe part of me is waiting for myself to slow down a little and be ready to stay put. I'm confident it's gonna happen."

David Schwimmer became a household name playing the hopeless but loveable Ross Geller in Friends. Meanwhile, Zoë Buckman is an internationally recognized feminist artist, whose work often addresses abuse, reproductive health, and women's rights. Even though their career paths couldn't seem further apart, there is some overlap between Schwimmer and Buckman's working lives and core beliefs. Just as Buckman is a staunch advocate for survivors of abuse, Schwimmer has been vocal about the need to end sexual harassment. In 2018, he wrote for NBC News about his mother's career as a feminist lawyer who "was subjected to sexual harassment and a lot of discrimination, chauvinism and sexism — by judges, other lawyers, even clients."

In a 2020 interview with The Guardian, Schwimmer reaffirmed his commitment to women's rights and said, "I don't know a woman in my life that has not been harassed in some way." He's on the Board of Directors of The Rape Foundation, and in 2018 he partnered with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) to launch #ThatsHarassment, a campaign aimed at preventing sexual harassment. Schwimmer also explored female abuse when he directed the 2010 movie Trust, which focuses on a teenager who gets involved with a man online who turns out to be a pedophile posing as someone much younger. As the actor told The Guardian, "I'm very aware of my own privilege as a heterosexual white male."

Despite splitting up, David Schwimmer and Zoë Buckman remain committed to co-parenting their daughter, Cleo Buckman Schwimmer, who "was born at home, in our bedroom, on Mother's Day," in 2011, Buckman told The Glow. David raved about his ex in an interview with The Guardian and said, "We're still great friends and, touch wood, we've worked out a way to be really respectful and loving and caring and flexible in terms of our co-parenting." The Friends star has also made it clear that Cleo is his number one priority. In a 2020 interview with The Telegraph, the actor described fatherhood as "profoundly transformational." He explained, "In the first 40 years of my life work came first, and after she came into this world I was like: 'Well, that's out the window.' Now it's a different game. She comes first, no matter what."

It's obvious that Cleo is at the center of both David and Zoë's worlds. In August 2019, Zoë shared a photo of Cleo on Instagram with the caption, "Co-parenting with Schwim is one of my life's greatest privileges. Look at the experiences he gives our baby. She's come back from their trip taller in the soul as well as the legs." And in another post, Zoë shared a photo of Cleo with a shaved head and revealed her admiration for her daughter. She wrote, "I see how kids today challenge norms and standards in a way that we didn't, and that, amongst other things, gives me hope!"

In October 2019, Zoë Buckman shared a selfie on Instagram featuring herself, David Schwimmer, the late-singer Amy Winehouse, and Amy's ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil. Buckman wrote of the snap, "Cherish. Am cleaning out my phone (feels so good) and finding some goodies. Heart beats out my chest. #Amy." While fans might be surprised to see the Friends star at a Winehouse gig, the timing actually makes a lot of sense. The Daily Mail reported on Winehouse's April 2007 performance at the Dublin Castle pub in Camden, north London, and wrote, "A ripple goes through the crowd as former Friends star David Schwimmer, 'disguised' beneath a baseball cap, pushes his way to the front of the queue through the swirling masses and is allowed entrance."

In early 2007, Schwimmer had reportedly just started dating Buckman, who was born and bred in London, just like Winehouse. And it would seem that early into their relationship, Schwimmer and Buckman "had planned to see English jazz-soul singer Amy Winehouse" in March 2007, "but when she canceled," the actor took his date to a club instead, per the Sunday Times. In other words, they were clearly fans.

Still not convinced? When Buckman's Brooklyn home was featured in Architectural Digest in January 2020, it was revealed that the artist has "a tear-out from friend Amy Winehouse's first LP" displayed on her wall. And in 2018, Buckman appeared on the podcast, Mixtape Assembly, where she paid "homage to one of London's finest, Amy Winehouse." 

Divorce is rarely a pleasant experience, but David Schwimmer and Zoë Buckman seem to have approached it in the most mature way possible, from maintaining a friendship to continuing to raise their daughter together. In 2020, Schwimmer spoke to The Telegraph about getting divorced and said, "I wouldn't say my experience was harder than anyone else's." Elaborating on his feelings about divorce, Schwimmer told The Guardian, "Anyone would say the same thing, but of course it's heartbreaking. You feel somewhat responsible and a sense of failure — and you grieve. I certainly didn't get married with the idea that it wouldn't last. I really believed it would."

Meanwhile, Buckman got candid about her experience of splitting from Schwimmer during an interview with artnet news in 2019. Buckman described working on an art show during 2016, right before the presidential election, and said, "I felt like there was this real war on women ... and I was also at the time separating out of my marriage." The artist continued, "I was in a fight at home and in a fight politically ... I was working with my wedding dress and other women's wedding dresses for a long time. My studio was home to a lot of broken dreams and failed marriages." 

Despite the obvious sadness attached to the couple's split, it seems that Schwimmer and Buckman are now moving on with their lives in a positive way.