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Leslie Bibb & Sam Rockwell’s Relationship Timeline Includes The White Lotus
Their sweet romance began with a meet-cute.
Couples on The White Lotus don’t generally have the best time on vacation. But IRL, the show’s trip to Thailand marks a sweet chapter in Leslie Bibb and Sam Rockwell’s relationship timeline.
During the March 16 episode, Rick (Walton Goggins) visits an old friend (Rockwell) who fled the United States for Thailand some time earlier. Rockwell’s appearance was not announced ahead of time — though reports about an Oscar-winning actor joining the show in Episode 5 had several viewers theorizing that it might be Rockwell, given his ties to Bibb.
While they have yet to cross paths on screen, Bibb and Rockwell are no strangers to collaborating. Here’s a look at the pair’s relationship history, which spans nearly 20 years, from their first date to The White Lotus.
October 2007: Their Hollywood Meet-Cute
Bibb and Rockwell first met in the lobby of the Chateau Marmont. They smiled at each other and forged an instant connection, Bibb shared on The Rosie Show. “Sometimes you just get struck,” she said.
They went on their first date a week later. While Bibb initially told Rockwell she wanted to “lease” and “not own” — i.e., she didn’t want a serious relationship — she ultimately realized there was something special between them. “Three weeks later, I was like, ‘I love you so much,’” she said.
In a 2015 Instagram post reflecting on their first meeting, Bibb included the tag #besthusbandever. However, the pair has not publicly confirmed if they’re married.
May 2010: Their First Collab
Bibb and Rockwell played reporter Christine and villain Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2, marking their first professional collaboration.
They’ve since teamed up on several projects, including 2015’s Don Verdean and Jason Reitman’s lockdown reenactment, Home Movie: The Princess Bride.
The pair is all about supporting each other behind the scenes, too. As Bibb recently told Backstage, Rockwell read with her for her White Lotus audition.
January 2018: A Spicy Tip
Speaking to E! News at the 2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards, the pair revealed the secret to their long-term relationship. While Rockwell suggested “communication,” Bibb said “good sex,” prompting her partner to agree.
March 2018: Rockwell’s Oscars Shoutout
Accepting the Oscar for Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Rockwell praised his partner from the stage. “My beloved Leslie Bibb, you light my fire, baby. I love you.”
February 2020: Welcome, Gus!
Bibb and Rockwell brought home an adorable rescue pup named Gus in February 2020.
That same month, they got a cardboard cutout of Walton Goggins. “We love you brother,” Bibb wrote to her future White Lotus co-star, who is the couple’s friend.
March 2024: A Cute Compliment
Bibb told her partner he had “rizz” in a sweet Instagram post, and later followed up on the comment in an interview with Jimmy Fallon.
“He’s just so cool, and he’s so in his skin,” she gushed.
