Strange Things About Russell Brand And Laura Gallacher's Marriage
The following references sexual abuse allegations.
In September 2023, comedian and actor Russell Brand was accused of rape, sexual assault, and abuse by four women following a journalistic investigation conducted by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4's Dispatches. The same day, a documentary titled "Russell Brand: In Plain Sight" aired on British TV's Channel 4.
Prior to the allegations being released, Brand shared a YouTube video in which he stated, "Amidst this litany of astonishing rather baroque attacks, often very serious allegations, that I absolutely refute." He continued, "These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies. And as I've written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous."
Brand has been married to his wife Laura Gallacher since August 2017, and the couple is raising a family together. Join us as we take a look at some of the strange things about Russell Brand and Laura Gallacher's marriage.
They have a 12-year age gap and met when Laura was a teenager
Russell Brand and his wife Laura Gallacher tied the knot in August 2017. At the time, Brand was 42 years old, while Gallacher was 30. The couple's age gap may have raised some eyebrows with some people, but for the couple, it doesn't seem to faze them whatsoever. "Thing is with Laura, we've known each other 11 years; we met when she was 19 and I was 30," Brand told Stylist. While Brand was born on June 4, 1975, Gallacher was born on June 28, 1987, meaning that the comedian's recollection may not be entirely accurate. As they reportedly first met in 2007, it's more likely that Brand was either 31 or 32, while Gallacher was 19 or 20 when they initially dated.
During an appearance on "The Wendy Williams Show" (via People), Brand revealed why their initial relationship didn't last for very long. "We went out with each other, we loved each other very much, but I was [in a phase where] I thought the world was an amusement park made out of orgasms," Brand told Williams. In spite of their age gap, the couple would later rekindle their romance.
Russell Brand and Laura Gallacher reconnected by chance
Having dated previously, Russell Brand and Laura Gallacher reconnected by chance one day, but it seems as though the comedian may have had a hand in them meeting again. During a 2019 appearance on the "Made by Mammas" podcast (via the Express), Gallacher revealed that it had been years since she'd last seen the "Arthur" star when they bumped into one another. While going through a terrible breakup, Gallacher had gone on a walk with one of her friends, when she got an unexpected surprise. "I came down the steps to the canal and Russell was standing there," Gallacher said on the podcast.
During a 2020 interview with Grazia, Gallacher reflected on the strange way they reconnected once more. "My ex had literally moved out of our flat that day and I was heartbroken, with mascara running down my face," she told the publication. "A friend dragged me out on a walk to the canal in east London, where I'd never been in my life, and as we came on to the footpath Russell was standing there, like he'd organized it." While it's unclear if Brand had anything to do with them finding one another again or not, the way in which they got back together is certainly unexpected.
They moved in together after just six months
After reconnecting during a walk by a canal in London, Laura Gallacher and Russell Brand's romance seemingly moved very quickly. While appearing on the "Made by Mammas" podcast (via Express) in 2019, Gallacher revealed that their relationship didn't follow any sort of traditional timeline. "Suddenly it went fast, six months later, shall we move in, shall we get a puppy, and then after that I found out I was pregnant," Gallacher explained on the podcast. "We moved in in November and on Valentine's Day the next year I found out I was pregnant." In November 2016, Brand revealed that Gallacher had given birth to a baby girl named Mabel.
Speaking on the "Made by Mammas" podcast, Gallacher revealed that she instantly knew that her romance with Brand was going to be different a second time around. "It was going to be serious," she explained, on account of the fact that both Brand and Gallacher were looking for a quieter existence and to start a family. Obviously, Brand and Gallacher had already dated years earlier, meaning that they likely knew each other relatively well when they got back together. Still, moving in together after six months might seem fast to many.
Laura Gallacher's dad allegedly didn't want her to marry Russell Brand
Laura Gallacher is the sister of TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher and the daughter of professional Scottish golfer Bernard Gallacher. But according to reports, when it comes to Laura's relationship with stand-up comedian Russell Brand, Bernard supposedly isn't a fan. As reported by the Daily Mail, a source alleged that Bernard had requested that his daughter break up with Brand the first time they dated, when she was still a teenager. According to the source, Bernard was apparently worried about the 12-year age gap between Laura and Brand, which is why he reportedly told his daughter to end the romance.
A source also told the Daily Mail that Bernard and Brand couldn't be more different. While Brand was once known for his wild and extravagant personality, Bernard is said to be more reserved as a professional golfer. In spite of her father's alleged thoughts about Brand, Laura rekindled her romance with the comedian years later, and they subsequently tied the knot. Still, it seems that Laura's dad hasn't always been supportive of her union with Brand.
Russell Brand reportedly gave his wife a dowry
Russell Brand and Laura Gallacher tied the knot in August 2017, and reports suggested that the "Trolls" star gifted his wife with a dowry upon their wedding. According to the Daily Mail, just days after they got married, Brand reportedly signed over half of his company, Pablo Diablo's Legitimate Business Firm, to his new wife. The publication reported that Gallacher's share was allegedly worth a whopping £300,000, which would equate to approximately $365,000.
Traditionally, the husband would receive a dowry upon marriage from a bride and her family, which may have been money, property, or gifts of another kind. Brand's decision to sign over such a large chunk of his business to his new wife could be considered a sign of his commitment to their relationship. But it's certainly unusual, especially considering the Daily Mail's report that Brand's gift was a dowry of sorts.
Russell Brand described his married life as 'tiring'
Russell Brand's decision to leave his glamorous Hollywood lifestyle behind for a life of married domesticity may have been shocking to some of his fans. However, Brand has also expressed some slight frustration at the normality of his life during an interview with Balance in May 2018. Discussing what his life was like living with wife Laura Gallacher in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, Brand said, "I feel happier living with a person, having to pick up dog poo and change nappies than I ever did being involved in more decadent activity." He continued, "It's tiring picking up poo and being more ordinary and real, but it's a relief. It feels connected and purposeful." While Brand suggested that he was happy with his new life, he also called it "tiring," hinting that it wasn't always easy for the comedian.
Finding a new balance in his life seemingly took some work for Brand. "My priority is my little family," he told Balance. "But I'm going to do some films, carry on doing comedy ... and showing off." While family life must have been a huge change for the self-proclaimed party animal, it seems as though he still had an urge to perform, away from the ordinary aspects of his day-to-day existence.
Russell Brand says he's 'dependent' on his wife
In a 2017 interview with Us Weekly, Russell Brand reflected on his new marital status since tying the knot with Laura Gallacher. "I don't compare my relationships now to previous relationships out of respect to my present wife and to [ex-wife] Katy Perry," he told Us Weekly. And that's not all. Brand also looked back on the person he was in the past, and why he'd changed since then. "I think I'm an easier person to be with now," he explained. "I'm also in a very different situation. I'm dependent on my wife. In relationships, there is always going to be a level of dependency." While Brand didn't elaborate on his dependency on Gallacher, he seemed to be insinuating that he relied on her immensely.
Further explaining how he'd changed since marrying Gallacher, Brand told Us Weekly, "But I try not to project my problems onto other people and perhaps I've not always been like that." While Brand could see the positives he'd experienced since entering into marriage, it seems as though he also felt dependent on his wife, for better or worse.
Laura Gallacher didn't let Russell Brand look after the children solo
Laura Gallacher and Russell Brand welcomed their first child, daughter Mabel, in 2016. Another daughter, Peggy, was born two years later in 2018. And in June 2023, it was revealed that Gallacher was pregnant with the couple's third child. Although Gallacher largely stays out of the public eye, she has given some insights into what it's like raising children with the "Get Him to the Greek" star. In response to an interview Brand had given in which he claimed to have never spent 24 hours alone with his daughters, Gallacher told Grazia in 2020, "What he meant, I think, is that he calls me 100% the boss, because it took me a long time to relax into motherhood and I found it hard to let others in."
Elaborating on why her husband rarely cared for the children without her, Gallacher told Grazia, "The first time I ever spent a night apart from the girls was in December." She continued, "So when Russell said he'd never looked after both children for 24 hours, it was simply because I was never out of the house for that long. But I'm learning to be less controlling." Despite Gallacher's explanation, some may find the parenting imbalance in the couple's relationship a little strange.
Laura Gallacher said it may look like she's 'dealing with an adult toddler'
As Russell Brand has always been known for his boisterous and loud persona, some might wonder what he's really like when he's at home with his family. In her interview with Grazia in 2020, Laura Gallacher got candid about what it's like living with her infamous husband. "We really do have fun together," she told the publication. "Sometimes it can look like I'm dealing with an adult toddler, but Russell's really into doing the stuff I'm into."
During a 2022 interview with The Telegraph, Gallacher continued to reflect on her home life with Brand, and conjured yet another image of her husband as "an adult toddler." Firstly, Gallacher said, "[I'm often] like his playschool teacher." She continued, "I think people find it funny because it's out of context for him. He doesn't often do things that are family orientated [in the public eye]. But actually, that's what we do at home. He's extremely creative." Clearly, the couple has a lot in common, and they both enjoy conjuring a creative space for their children. However, Gallacher's suggestions that Brand is perhaps a bit like "an adult toddler," while she's "his playschool teacher" don't present the best image of their relationship.
Russell Brand sometimes feels like 'a refugee in [his] house'
While Laura Gallacher reflected on the perception of her husband as "an adult toddler," Russell Brand also examined his life as a family man during an interview with The Guardian in 2017. "I've never had domesticity before," he explained. "And I feel sometimes like a refugee in my house with this woman, this calm, beautiful woman, who in the most beautiful way possible doesn't care about what I do. She's not interested, in the most delightful way." While Brand appears to enjoy living a life of domesticity with Gallacher, his suggestion that he's "like a refugee in [his] house" also hints at a feeling of displacement. Whether or not he really feels out of place, or simply can't believe his reality, is unclear.
In an interview with You (via The Independent), Gallacher revealed that their relationship was built around the fact that they both seemed to desire a quieter existence away from the spotlight. "I remember him saying, 'I think I want a quiet life and a family,' and it was exactly what I wanted," she told You. "So, then it was about seeing if we could build a foundation to make that happen." Clearly, the couple has built a life together, and since expanded their family. As a result, Brand's "refugee" comments are pretty unexpected.
Laura Gallacher deleted her Instagram account following allegations
In September 2023, reports broke that Russell Brand had been accused of rape, abuse, and sexual assault, following a journalistic investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times, and Channel 4 Dispatches. While Brand's wife Laura Gallacher didn't respond publicly to the allegations against her husband, she did allegedly delete her Instagram account, @thejoyjournal. Whether or not she did this to distance herself from the allegations, or to protect her privacy, remains unclear. Her Facebook account, meanwhile, wasn't deleted.
According to the Daily Mail, a source alleged that Gallacher was supporting Brand, and that the couple hoped to move forward in spite of the serious allegations. Gallacher's sister, TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, had initially supported Brand with an Instagram Story. However, after the allegations were published, she seemingly rescinded her statement by deleting the Instagram Story. Laura's stance on the allegations against her husband is not known, but it seems that she has chosen to stay out of the public eye.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).