Weird Things About Landman Star Ali Larter's Real-Life Marriage

Actor Ali Larter's on-screen romance with her "Landman" co-star Billy Bob Thornton was having a serious moment in early 2026! "What we found in these characters is that they love each other for who they truly are, no matter what antics they play and pull off. So, no matter the shenanigans that Angela does, she shows him her worst self, and he still loves her. So, that to me is like the core of it," Larter told television host Drew Barrymore during an appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show" about what makes fans love the fictional couple's relationship. (Meanwhile, in real life, Thornton has been married more times than you think, and his sixth marriage has glaringly obvious red flags.)

Alas, it's Larter's weird real-life marriage to actor, comedian, and producer Hayes MacArthur that really has people talking. We're talking a whirlwind courtship following a rumored fast and furious breakup, an abrupt decision to relocate their family from Los Angeles to the small rural town of Sun Valley, Idaho, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and even the way in which the couple juggles their busy family life and working schedules. 

The story goes that Ali Larter and Hayes MacArthur first met in 2005 while working on the set of an R-rated comedy film aptly titled "National Lampoon's Homo Erectus." Not exactly romantic. According to Larter, however, shortly after meeting MacArthur, she knew it was game over. "I told my boyfriend after three weeks that I wanted to marry him and that we could do it tomorrow," she told Cosmopolitan in 2007 (via People). 

Interestingly enough, Larter's meet-cute with MacArthur just so happened to coincide with Larter leaving a bad relationship. "I hadn't laughed in a very long time, and I met him, and he was just light," she recalled during an appearance on "The Drew Barrymore Show" about the quick rebound relationship.

Fortunately, it appears Larter's instincts were right, as the couple has been married for more than 20 years and share two children together, Theodore and Vivienne. "He's so funny, and he's an amazing father, and we just — we keep doing it. We keep growing together," she gushed to Barrymore. Still, Larter was careful to note that long-term relationships are never easy. "But we love our family, and we learn from each other every day, and I'm grateful for that," she added.

Idaho or bust?! In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ali Larter and Hayes MacArthur made the abrupt decision to pack up their family and hightail it out of Los Angeles. The destination? Unknown — well, sort of. "We figured it was an opportunity to go on an adventure as a family. And we just started driving north," Larter told People in September 2024 about the couple's unconventional move. 

Still, it appears the couple had some idea of what they were looking for. "We wanted to go to a ski town because we wanted to be able to be outside with our family when you couldn't be inside or wear masks," Larter told host Amanda Hirsch during an interview on the "Not Skinny but Not Fat" podcast. "We drove in Idaho, and we made this choice," she said about landing on Sun Valley, Idaho.

Fast forward years later, and the family is still thriving in the small ski town. "Neither of us had ever lived in a small town before," Larter told People. "People look out for each other. There's a real sense of community here, and we're so happy to be a part of it."

Speaking of unconventional, Ali Larter and Hayes MacArthur's version of family life is a little different from most, especially given their busy careers in the entertainment business. "I brought my kids to the set of 'Pitch' the other morning because when you're working crazy hours, you have to find the time," Larter confessed to People in October 2016. At the time, the couple's children, Theodore and Vivienne, were five and a half and 21 months, respectively.

According to Larter, she and MacArthur do a lot of tag-teaming when it comes to rearing their kids. During a November 2025 interview with People, she revealed she was away from her family for five months that year while shooting "Landman." And that's when her husband, whom she refers to as her "support system," comes in. "And then when he leaves, I can hold down the fort," she explained about their divide-and-conquer dynamic. "He's my rock," the Landman star gushed about her real-life partner. Hey, whatever works.