The Evil Queen might have promised to destroy everyone’s happiness if it was the last thing she did, but the stars of hit ABC TV show Once Upon A Time seemed to have escaped that curse in real life. Many of its stars have found their true loves behind the scenes and some even met the love of their life while on the show.
‘Once Upon a Time’ Cast Then and Now: See What the ‘Dearies’ Are Up To Today!
What ‘Once Upon a Time’ is about
After the Evil Queen casts a dark curse, the fairytale characters of the Enchanted Forest are transported from their lives into the modern world and the town of Storybrooke, Maine. Years later, Emma Swan’s son, Henry, whom she gave up for adoption sometime earlier, appears at her doorstep convinced she is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and that Emma is the only one who can save them.
Although Emma doesn’t really believe Henry, she brings him back to Storybrooke only to discover that things are not as they seem in the idyllic small town. With soulmates trying to find their way back to each other while dark forces simultaneously fight to keep everyone from the truth, Once Upon a Time is the perfect modern twist on all the classic fairy tales you love.
But the love doesn’t only exist on the screen, as the show’s stars have found their happiness off-screen, too. Keep reading to see which of the Once Upon a Time cast members are living out their own fairytale.
Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas: a real-life fairytale love story
“I will always find you,” is the most memorable line shared between Ginnifer Goodwin’s and Josh Dallas’ characters. As Snow White, she fell for her true Prince Charming. As Mary Margaret Blanchard, she was head over heels for David Nolan and in real life Ginnifer Goodwin has been married to Josh Dallas for nearly 10 years!
Their real-life fairytale began on-set of the magical series when Goodwin and Dallas were paired together to portray husband and wife in every realm. The two met when the show began filming in 2011 and they felt an instant connection with each other.
“I think falling in love is always a surprise, right? It hit me like a blinding light,” Dallas shared in an interview. “I thought, ‘I’m in trouble now.’”
By 2012, the couple made their relationship public, and it was clear their romance was straight out of a storybook (or Storybrooke). As they played out a love story on TV, a real one was brewing behind the scenes, and the two decided to just go for it rather than fight it. Despite some of the issues that occurred in their on-screen romance, Goodwin and Dallas moved forward together in real life.
In October 2013, the couple announced their engagement and just one month later, they shared they were pregnant with their first son, Oliver. Goodwin’s pregnancy was even scripted into the show, where Mary Margaret and David welcomed their son Neal. In 2016, Goodwin and Dallas welcomed their second son, Hugo.
The two have been happily married ever since, often sharing love for each other online through birthday and anniversary posts. In one, Dallas shared on Valentine’s Day, referencing the hit show by writing, “I’d be an outlaw for her love #partnerincrime.” I think it’s safe to say we are obsessed with the sweet relationship between the two and that they will always be Snow White and Prince Charming to us.
Jennifer Morrison and Gerardo Celasco: the savior’s happily ever after
It seems the Savior finally found her happily ever after! The Once Upon a Time star and the Passions actor made their debut as a couple back in 2019 at an Emmy’s after-party and they have been together ever since. In 2022, the couple seemingly tied the knot as Morrison shared a sweet photo of the two showing off bands on their ring fingers, though neither announced it as an engagement.
Morrison most recently shared a photo of the two for Celasco’s birthday, writing, “Happy birthday my love! You are the most spectacular human. You light up my world, you inspire me, you are the best dad and husband… I love you so very, very much! ❤️”
In a 2024 interview with The Bare Magazine, Morrison confirmed that the two of them had welcomed a child together, sharing, “Time just slips away with the little one.”
Colin and Helen O’Donoghue: Captain Hook’s real-life love
It’s unsurprising, to say the least, that the swoony, flirtatious Captain Hook was able to find his true love in real life. On-screen, Colin O’Donoghue’s risqué character took an immediate liking to Emma (Jennifer Morrison), with their characters eventually tying the knot, but behind the scenes, O’Donoghue is a real sweetheart.
The actor met his wife, Helen, when they were 18 and were together for years before they got married, which they did in 2009. The couple welcomed their first child, Evan, in 2013, and their second, a daughter Millie, in 2017.
Although O’Donoghue wears a bit less black leather and eyeliner than his Captain Hook counterpart, we love him and his adorable relationship.
Robert Carlyle and Anastasia Shirley: Rumpelstiltskin’s true love
Rumpelstiltskin’s heart might be blackened, but Robert Carlyle’s certainly isn’t. Carlyle met his wife, Anastasia Shirley, in 1994 while he appeared on the British TV series, Cracker. Shirley was a makeup artist on the set from 1993-1996. The couple wed in 1997 and welcomed their first child, Ava, in 2002. Carlyle and Shirley had two more children, Harvey and Pearce, in 2004 and 2006.
“I appreciate my life and what I’ve got in my life. It’s always good to remind yourself, wherever you go,” Carlyle shared. “Me and Anastasia are sitting there and I’m like, ‘This isn’t bad.’ I’m a very lucky man. I’m always grateful.”
Rebecca Mader and Marcus Kayne: The Wicked Witch’s sweet romance
She might be the Wicked Witch of the West with no time for love on Once Upon a Time, but Rebecca Mader has found happiness with her husband, Marcus Kayne. The couple became engaged in 2014 and announced they had gotten married in 2016.
“We are thrilled to announce that on the 23rd of November Marc and I became Husband and Wife! We’re Married!” Mader wrote on Instagram.
Mader and Kayne have welcomed two children together, the first in 2019 and the second in 2021.
