Leslie Bibb won't soon be gracing the halls of the White Lotus resort as "Mrs. Rockwell." During a June 16th appearance on "Today with Jenna & Friends," the "White Lotus" veteran opened up about her decision not to tie the knot with her long-time partner, Sam Rockwell, despite their 18-year-long relationship.
"Listen, I adore Sam Rockwell," Leslie confessed to Jenna Bush Hager. "I'd pocket him and carry him around like a cherished treasure. I love him deeply, but I have zero interest in getting married." The 51-year-old actress revealed that her stance on marriage predated her 2007 encounter with Sam, 56, at Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont hotel.
"He used to bug me about it, saying, 'Really, you don't want to get married?'" Leslie recalled, laughing. "I'd respond, 'Stop bringing it up! I've already told you I don't want to marry you. Don't keep asking like I'm going to pull a fast one on you!'" Despite his persistent probing, she noted that Sam "didn't want it either."
"Maybe it's something rooted in our upbringing," she speculated. "But if it's not broken, why fix it?" Leslie joked, "Besides, I feel like we're already married!"
Marriage isn't the only traditional relationship milestone Leslie has opted out of. The actress also admitted that parenthood isn't in her cards, quipping, "I just don't have that parenting gene."
However, the couple has forged a strong connection in other ways, including their joint appearance in season three of "The White Lotus." "We've been together for 18 years, which is a long time, but I believe it just keeps getting better," Leslie said. "The intimacy in a relationship is incredibly sexy to me. You can have passionate sex in the beginning, but you have to keep rediscovering each other."
Sam echoed her sentiments in a 2022 interview with The Standard, stating, "We're basically married." He continued, "She's in my will. I feel like we're married. We live like a married couple."
