What We Know About Bridget Fonda And Danny Elfman's Private Marriage
On paper, Bridget Fonda and Danny Elfman should be one of Hollywood's most celebrated couples. Not only has Fonda starred in notable films such as "Jackie Brown" and "Single White Female," but she's descended from Tinseltown royalty — the daughter of Peter Fonda and the niece of Jane Fonda. Meanwhile, Elfman has been the composer behind some of the most memorable film scores of all time, including the iconic themes for "The Simpsons" and Tim Burton's "Batman." Despite their impressive career bona fides, though, the couple have kept their marriage private.
The pair tied the knot in December 2003 with a ceremony in which Bridget was walked down the aisle by her father Peter. In March 2005, Bridget gave birth to their son, Oliver Henry Milton. Their romance started when Elfman was hired to score Sam Raimi's "A Simple Plan" — a thriller that Bridget starred in alongside Bill Paxton. "Sam gave me lots of freedom to do something odd, which is where I'm happiest ... And Oliver can thank that film for his existence," the composer told The Guardian in 2013. Even though that was how the future couple met, they did not start dating until six years after working on the film together.
Once they were married, Bridget and Elfman kept a low profile, but they did throw annual Christmas parties at their mansion. In 2009, Bridget's aunt, Jane Fonda, documented the party on her blog. That was a rare glimpse into their home life, one of few before the couple sold that mansion in January 2021 and moved to a more remote location.
Bridget Fonda quit acting
Bridget Fonda and Danny Elfman relocated to their ranch in Santa Barbara during COVID-19 lockdowns. The move was initially supposed to be part-time, but the couple wound up making that their full-time home. The "Batman Returns" composer spoke about how the family coped during the pandemic. "[T]here was isolation and quarantine and being cut off with most of my family except for my wife, my 16-year-old, and my dog," the Oingo Boingo frontman told Stereogum in June 2021. "I wasn't alone, but I have a big extended family that gets together every week, and I was cut off from all of them."
Long before the couple moved out of Los Angeles, Fonda had decided to leave Hollywood behind. Her last on-screen role was on the 2002 TV miniseries "Snow Queen." Fonda endured a frightening car accident in February 2003 — the same year she tied the knot with Elfman. The extent of her injuries were unclear at the time, but it was later revealed she had fractured her back. After recovering from the car crash, the "Lake Placid" actor gave birth to her son and decided to focus on motherhood over her acting career.
Through the years, Fonda had hinted that she prioritized privacy over fame. A couple years after her father published his telling memoir, Fonda spoke about opening up to the public. "My father's incredibly open, but I want to keep my memories my own," Fonda told The Guardian in 2000. Her husband, however, has been more open.
Danny Elfman is active on social media, unlike Bridget Fonda
While Bridget Fonda has kept out of the spotlight since quitting acting, Danny Elfman has been active on social media, promoting his musical endeavors both as a composer and performer. Elfman attended the "Avengers: Age of Ultron" premiere in 2015 and brought his son Oliver Milton along. The "Nightmare Before Christmas" composer posted a photo to Facebook of his son posing alongside comic legend Stan Lee at the event. Four years earlier, when Oliver was only 10 years old, the musician spoke about his son's musical influences. "'Minecraft' is not only his life, it's his musical taste. You know, it's not something I'm pleased about," Elfman told Billboard in 2015. "My tastes have no effect on him at all."
Elfman remained active on social media, but aside from the occasional photo with his children (in addition to Oliver, he also has two daughters from a previous marriage), he's rarely posted about his family. When Fonda was photographed out and about in Los Angeles in January 2022, it was the first time the public had seen the former actor in 12 years. Photographers caught up with the "Kiss of the Dragon" star again in April 2023 when she was at the airport with her son. One photographer asked Fonda if there was any chance of her returning to the big screen. "No," Fonda replied, per The Daily Mail. "I don't think so, it's too nice being a civilian." It appears Fonda is very comfortable keeping her personal life out of the spotlight.