Former White House Press Secretary and current political commentator and host of Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos is not only successful professionally, but also in his private life.
Indeed the TV celebrity is living the American dream alongside his wife and two daughters in their million dollar New York home.
The 61-year-old Massachussets native has come a long way, garnering years of experience in the political and media worlds, and is today viewed as a top American intellectual powerhouse.
But his journey wasn’t accomplished on his own. By his side is Ali Wentworth, his loyal and equally successful wife. Like her husband, years of experience have provided her with several accomplishments she can be very proud of: from author, to producer, to actress, and comedian.
The powerhouse couple has proved that hard work pays off with success in one’s professional life, but also privately when it comes to romance. They remain married after over 20 years of passion, partnership and true love.
The Beginnings
It all began when a friend of Wentworth’s suggested that Wentworth and Stephanopoulos would make a great match. Wentworth was however reluctant and doubtful, with her eyes on crush Hugh Grant instead – despite having never met the actor.
She was living in LA at the time and Stephanopoulos was in DC. Wentworth, a D.C. native whose mother worked in the White House, thus never fathomed that she and Stephanopoulos’ stars might one day align.
“I grew up in DC in politics and I couldn’t get out of there fast enough,” she explained.
Wentworth brushed off her friends’ suggestion and initially refused to meet him. She was finally convinced, however and the two went on their first date: lunch at New York’s Barneys department store in April 2001.
Wentworth was pleasantly surprised by how well the date went, and quickly felt they were a perfect fit. It only took a few days before they fell in love, and Stephanopoulos proposed.
“About 15 minutes in, she just leaned in and said something, and we were suddenly in another place, in another universe, immediately,” the GMA co-host said. “We went from strangers to friends to being in love in days.”
In November 2001, less than a year after their first encounter, the couple tied the knot and began their forever journey together.
Married Life
The couple initially settled into a beautiful colonial-revival house in Washington D.C. About one year following their marriage, on September 9, 2002, they welcomed their first daughter, Elliott Anastasia Stephanopoulos, to the family.
Younger sister Harper Andrea Stephanopoulos was born on June 2, 2005, and the family was now complete.
According to Wentworth, her daughters have at times struggled with their names, which many strangers have difficulty pronouncing at first. In a Times “Letter from Mom”, she apologizes to her daughters about this – and asks them to never let anyone bring them down.
“Elliott is my grandmother (your great-grandmother’s family name) and Harper was a gorgeous word I dreamt. I woke up one morning and shouted, “Harper!” and that’s what we named you,” she explains.
They remained comfortable in their D.C. home for years as the power couple continued to simultaneously progress in their careers. Wentworth describes their residence as beautifully designed, and she spent most of her days working from home.
But after just five years, a big change came their way: Stephanopoulos received the offer to co-host GMA.
This entailed a necessary move out of D.C. and towards New York – not to mention leaving behind the home they had grown to love.
It was a difficult time for Wentworth, who poignantly describes her difficulty with coping with the change:
“Speaking before thousands doesn’t cause me an ounce of anxiety. But moving? I’m on the floor, panic-stricken.”
But despite her anxieties and fears, Wentworth put on a brave face and moved forward to help support her husband in his career. She began packing up their precious belongings and prepared to start a new life in New York.
A Designer Home
The family’s New York home was relatively smaller than their D.C. residence, but it was sophisticated. Wentworth rolled up her sleeves and decided to make it into their dream home.
A mutual friend had previously introduced Wentworth to the renowned interior decorator Michael Smith, who was known to be “one of the best in town”. Wentworth quickly took to his sense of style and taste and admired his previous work.
They began communicating via email and brainstorming a conceptual identity for her new home. She mandated Smith with giving the family’s new home a full makeover, a proposal to which the designer enthusiastically agreed.
In the early days, the house was in a rather dire state according to Wentworth, who compared it to a “lady stripped off all her makeup and jewelry.”
Nevertheless, the actress had no doubt that Smith would do an incredible job. Despite that there was much to do, the home had strong bones, including perfect flooring which thankfully did not need to be changed.
Smith delivered astonishing results within 6 months, leaving Wentworth beyond pleased.
“The results left me in awe… I still can’t stop pawing the Venetian-plaster walls,” she said. “And our master suite with its hand-painted wallpaper and Italian neoclassical walnut bed, is exquisite.”
Wentworth, Stephanopoulos and their two daughters have happily remained in their New York home since their initial move.
A Glimpse Into The Family Home
Among other spaces, their lovely abode features a sophisticated living room, showcasing comfortable armchairs which pair up perfectly with a leather loveseat.
It also contains a rectangle-shaped coffee table, topped with an elegant vase and additional decorative pieces. The table lays on large rug which partially covers their beautiful dark hardwood floor.
The family dining area faces a large window that brings in beautiful natural light and features several shelves and walls decorated with frames, as well as a gorgeous dining table and neatly aligned chairs.
The kitchen features a high ceiling, dove grey walls, marble counters, white cabinets, and a large fun board at its entrance.
The main bedroom is furnished with a bed fit for a king. It also includes two dark night tables, an armchair on one side, and a table on the other.
Wentworth and Stephanopoulos’ home also boasts a lovely and bright breakfast nook for easy evening meals and weekend breakfasts. The beautifully furnished area directly faces a window and the table is surrounded by armless chairs.
Finally, the home contains an office space containing several bookshelves to house the author’s collection.
Living Well
Despite their heavy schedules, Wentworth and her husband make sure to take time to raise their two daughters and care for their beloved home.
Speaking about her attitude towards parenthood, the actress expressed that she believes there’s no book or template for raising kids.
“I don’t believe in parenting books,” she writes. “There is no formula, no one-size-fits-all. You do the best you can with the children you have, with the person you’re raising them with (if there is another person involved), in the circumstances you live in and the era into which you were born.”
When the Covid-19 pandemic began, she reportedly gave her daughters a free pass, relaxing many of the usual household rules. For instance, a specific bedtime was canceled as were rules surrounding the use of their cell phones.
“Bedtimes were up to the individual, because who cares when you don’t have something definitive to wake up for? Sleep all day, look at memes all night,” she writes.
The author believes that the best way to overcome challenges of raising children is constantly and consistently encouraging mutual love and respect.
When it comes to her marriage, Wentworth credits her and Stephanopoulos’ strong union throughout the years to consciously igniting sparks through humor and laughter.
Last year the couple celebrated two decades of marriage.
“20 years!!!!!!! And I’m still full of love and celebration!” she shared on Instagram.
What a magical love story and what a beautiful home this couple has built for their family. Share this article if you want to wish Wentworth and Stephanopoulos another 20 years of marriage and continued love and happiness in their home.
