Emmy Rossum disclosed on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast that she entered into a secret marriage at age 21 after receiving what she described as a shocking ultimatum from her then-boyfriend, music executive Justin Siegel. Rossum stated that the decision to marry was influenced by a fear of abandonment and that she was contemplating divorce even before the wedding ceremony.
Rossum, who was dating Siegel after working together on her first album, "Inside Out," recalled that the ultimatum came as she was preparing to leave for a six-month film shoot in Mexico for "Dragon Ball Evolution" in 2008. According to Rossum, Siegel presented her with a choice: either end the relationship or get married before her departure.
"I don't know if the relationship is gonna survive the distance. So like, maybe we should break up or get married," Rossum recounted Siegel telling her. At the time, Rossum was recovering from two significant heartbreaks and viewed divorce as a potentially simple solution if the marriage did not work out, a decision she now recognizes was clouded by fear.
Despite her instincts telling her the marriage was not right, Rossum proceeded with the wedding, which she described as an impromptu and unromantic event. She noted that she and Siegel found a marriage contract online and enlisted someone from the internet to officiate the ceremony at her house. Rossum wore a white turtleneck, feeling it was appropriate for the rushed occasion. She intentionally kept the marriage a secret, sensing it was a mistake.
The relationship reportedly deteriorated during Rossum's six-month filming in Mexico, with Siegel not visiting her. Upon her return, Rossum stated it was evident that they were not compatible.
Rossum eventually informed her mother about the marriage and her need for a lawyer to end it. Her mother provided support, assisting her with the divorce process. The divorce was finalized in 2010.
Years later, Rossum met director and screenwriter Sam Esmail on the set of "Comet." They began dating in 2013 and married in 2017. Rossum and Esmail have two children, a daughter born in 2021 and a son born in 2023. Rossum described her current relationship with Esmail as healing, highlighting his loyalty and kindness, and contrasting it with her difficult relationship with her own father.