Maureen McCormick said the secret to her 40-year marriage to husband Michael Cummings is love at first sight, hard work and a willingness to celebrate differences. The Brady Bunch alum, 69, and Cummings spoke about their relationship while attending The John Ritter Foundation’s Evening from the Heart Gala in Los Angeles.
“You've got to have a sense of humor about things,” Cummings told People at the event. “You can't take things too seriously. You got to let things go and just love the one you're with. It's a lifetime deal.” McCormick added that she and Cummings put in “a lot of work” and emphasized the importance of “celebrating the differences.”
The couple said they were sure about each other “right away” when they began dating in the 1980s. Cummings, a theater actor who created The Scandinavian Theater Company, said he did not initially know McCormick’s television history and was drawn to her in a concert. “I didn't know who she was, but I liked what I saw,” he said. McCormick recalled looking at his eyes and feeling he was “the one.”
McCormick and Cummings were married in 1985 and share a daughter, Natalie, who is 35. The couple lives outside Los Angeles and said their current priorities are family, friends and simple pleasures such as walking and enjoying nature. McCormick said the couple has “haven't stopped celebrating” since marking their 40th anniversary in March and called their relationship “better than ever.”
McCormick rose to fame at age 13 as Marcia Brady on The Brady Bunch, a role she played for five seasons before the show ended in 1974. She later reprised the role in spinoffs and continued to appear on television through the 1970s and 1980s. In her 2008 memoir, Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice, McCormick detailed a struggle with substance abuse that followed the series' cancellation and described trading sex for drugs, crippling depression and a battle with bulimia.
She has said the turning point came after Cummings issued an ultimatum to choose sobriety or face divorce. McCormick has credited that moment with prompting her decision to get sober and rebuild her life and family.
Cummings has maintained an acting career on screen and stage, with television credits that include guest roles on series such as Criminal Minds and Fresh Off the Boat, as well as film and television movie appearances.
In recent weeks McCormick was also seen on a rare outing where she kissed a male friend goodbye on the lips in front of her husband; the couple has not suggested the gesture indicated anything beyond a friendly farewell. At the gala, both emphasized mutual respect and long-term commitment in describing how they manage differences and remain close.
McCormick and Cummings' remarks highlight a common theme among long marriages in the public eye: a combination of shared priorities, personal accountability and deliberate effort. Their account traces a path from early fame and personal struggle to reconciliation and a sustained partnership celebrated this year as it entered its fifth decade.