Timothy Olyphant Reveals the Secret to His 32-Year Marriage

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Timothy Olyphant, 55, star of the FX classic Justified and the new reboot, Justified: City Primeval premiering July 18, is one of the biggest names in Hollywood. But what you might not know about the actor is the sweet love story he shares with his wife of more than 30 years, Alexis Knief.

The pair met while students at the University of Southern California, back when Olyphant was an “artsy jock” on the swim team and far from famous.

Married in 1991, the couple has raised three children together: Grace (24), Henry (22), and Vivian (20). Their secret to a lasting relationship? “You have to be with the right person, and you both have to be willing to do the work, day in and day out, to make it happen,” Olyphant told Women’s Health in 2011.

Aside from accompanying her husband on the red carpet, Knief tends to stay out of the limelight. But Olyphant often mentions her in interviews, and we've gotten to know her a bit through his anecdotes. One thing’s for sure: She has a razor-sharp wit.

When Olyphant was nominated for an Emmy for his role in Justified in 2011, she hatched a prank for his acceptance speech. “My opening line—this was my wife’s idea actually—I was going to look at the trophy… and then look out at my wife of 20 years and say, ‘Well, Honey, this is it. I’m finally leaving you,’” Olyphant shared on Conan in 2012 (he didn’t win, so the joke didn't happen).

Knief apparently doesn’t let her husband take himself too seriously, either. When he planned a silly stunt for his entrance on Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2022, she reportedly quipped, “Tim, you’re trying too hard.”