Game of Thrones star Carice van Houten confirms she and Guy Pearce split after viral ex-wife comments
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Game of Thrones alum Carice van Houten has confirmed that she and Guy Pearce are no longer dating.
The actor took to her Instagram Story on Wednesday (January 22) to share an update about her relationship with Pearce, revealing that they’ve been broken up for quite some time. Her remarks came after Pearce told a recent interviewer that his ex-wife, Kate Mestitz, was the greatest love in his life.
“I don’t usually engage in discussions about my personal life, but because of a number of conclusions in the media last week regarding my relationship with Guy, I wanted to make something clear,” van Houten wrote in the since-expired Instagram Story.
“He and I are great friends and love each other very much, but we haven’t been a ‘couple’ for years. (Sorry not to mention it earlier).”
The former couple first met in 2015, before welcoming their now-eight-year-old son, Monte, in 2016. In her Instagram Story, she went on to praise their friendship as co-parents since their split.
“I am however, very proud to say we are in a wonderful partnership raising the true love of our lives – our beautiful son,” she concluded. “And his hamster. The end.”
Although it is unclear when the pair broke up, van Houten’s statement came after The Brutalist star made a candid confession to The Guardian.
“My ex-wife, Kate, was the greatest love of my life, but I’ve moved on from her now and the greatest love of my life is my child, Monte,” he said during the interview published January 18.
When asked about his “biggest disappointment,” he also brought up mistakes he apparently made in his relationship with Mestitz.
“I felt like I messed up my marriage. I don’t feel that way any more, but at the time I was devastated,” Pearce added.
Pearce and Mestitz first tied the knot in 1997 and were together for 18 years. The actor announced their divorce in 2015.
“Kate and I will always love and support one another and be the best of friends,” he said in a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald at the time. “No one knows me like Kate does, and we’ll forever be appreciative of our mutual respect. We’ve both grown enormously through our relationship, but sadly, the time has come to part ways.”
Shortly after the divorce was finalized, he began dating van Houten, known for her role as the “Red Woman” Melisandre in Game of Thrones. She gave birth to their son Monte in August 2016.
Fans criticized Pearce over his comments in The Guardian as it was unclear whether or not he was still dating van Houten. The article noted that he “lives in the Netherlands with actor Carice van Houten and their son.”
“He really could’ve just said his child without mentioning his ex wife, since the question was in present tense, but it’s extra weird to mention both the ex and your child without mentioning the partner with whom you’ve had said child,” one person wrote on Reddit.
“I read an interview with him last week that mentioned he ‘travels regularly to the Netherlands to visit the son he shares with Carice van Houten.’ The way it was worded, doesn’t sound like they’re together anymore,” another added.
The interview in question with The New York Times actually states: “[Pearce] now lives primarily in the Netherlands to be closer to the son he shares with the Game of Thrones actress Carice van Houten.”
