The Real-Life Partners Of Family Ties' Leading Ladies

It may have been one of the most iconic sitcoms of the '80s, but "Family Ties" wouldn't have been such a hit without its leading ladies. Meredith Baxter, Tina Yothers, and Justine Bateman made up the fabulous female members of the Keaton family, captivating audiences as Elyse, Jennifer, and Mallory Keaton for seven seasons. Fans of the show spent years invested in the storylines of their beloved characters, but the behind-the-scenes personal lives of the actors who played the Keaton women are just as interesting.

Since the final episode of "Family Ties" aired in 1989, many of the stars of the show have gone through quite the transformation — in fact, you won't even recognize Justine Bateman today. Some of the actors have been married more than once, while others have been with the same partner for decades. After stealing viewers' hearts in the '80s, the leading ladies of "Family Ties" have each found their own off-camera love stories — here are each of their real-life partners.

Meredith Baxter is best known for her role as the Keaton family matriarch Elyse Keaton on "Family Ties," wife of Steven Keaton (played by Michael Gross). On the show, their characters were happily married, but in her real life, Baxter has had her fair share of unsuccessful marriages. She has been married a total of four times, first to Robert Lewis Bush, then David Birney, then Michael Blodgett, but it wasn't until she tied the knot with longtime partner Nancy Locke in 2013 that she finally made marriage stick.

Baxter met Locke, a Los Angeles contractor, around 2005 after they were put in touch by a mutual friend while Locke was working to get sober. They spent months talking on the phone as Locke navigated her troubles, without knowing exactly who the other person was or what they looked like. Eventually, they met up for coffee at a Starbucks, which is when Locke finally put together that the Meredith on the other end of the line was actually the "Family Ties" alum. Baxter came out as lesbian in 2009 and married Locke at the age of 66, becoming one of the celebs who got married later in life. During their wedding ceremony, Locke told her bride, "I'm amazed to find you at this late stage of my life," as reported by The New York Times, to which Baxter replied, "I'm so grateful you didn't show up in my life until I was able to be as open and honest as you are."

Tina Yothers was thrust into fame at a very young age — she started playing Jennifer Keaton on "Family Ties" when she was just 9 years old, and she grew into her teenage years while the show was airing. But after the series finale in 1989, Yothers' time as an actor was soon over, and she would end up keeping much of her adult life out of the spotlight, including her marriage to husband Robert Kaiser. The couple said their vows in 2002, and went on to welcome two children together: daughter Lillian Grace and son Robert Jake. Kaiser also has two children from a previous relationship, making them a blended family of six.

Yothers' personal life has been mostly kept out of the public eye, save for a few reality TV appearances over the years, including an episode of "Celebrity Wife Swap" in 2012 and "What Not to Wear" in 2013. She's among the '80s child stars who are practically unrecognizable now, as evidenced by the dark brunette bob she rocked while out with Kaiser at a celebrity poker tournament.

When it comes to what the leading ladies of "Family Ties" look like these days, it's clear that Justine Bateman has changed quite a bit over the last few decades — but the same can't be said for her marriage. The actor who played Mallory Keaton on "Family Ties" went on to marry husband Mark Fluent in 2001, and the pair have been going strong together ever since. Bateman met Fluent, a financier from California, following some highly-publicized relationships with other celebs, like Billy Idol and Leif Garrett. While navigating the ups and downs of being in the spotlight, Bateman's marriage to Fluent has been nothing but stable.

Following their 2001 nuptials, Bateman and Fluent welcomed two children together: son Duke, born in 2002, and daughter Gianetta, born in 2004. As Bateman has transitioned from acting to more directorial and artistic roles, her husband and their family have been her biggest supporters. Fluent often accompanies Bateman to public events for her work, while both of their kids have stepped out with their parents on the red carpet, including a 2018 appearance at a special screening event in Los Angeles.