6 Rare Pics Of Oprah Winfrey And Stedman Graham Stepping Out In Public Together

Oprah Winfrey may be one of the biggest public figures out there, but she's fiercely private about her personal life. The former talk show host has been with her longtime partner, Stedman Graham, since 1986, but is rarely seen out and about with him. In 2018, Winfrey shared on the "Goop" podcast that she got frustrated seeing false gossip about herself in the media, which caused her to guard her relationship with Graham. "It's also why I stopped making as many public appearances with Stedman because I realized that every time there's a new photograph, there's a new story," Winfrey told Gwyneth Paltrow.

Although they've been together for decades, the truth about why Winfrey won't marry Graham is that the media mogul is all about independence. Still, the rare times she does step out with her man show that she still relies on him for support now and then. The longtime couple may keep their romance low-key, but the times they show up together prove that love doesn't always have to be about fanfare.

A year into their courtship, Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham enjoyed a night out to watch the musical "Don't Get God Started" in 1987. The businessman looked dashing in a gray suit, while Winfrey dazzled in a blue blazer and black dress. Back then, she was all about the big hair everyone had in the '80s, and it's time for a comeback. Winfrey later wrote on Oprah Daily that she thought Graham was too handsome for her and thought he'd be a womanizer, but found out he was the opposite, which is a great thing to be wrong about.

You win an Emmy, and you win an Emmy! Oprah Winfrey was all smiles at the Daytime Emmys in 1995, and it's not just because her beau Stedman Graham was there. Sure, he was the epitome of handsome in his black tux, but Winfrey also had a lot to celebrate that night. She won not one, but two awards for her eponymous talk show. It was sweet how Graham literally had her back as she beamed for the cameras. A couple who celebrate each other's wins together, stays together.

Perhaps the reason Oprah Winfrey takes Stedman Graham along to awards shows is that he brings her luck. She was one of the producers of the 2014 film "Selma," which was up for two Oscar awards in 2015. While posing on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, the pair looked happy, with Winfrey resting her head on Graham's shoulder, and her beau showed some love right back by leaning toward her. Unfortunately, the film lost Best Motion Picture of the Year, but won for the original song "Glory," so it was still an adjacent win for Winfrey.

Oprah Winfrey may have started her career as a broadcaster, but she's shown off her acting chops several times. One of her most notable films was "The Butler," alongside Forest Whitaker, and she made sure to arrive at the New York City premiere looking like a star. With Stedman Graham on her arm, Winfrey dazzled in a sparkly pink dress, looking like a gorgeous celebrity with her natural hair. Her longtime partner made sure to color-coordinate with a Tiffany-blue tie and a pinstriped suit that matched Winfrey's movie star aesthetic.

Receiving the Kennedy Center Honors is a huge achievement, one that Oprah Winfrey totally deserved in 2010. She was among five recipients that year, which included Paul McCartney, and she looked positively radiant in a glittery maroon gown with Stedman Graham by her side. Winfrey's gray smokey eyes were just dark enough to make them stand out, and her glossy rosy lips and matching blush, along with Graham's silver tie, complemented her cool color scheme perfectly. If there was an award for best couple, they would have won hands down.

Was that Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" at the 2002 Emmys? It sure looked like it when Oprah Winfrey showed up in a dreamy buttercup yellow corset gown fit for a Disney princess. Stedman Graham was no Beast, either, looking tall and handsome in his fitted black suit and a pale silver tie. That year, Winfrey received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, and she gave Graham the sweetest shout-out during her speech. "We want the same things. We want safety, and we want to live a long life. We want to find somebody to love. Stedman, thank you," Winfrey gushed.