Carice van Houten is setting the record straight about her relationship with Guy Pearce.
In a post on her Instagram Stories shared Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Game of Thrones actress, 48, confirmed that she and Pearce, 57, are no longer together.
“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 — he and I are great friends and love each other very much, but we haven’t been a ‘couple’ for years,” van Houten wrote, apologizing to her followers for not mentioning the news earlier.
She went on to note that the two continue to co-parent son Monte, whom they welcomed in 2016.
“I am however, very proud to say we are in a wonderful partnership raising the true love of our lives — our beautiful son ?? and his hamster,” she said. “The end.”
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Van Houten’s social media statement comes days after Pearce identified his ex-wife Kate Mestitz as “the greatest love” of his life during an interview with The Guardian on Jan. 18. After 18 years of marriage, the pair called it quits in 2015.
“My ex-wife, Kate [Mestitz], was the greatest love of my life,” he said, before referring to his son with van Houten. “But I’ve moved on from her now, and the greatest love of my life is my child, Monte.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Pearce also referred to his previous marriage when asked what he considered to be his “biggest disappointment.” “I felt like I messed up my marriage,” he said. “I don’t feel that way anymore, but at the time I was devastated.”
Pearce and Mestitz met in 1980 at Australia’s Geelong College, later getting married in 1997. The Brutalist star announced their split in 2015 via a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald, noting that they would “always love and support one another and be the best of friends.”
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The following year, van Houten and Pearce welcomed their son Monte, now 8. At the time, Pearce described the newborn as “a cute little package.” He has since opened up about fatherhood and how it has changed him during a 2021 interview with The Independent.
“After Monte was born, someone said to me, ‘You realize you’re now living with your heart on the outside?’ And it really is true, isn’t it?,” Pearce said.
“When I started acting, I knew if I needed to cry that it could come out easily,” he added. “Then after 15 years of therapy, I became a far calmer and more satisfied human being, but trying to cry in a scene became impossible. Since having my boy though, I cry at the drop of a hat again.”
On Thursday, Jan. 23, Pearce earned his first-ever Academy Award nomination in the best supporting actor category, for his performance as Harrison Lee Van Buren in The Brutalist. The performance also earned him a best supporting actor nod at the Golden Globes, while The Brutalist is up for a string of additional awards at the Oscars, including best picture, ahead of the March 2 ceremony.
