Chris O’Dowd’s Romance With Wife Dawn O’Porter: 5 Surprising Things to Know

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She is married to a Hollywood star, yet Dawn O’Porter candidly shares her experience of financial difficulties.

In a revealing moment during the podcast episode of “White Wine Question Time” aired on Friday, July 25, the 46-year-old author elaborated on the monetary challenges she has faced throughout her marriage to Irish actor Chris O’Dowd.

Expressing that she lives “paycheck to paycheck” and often feels “perpetually broke,” the Scottish-born O’Porter disclosed that her credit card was declined recently and mentioned that some years have been an “absolute disaster” financially.

The 46-year-old writer reflected on her early days with the Bridesmaids actor, noting that they were at different points in their careers when they first met. “My television career had just ended. I was very poor and extremely unhappy. I lacked confidence. I had no idea what my future held,” O’Porter shared on the podcast. “I had just become acquainted with Chris, and he was advancing in his career. I wondered, ‘Maybe this is how it is—I'm just a girlfriend, and that’s all there is to it.’ I accompanied him to several events, constantly thinking, ‘If I were in this role, it would be because I earned it.’”

In 2024, she proposed that she, O’Dowd, 45, and their two young children relocate to London, which she believes will help her establish herself as a magazine columnist before gaining momentum as an author.

Continue reading for further details about their relationship throughout the years:

Dawn O’Porter Turned Down Chris O’Dowd’s Facebook Friend Request Several Times

O’Dowd, who gained recognition in 2006 with his role in the British comedy series The IT Crowd, shared during a December 2024 joint appearance with O’Porter on the “Table Manners” podcast that he had challenges connecting with her via social media. “I sent a few friend requests on Facebook,” he mentioned, according to the Daily Mail. “Dawn declined a couple of times, but when she needed more contacts for her birthday, she invited me.”

They Were Introduced by Another Hollywood Actor

At the time they were both single in Los Angeles, O’Dowd asked Nick Frost, known for Shaun of the Dead, if he “knew anyone in town,” as recounted in the “Table Manners” podcast episode.

“He replied, ‘Oh, you should reach out to Dawn. I know her somewhat, and she’s quite fun,’” O’Dowd remembered during their conversation.

One of Dawn O’Porter’s Novels Was Influenced By Their Move Back to the U.K.

In a September 2024 interview on the U.K. chat show Lorraine, O’Porter revealed that the narrative of “Honey Bee,” one of her fictional works, mirrors her personal experience of relocating back to the U.K. after spending 16 years in Los Angeles.

“Following the pandemic … you really evaluate your current location and your desired future, so the primary reason we returned was the desire to be near family,” she shared, as noted in a Youtube video of her appearance on Lorraine. “However, I cannot ignore that I was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable in America. The anxiety there was becoming quite overwhelming. I departed before my feelings turned negative. It has been a remarkable 16 years.”

Dawn O’Porter Felt ‘Defeated’ During the Peak of Chris O’Dowd’s ‘Bridesmaids’ Success

While reflecting on the promotional events she participated in after O’Dowd’s performance in Bridesmaids, O’Porter mentioned during her Lorraine appearance that although that time felt “incredible,” it was her first experience in such prominent situations. “It wasn’t glamorous,” O’Porter stated. “During that period … I’m immensely proud of Chris, but it felt strange to be involved in all of that not for my own accomplishments. I was quite young and focused on my own success, which prevented me from acknowledging, ‘This is also a significant achievement for O’Dowd.’”

Dawn O’Porter Holds a Rational View on Marriage

The author disclosed her insight for a thriving marriage in a 2022 interview with The Independent. “Do not anticipate it to be flawless all the time. That realization took me a considerable amount of time,” O’Porter expressed to the publication at that moment. “At times, it will be challenging and stressful, but as long as most of the time it isn’t, I believe you are doing quite well.”