Maureen McCormick marks 40 years of marriage with humor and sobriety as anchors

Maureen McCormick, the actress who played Marcia Brady on The Brady Bunch, marked a milestone this year as she and husband Michael Cummings celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. The couple began dating in the 1980s, married in 1985, and welcomed their daughter Natalie in 1989. At The John Ritter Foundation’s Evening from the Heart Gala in Los Angeles, Cummings described the key to their enduring partnership as simple: “You’ve got to have a sense of humor about things. You can’t take things too seriously. You’ve got to let things go and just love the one you’re with. It’s a lifetime deal.” McCormick added that couples should “Celebrate the differences,” noting they both knew “right away” they wanted to build a forever together. He recalled that his lack of knowledge about her acting career was “very refreshing to me.”

McCormick described their approach to love and life as anchored in shared humor and mutual respect. “Honestly, we haven't stopped celebrating [our anniversary], because I think it’s taken a lot of work to be [in] this place in our relationship,” she told People. “It’s better than ever. We feel very grateful and thankful to have found each other.” The couple has prioritized family over fame, a thread running through their years together. McCormick and Cummings welcomed their daughter, Natalie Michelle Cummings, in 1989. McCormick’s public career with The Brady Bunch spanned five seasons from 1969 to 1974, after which she reprised her role in several spinoff specials and films and later appeared on shows such as The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. She also competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2016.

McCormick has been candid about sobriety, saying she has been sober for more than 40 years and would not trade it for anything. “My husband was a big part of that for me,” she told Us Weekly in 2024. She described a years-long battle with cocaine that began after The Brady Bunch ended, recounting that she sought refuge in seemingly glamorous cocaine dens above Hollywood and that the drive to use cost her career and nearly her life. In her 2008 memoir, Here’s the Story, she wrote about battling addiction and bulimia, and about going in and out of rehab and looking to God for answers. She recalled her parents’ concerns and the moment Cummings gave her an ultimatum after a relapse: “If you ever do this drug again, I’m gone, I’m leaving.” She credited sobriety with changing everything in her life, saying, “It’s been everything to me.” Earlier, she told Us Weekly in 2018 that sobriety allowed her to regain balance and purpose.

The Brady Bunch alum’s career extended beyond the landmark series. She reprised her role in various specials and films tied to the franchise and later appeared on programs such as The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. In 2016, she showcased resilience and grace by competing on Dancing with the Stars, adding another chapter to a life lived in the public eye. McCormick also used social media to celebrate her milestones with Cummings, including a February post calling him her “forever Valentine.”

As the couple navigates life after four decades together, their story has become a pointed example of how humor, mutual support, and a shared commitment to sobriety can sustain a relationship in front of cameras and fans alike. Their ongoing partnership underscores a broader theme in entertainment culture: personal growth and family stability can coexist with enduring public recognition, providing a narrative of resilience that resonates with fans and peers in Culture & Entertainment.