British actor, Terence Stamp, who was best known for his role as Superman‘s chilling villain’, ‘General Zod’, passed away at the age of 87. As one of the most celebrated actors in the 1960s, his versatile performance and commanding screen presence immediately made him rank among the top stars. Apart from his work, his personal life was no less interesting to the press. However, despite being one of the most looking actors of his time, the Billy Budd actor tied the knot only once before ending it in six years. Here’s what caused the split.
Terence Stamp and Elizabeth O’Rourke had a love story against all odds
Terence Stamp first met Elizabeth O’Rourke in the mid-1990s when she was just a 23-year-old working at a pharmacy in Sydney. It was love at first sight for the actor, who was then 58, got instantly smitten by her. But Elizabeth was hesitant and couldn’t look past the 35-year-long age gap between them. It was daunting for her, and according to UK Standard, she was worried whether it would ever truly work.
However, Terence used his patience and charm to spend the next five years convincing her that age was just a number and their mutual love could overcome many such barriers. Eventually, Elizabeth came around, and the duo tied the knot in 2002 in a private ceremony. Terence was then 64 while she was 29. While the age gap raised eyebrows, for Terence, who was once among the most desired men in the 1960s, this was his first marriage.
Why did Terence Stamp divorce Elizabeth O’Rourke?
Terence Stamp and Elizabeth O’Rourke might have had a hopeful start to their marriage, but cracks soon began to appear. Elizabeth remained conscious of the wide age gap, and by 2008, the marriage had ended. She was granted a ‘quickie divorce’ on the grounds of Stamp’s “unreasonable behaviour,” something the actor did not contest. Later, the legal documents revealed that it was Terence who first voiced the desire to separate. He told Elizabeth that he wanted a divorce and agreed to bear all the necessary costs. The couple had no children and had already been living apart when the divorce was finalised. Talking about their divorce, Terence once said to The Daily Mail:
“We had an incredible amount of fun. She went back to Australia, and that’s why I don’t see her, but if I do go there, I’m sure I will. There’s a lot that can happen with the passing of time. I was absolutely (upset). Seriously, though, I’d never been married and I thought I would try it, but I couldn’t make a go of it.”
Terence Stamp opened up about the idea of embracing fatherhood
In the same conversation, Terence Stamp, who had no kids with Elizabeth, shared that he didn’t want to be a father, but later his paternal feelings began to rise. The Superman actor shared that he never thought about it earlier, but eventually imagined that it would have been wonderful to have a daughter of his own. However, the desire never got fulfilled.
We send our heartfelt condolences to Terence Stamp’s family in this difficult time.
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