Tom Hanks And Rita Wilson Say One Surprising Room Helps Keep Their Marriage Strong

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have reached a point in their marriage that many couples never get to see. After 38 years together, the pair are still talking openly about what keeps them close.

That would be impressive in any marriage, but it stands out even more in Hollywood. With fame, travel, busy schedules, and constant public attention in the mix, long-lasting celebrity relationships are not exactly common.

Hanks and Wilson, who are both 69, have built a large family during their time together. They have four children between them, including two from their own relationship and two from Hanks' previous marriage to Samantha Lewes, as well as three grandchildren.

For Wilson, the answer to staying connected is not a grand romantic gesture or some expensive Hollywood routine. It is something far more ordinary, and probably a little unexpected for anyone picturing how A-list couples live.

She says one of the things that has helped her and Hanks is sharing a private space that many couples may prefer to keep separate. It sounds funny at first, but the way she explains it makes the habit feel less odd and more like a daily check-in.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson tied the knot in 1988, just as their careers were taking off Lester Cohen/WireImage

After releasing her new album Sound of a Woman, Wilson explained that she and Hanks still use the same bathroom. That might sound surprising, especially when their home almost certainly has more than one option available.

Wilson said the shared bathroom works for them because it has become a place where they talk, laugh, and catch up. Of course, some bathroom moments may still be better left private, but for the couple, the room has become part of their everyday rhythm.

She explained: "That's where you download the day. You laugh about what you're doing. In the mornings, you're thinking about, 'What are you doing today? Where are you going to be? Great, I want you there.'"

Why that small habit may actually help

Wilson's bathroom comment may sound like a joke, but the idea behind it is simple: she and Hanks have a regular place where they talk about the day before life pulls them in different directions.

The Gottman Institute recommends a daily “how was your day?” conversation where couples talk about outside stress, take turns listening, and support each other without turning it into an argument or a problem-solving session.

That is close to what Wilson described. The bathroom itself is probably not the special part. The habit is. For her and Hanks, sharing that room seems to give them a small but steady way to stay involved in each other's day.

In her interview with People, Wilson admitted that her long-marriage secret sounds funny, but said it is also 'very true' for her and Hanks.

She also said their shared values have played a big role in helping the Hollywood couple move closer to their 40th wedding anniversary. For Wilson, staying together seems to come down to communication, teamwork, and knowing what still matters to both people as life changes.

She said: "You have to be able to communicate to each other the things that are changing in your life — and also the things that are still staying the same so that you're always working together for the greater good."

Rita Wilson's new album 'Sound of a Woman' released on May 1 Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Some people might expect Wilson to say that nearly four decades with the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump actor have flown by. Instead, she joked that their marriage has felt more like '110 dog years'.

Still, one piece of advice has stayed with her through the harder moments. She shared: "You never go to bed mad. I heard that early, early on, and I thought, 'That's actually really good.'"

"You don't want to wake up in the morning and have that lingering feeling. So whatever it is, resolve it before you go to bed."