For many Hollywood couples, living separately might signal the end of a relationship. But for veteran actor Danny DeVito and his wife, actress Rhea Perlman, their decades-long bond remains strong even though they no longer share a home.

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 81-year-old actor opened up about his relationship with Perlman, revealing that while they live in separate houses, they remain deeply connected.

“We are not living together anymore. She lives close by,” DeVito explained. “We are really good, best of friends, and we always were from the very, very, very beginning.”

The couple married in 1982 and share three grown children: Lucy, Grace, and Jake. Even after more than four decades together, DeVito said they still share many of the same interests that first brought them together.

“And we talk, we love movies. We love, you know, we love acting,” he said. “We love talking about it. We always, we read plays. We’ve always kept it alive with the kids, you know, with the movie business.”

That shared passion has become a family affair. Their daughter, Lucy, is an actress and producer, while their son, Jake, works as a producer. DeVito joked that the entire family is immersed in entertainment.

“So the whole family is like kind of, we’re all like in the, I guess, you know, the roar of the grease paint, the smell of the crowd, or the other way around,” he laughed.

DeVito is currently celebrating the 30th anniversary of the beloved 1996 film Matilda through a series of special live events called Matilda in Concert. The actor produced, directed, starred in, and narrated the film, and he still speaks about it with obvious affection.

“It was one of my favorite movies to make because I had all kids in it,” he said. “It was a lot of ice cream, and it was a lot of tea parties, and there was a lot of like playing games, and a lot of clownin’ around.”

The project also holds special memories because he and Perlman starred together as Matilda’s eccentric parents, Harry and Zinnia Wormwood. DeVito recalled discovering Roald Dahl’s book while reading to his children in the early 1990s.

“And we read it,” he said, “and it was like amazing. And Rhea and I said, this is like — these are great parts for us.”

He added, “Rhea and I always have a good time working together. We’ve done a lot of things together.”

DeVito says family remains one of his greatest priorities. He especially treasures time with his young grandchildren, Sinclair, 3, and Carmine, who turns 2 in July.

“I am gonna stay healthy because I want to see those two characters, what they do,” he said with a smile.

The actor also shared a simple philosophy that reflects a timeless truth about relationships and life: “Always be in love. You know, you love yourself, right? You gotta love yourself, and you love people around you.”

For DeVito, that love extends beyond romance. It includes family, friendships, and the people who have walked alongside him through the years. And after more than 40 years of marriage, his enduring friendship with Perlman may be one of the clearest examples of that commitment.

Fans hoping DeVito might slow down anytime soon shouldn’t hold their breath. Between filming the 18th season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, preparing for Jumanji: Open World, and continuing Matilda in Concert, he has no plans to retire.

“I wouldn’t retire. Nope,” he joked. “You’re stuck with me.”