When it comes to Hollywood marriages, long-lasting love stories are rare. But Maureen McCormick—best known for playing Marcia Brady on The Brady Bunch—and her husband, Michael Cummings, are celebrating four decades of marriage, and they say the secret is actually pretty simple.

“You’ve got to have a sense of humor about things,” Cummings told People at The John Ritter Foundation’s Evening from the Heart Gala in Los Angeles. “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.”

For McCormick, the key has also been about embracing what makes them different. “Celebrate the differences,” she said. The couple knew “right away” that they wanted to build a life together, and that foundation has carried them through every season since.

One of the most refreshing parts of their story is that Cummings didn’t fall in love with Maureen McCormick, the TV star—he fell in love with Maureen the person. “I didn’t know who she was, but I liked what I saw,” he said. “I saw those eyes and just fell in love.”

For McCormick, that was a gift. “It was really wonderful,” she shared, explaining how his lack of knowledge about her television career meant there were “no preconceived ideas about who I was.”

The two married in 1985 and welcomed their daughter, Natalie, in 1989. Over the years, they’ve chosen to put family over fame, and McCormick says that commitment has only made their relationship stronger. “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 said. “It’s better than ever. We feel very grateful and thankful to have found each other.”

Their journey hasn’t been without its challenges. McCormick has spoken openly about her struggles with drug addiction after The Brady Bunch ended. She battled cocaine abuse, bulimia, and even spent time in rehab and a psychiatric ward. In her 2008 memoir, Here’s the Story, she admitted, “I sought refuge in seemingly glamorous cocaine dens above Hollywood. I thought I would find answers there, while, in reality, I was simply running farther from myself.”

But it was Cummings’ love—and tough love—that helped her turn her life around. After a final relapse, McCormick recalled, “He came to me and said, ‘If you ever do this drug again, I’m gone, I’m leaving.’ It woke me up. It was like the coldest shower you could ever take. There’s just no way I’m gonna lose somebody that I love.”

McCormick has now been sober for more than 40 years. In 2024, she told Us Weekly, “I’m so happy to be sober and to be really clear and comfortable in my skin. My husband was a big part of that for me, along with my mom, dad, family and some really close friends.”

Today, at 69, McCormick sees her marriage and her sobriety as gifts she doesn’t take for granted. She even called Cummings her “forever Valentine” in a heartfelt Instagram post earlier this year. “We feel very grateful and thankful to have found each other,” she said.

In a world where so many relationships falter under the weight of fame and pressure, Maureen McCormick and Michael Cummings’ 40-year love story is a reminder that laughter, grace, and gratitude can go a long way.