From his early days as an ’80s heartthrob to his years as a beloved regular on TV shows such as The West Wing and Parks and Recreation, Rob Lowe has long been in the celebrity spotlight. His enduring career has weathered many storms, including a notorious sex scandal, a battle with addiction, and even a high-profile extortion lawsuit. But much less is known about the superstar’s wife, Sheryl Berkoff, who’s been by the actor’s side for more than 30 years. Here’s an inside look at the woman who helps keep the former Brat Packer in line.
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Who Is Sheryl Berkoff?
Born in Los Angeles, California, on June 21, 1961, Sheryl Berkoff is a successful fashion and jewelry designer. She studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, then went on to become an in-demand Hollywood makeup artist working on films such as Frankie and Johnny, Glengarry Glen Ross, and The Vanishing. Today, she owns and operates her own business, Sheryl Lowe Jewelry, which makes exquisitely handcrafted bracelets, necklaces, rings, and more.
How Rob And Sheryl Met
Lowe and Berkoff’s love story had a bit of a rocky start. The pair first met all the way back in 1983, when they were set up on a blind date. There was no initial love connection at the time, so the two went their separate ways. Seven years later, they were reacquainted on the set of a movie called Bad Influence (Berkoff did Lowe’s makeup on the film). This time sparks flew and the duo began dating seriously. The couple got married in 1991 and have been together ever since.
Lowe credits Berkoff with helping him change his ways from a hard-partying playboy to a devoted—and sober—husband and family man. “I had met my now wife, Sheryl, and was attempting my first try at monogamy—which was not really in my nature at the time—and I wasn’t able to do it,” he told Haute Living in 2014 . “It made me examine how I was living my life. That led me to getting sober, which led me to changing my life—giving me everything I now have.”
Do They Have Kids?
Lowe and Berkoff have two children together—John Owen, who just turned 25, and Edward Matthew, 23. While the family likes to keep their private life private, they are all active on Instagram. While his sons love dissing him on Instagram, Lowe often shares sweet pics of his sons, who are the spitting image of their father. John and Matthew also love to post fun family shots, and it’s clear from each one that this family is tight. John even opened up about his own recovery journey in a touching post from earlier this spring. He certainly had an awesome sober role model!
How They Keep A Successful Marriage
For all their Insta-perfect family pictures, Lowe and Berkoff admit that it takes work to keep a three-decade-long marriage alive. In 2019, Rob Lowe told AOL: “The one thing, though, that has been a part of our family is the notion of therapy as a sort of proactive, non-shaming [practice], like a trainer. We think of going to therapy or talking to a therapist … it’s literally no different from a chiropractor.”
“Half of us don’t know how to communicate, and it’s only getting worse with texting and all of that. Communication is a huge thing, and we still struggle with it,” he continued. “Sheryl and I still have somebody we would see if we ever felt like we need it. We do it less and less, but there have been times where we’ve been seeing someone, and I look forward to it! […] I always come out of it feeling even more reconnected, but I think that people look at it as a sign of trouble.”
In addition to giving his wife credit for taming his wild side and helping him get and stay sober, Lowe says Berkoff was truly the right woman for him. “People always ask, ‘Do you have any advice about marriage?’ and I’m reminded of when they asked Alfred Hitchcock about making a hit movie. He said, ‘It’s all about the casting,’ and that’s the same with marriage.”
Lowe emphasized that a successful marriage really comes down to who your partner is. “I always say to people, ‘If there’s any way to marry your best friend, do it,'” Lowe said. “‘Cause the rest of it comes and goes, and I was very lucky there.”
Lowe has also devoted many Instagram posts to Berkoff and has shared a ton of sweet sentiments about their long-lasting relationship. He frequently refers to his wife as his “love bug” and “partner in crime,” and earlier this year on her birthday he wrote: “Happy birthday to my amazing, gorgeous partner in crime. You get better every year. Love you, Love Bug. Xo”
Clearly, the Lowe’s are as in love as they were nearly 30 years ago. Here’s to many more years of a happy marriage!