If you were a teenager in the early 2000s, Julia Stiles was basically your North Star. Between 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance, she owned the "cool, smart girl" aesthetic long before it was a Pinterest board. But while her peers were out making headlines for messy breakups or reality TV stints, Julia stayed notoriously quiet.
Then came the photo.
In 2017, she posted a picture of two hands on a pregnant belly with the caption: "Who doesn't love a shotgun wedding?" People lost it. Everyone wanted to know: who is Julia Stiles husband, and how did this guy manage to fly under the radar for so long?
Meeting on the Set of Blackway
Honestly, their love story is a total Hollywood cliché, but in a good way. They didn't meet at a fancy gala or through a high-end dating app for the elite. They met at work.
Preston J. Cook isn't an A-list actor, though he’s done some acting (mostly bit parts in things like Smallville and The L Word). He’s primarily a camera assistant. We’re talking about the guy behind the lens, making sure the lighting is right and the focus is sharp.
They met on the set of the 2015 thriller Blackway (originally titled Go With Me). Julia was starring alongside Anthony Hopkins, and Preston was working as the second assistant cameraman. There’s something kinda grounded about an actress falling for the guy who actually helps build the movie, don’t you think?
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The "Shotgun" Wedding in Seattle
By Christmas 2015, they were engaged. He popped the question during a vacation in Isla Grande, Colombia. Julia later joked on Live with Kelly that she almost saw it coming because he started asking weirdly specific questions about her jewelry preferences—like whether she liked gold or platinum.
Fast forward to Labor Day weekend in 2017.
They didn't have a 500-person guest list. They didn't sell the photos to a tabloid for seven figures. They basically eloped on a beach in Seattle with only two friends present. Julia was heavily pregnant at the time with their first son, Strummer, which prompted the "shotgun wedding" joke that went viral.
Who Exactly is Preston J. Cook?
If you look up his IMDb, it’s actually pretty impressive. He’s worked on massive projects that you've definitely seen. We aren't just talking about indie films here.
- The Revenant: Yes, the Leonardo DiCaprio movie where he finally won the Oscar.
- Deadpool: The Ryan Reynolds blockbuster.
- Jason Bourne: Where he and Julia actually got to work together again.
- Riviera: The Sky Atlantic series starring Julia.
Working together seems to be their "thing." Most couples would go crazy spending 24/7 together on a high-stress film set, but Julia told Marie Claire UK that working on Riviera with him was actually "the most romantic experience ever."
A Growing Family in Secret
These two are the masters of the "secret" life. They currently have three children, and they’ve managed to keep most of their births relatively quiet until months after the fact.
- Strummer Newcomb Cook: Born in October 2017, just a month after their beach wedding.
- Arlo: Born in January 2022. Julia announced this one with a simple photo of baby feet.
- Baby Number Three: In early 2024, Julia casually mentioned in a New York Times interview that she had a five-month-old baby at home. She hadn't even announced the pregnancy.
She hasn't revealed the name or sex of the third child. In an era where every celebrity is oversharing their nursery decor, it’s actually kind of refreshing. She told the Times she just "didn't really talk about it" because she was busy directing her first movie, Wish You Were Here.
Why Their Relationship Actually Works
The dynamic between Julia Stiles husband and the actress seems to thrive on a lack of ego. Preston isn't trying to be the center of attention. He seems perfectly content supporting her directorial debut or working as the "B" camera assistant while she’s the lead.
Julia has mentioned that being a mother and having a stable partner has changed her acting. She doesn't go home and "dwell" on a scene anymore. She doesn't lie in bed stressing about tomorrow’s lines. Having a husband who understands the industry but doesn't need the spotlight probably helps maintain that boundary.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often assume that because he isn't a "name," he’s just "Julia Stiles' husband." But in the technical world of film, he’s a respected professional. The "E-E-A-T" (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) of his career is solid. You don't get hired on a film like The Revenant unless you are at the top of your game in the camera department.
It's also worth noting that they live a relatively normal life in New York. You won't find them in the "seen" sections of gossip mags often. They’ve built a life that prioritizes their kids and their craft over the "celebrity" machine.
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Key Takeaways for Fans
- Keep it Private: You don't owe the world your pregnancy announcement. If you want to wait five months to tell people you had a baby, go for it.
- Work/Life Balance: If you can work with your partner without wanting to kill each other, you've probably found "the one."
- The Power of Small: A wedding with two friends on a beach can be just as meaningful (and a lot less stressful) than a cathedral ceremony.
If you’re looking to follow in Julia’s footsteps of a low-key, high-impact career and personal life, the first step is setting those boundaries early. Focus on the work, keep your inner circle tight, and maybe—just maybe—don't tell the internet everything.
To keep up with Julia's latest projects, her directorial debut Wish You Were Here is the best place to start, as it represents a massive shift from her being in front of the lens to taking total creative control—likely with a little technical advice from her favorite cameraman at home.