Pop Culture

Chelsea Handler Says She Doesn’t Care About Marriage, Calls It ‘Outdated’

The comedian also pushed back on pressure to become a wife or mother, saying she doesn’t feel “less than” for choosing a different path.

Chelsea Handler in 2026
Chelsea Handler in 2026.
Raymond Hall/GC Images

Chelsea Handler is opening up about her decision to make romance less of a priority in her life.

While sitting down on the IRL Angie Martinez Podcast on March 25, the 51-year-old celebrity confessed, “I don't care about marriage. I don't care about that. I feel like that's a very patriarchal thing, anyway. You're kind of like property a little bit."

She went on to call the concept of marriage “outdated,” and expressed her lack of desire to have somebody constantly in her “space.”

"I've never been very thirsty for a man or a partner,” Handler continued. “You've got to really kind of get my attention for me to pay attention in a serious way because otherwise it's a bunch of casual encounters. You know what I mean? I like that. I like traveling a lot. I like hooking up with guys. I don't like to get too serious... I don't want someone in my space all the time. I just am not interested in that."

Handler was rumored to be dating Harry Potter actor Ralph Fiennes in 2025, but she was quick to shut the speculation down by claiming that both she and Fiennes are not “marriage material” in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. She continued by telling the outlet that she doesn’t feel “less than” or “less of a woman” because she isn’t a mother or wife.

Fans applauded Handler for taking the road less traveled, especially when society tends to place so much pressure on women to become wives and mothers.

“Chelsea is honestly a vibe forever,” one fan wrote in the comments during her guest appearance on IRL Angie Martinez Podcast. “There is no better example of a free woman than her.”

“Chelsea Handler INSPIRES ME!” said another.

“She is an incredible example of what’s possible when you just do you,” a commenter wrote.

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