Billy Crudup gives rare insight to relationship with Mary-Louise Parker after notably leaving her while 7 months pregnant

Billy Crudup has provided a rare insight into his relationship with Mary-Louise Parker after the pair separated in 2003.

Crudup and Parker were together from 1996 to 2003 and were expecting a child together when Crudup left the Weeds star to begin a relationship with Claire Danes, who he met on the set of 2004's Stage Beauty.

Obviously, bringing an end to a relationship during a pregnancy, especially to go and be with another woman, is not a great move. And while this happened over two decades ago, both Crudup and Parker have largely kept quiet on the matter.

Well, that has recently changed after Crudup offered a rare insight into her relationship with Parker amid their difficult breakup and co-parenting 21-year-old son, William Atticus Parker.

The acting pair separated in 2003 (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Speaking in an interview with the Times, Crudup said: "Without commenting on any of our … Our adoration for our son is boundless. He has, through the mash-up of the two of us, been endowed with superpowers for theatricality."

The actor went on to say his son has followed in his parents' footsteps and is also now working in film having directed and wrote several micro-budgets movies.

"He’s such a badass,” Crudup went on. "Mary-Louise and I appeared in most of his films."

While the 57-year-old's relationship with Danes didn't last, the actor has since gone on to marry Naomi Watts, who he wedded in 2023.

And while you may think there would be bad blood between himself and Parker, the latter wished her ex well after speaking to the Guardian at the time.

She said: "I wish them well. And absolutely, I honestly of course wish them every happiness because that's my son's father. So I'm happy for them. I'm happy they found each other."

Mary-Louise Parker and William Atticus Parker (Robin L Marshall/Getty Images)

Crudup spoke about the leaving Parker briefly in 2004, after initially being hesitant to do so.

He told the New York Times: "First and foremost it is personal, painful and involves an infant and does not deserve to be exploited to sate the appetites of circulation counters and bored readers."

The Almost Famous star added: "I have never indulged our society's misguided notion that my personal life is relevant to my work, so any reporting surrounding that is necessarily hearsay, speculation or fantasy. Each published report is based only on the trade of suffering."

Parker is not publicly in a relationship, but has had notable high-profile partners aside from Crudup, including Jeffrey Dean Morgan.