Matt Bomer Shares the Secrets Behind His Long-Lasting Marriage (Exclusive)

The actor opened up to ET about his relationship, fatherhood and making his directorial debut on ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.’

Matt Bomer’s key to a successful marriage was actually someone else’s key first.

“My grandparents were together from the time they were teenagers on, and I used to ask them and they'd tell me, 'One day at a time,’” the actor tells ET. “So, I guess I try to adapt that philosophy, but also just having perspective. You know, at the end of the day, the family and our home life is the most important thing and keeps everything else in perspective.”

The 40-year-old quietly wed his longtime love, power publicist Simon Halls, back in 2011. The couple share three sons, Henry, Walker and Kit, though Bomer admits they’re not very familiar with his work.

“I just have to make sure that I start working on more things that they can see!” the American Horror Story vet notes. “'Cause they're like, ‘You do this, but then we can't watch it.’ I’m like, ‘When you're older maybe!’”

That includes Bomer’s latest project, stepping behind the camera on FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. He made his directorial debut on episode eight, “Creator/Destroyer.” ET caught up with him at a For Your Consideration event for the series at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, ahead of its finale, airing Wednesday on FX.

“It's a big responsibility,” Bomer says of directing the series. “It's a big stage to step on to, to make your directorial debut, so I took it very seriously. I spent about four and a half months working on the project, from research I did, to here at the DGA, I did an intensive. I shadowed two of the great directors we had, Dan Minahan, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, and just exhaustively, I think I read over 300 pages of books on directing, and reached out to friends who were kind enough to mentor me … so, I guess it meant a lot of hard work.”

The actor lit up when asked what a nomination or award for his directing work would mean, saying, “I don’t think there are words for it, really.”

Next up for Bomer is another Ryan Murphy project, the Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band. The play officially opens on May 31 at the Booth Theatre in New York City.

“It's the 50th anniversary of the play, The Boys in the Band,” Bomer notes. “It's really the first mainstream gay play that there was, and I think it's incredible how far we've come in 50 years, but also important to look back on what life was like for people 50 years ago in the LGBT community, people who couldn't go out and dance together in public without being arrested, who had to live in the shadows. And so, this play is really about a group of friends who are having that experience together and how it affects their relationships in their lives, and what there hopes and dreams are.”

“It's gonna be fun!” he adds. “Come celebrate the birthday party with us and I hope you have a good time.”

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