Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg have been together for more than a decade — and as their ninth wedding anniversary approaches, they’re reflecting on what’s kept them grounded all these years.
In an exclusive interview, Chung, 41, dished on what she’s learned since marrying Greenberg, 46, in 2015. “[The kids have taught] us so much about ourselves, but also as a couple and how we have to stay unified and how communication is key,”she told Us Weekly of the couple’s 2-year-old twin boys — whose names have not been shared publicly — while promoting Eyebuydirect. “Therapy is a blessing, and it really is a true reflection of yourself, the way you treat your children and the way you talk to them, especially when your fuse is really short.”
“I think that’s been the biggest lesson, because they’ve learned so much from action and from words,” she continued. “It’s been a lot of time to reflect and realize [the] generational trauma or generational habits of screaming versus not screaming, or sitting down and having a conversation explaining things.”
Raising their sons has made a huge impact on how Chung and Greenberg communicate. “Coming from a Korean family, we don’t talk a lot about things,” the actress shared. “Breaking the cycle, in terms of explaining things to [the] kids, making sure they understand we’re all on the same page, checking in, asking about how they’re feeling and validating their feelings. It’s a total 180.”
Still, that’s not to say Chung and Greenberg don’t go through rough patches. “When things get hard for us, we have to remind ourselves how [to] push through,” she told Us. “It’s when you’re uncomfortable [that] you grow, so it’s a constant evolution in terms of who we are as individuals, but also how we are as a couple.”
Greenberg notes it’s important to stay united during difficult times. “We always say, ‘same team,’” the actor said. “We keep that in mind. [With] conflict, it feels like you’re growing. If you feel like you’re not on the same team and you have conflict, then it’s like it’s digging in.”
Knowing how to work together, both personally and professionally, came in handy when they teamed up on Junction, which Greenberg directed and starred in, along with Chung.
Though the Real World: San Diego alum admits her husband has helped her book some of her “best gigs” by directing her at home ahead of auditions, things were different at work: “On a set, I don’t like not being the boss.”
For his part, Greenberg hopes to work with his wife again. “I would put her in anything and everything,” he told Us. “She’s the type of actor that you can just give one adjustment to and she takes the note perfectly.”
In the meantime, the couple have joined forces on a partnership with Eyebuydirect, the leading online retailer for eyewear that recently launched the Eco-Friendly Collection Attributes.
The pair have different reasons for vouching for the new collection (Chung says they’re “perfect” for active people like themselves, while Greenberg appreciates that they’re conveniently unisex) but they both agree that their favorite thing about the brand is that it pays it forward: “For every prescription [pair] bought, they donate to a community in need,” Greenberg shared. Added bonus? “They look cool!”
