Actress Linda Cardellini has largely kept her personal life away from the spotlight, but her love story with fiancé Steven Rodriguez is one she has occasionally shared with fans.
The couple first met as children and remained friends for years before reconnecting as adults. Their friendship eventually turned into a relationship, and today they share a daughter, Lilah-Rose.
Childhood Friends Who Reconnected Later in Life
Although Linda Cardellini had a childhood crush on Steven Rodriguez, the two did not begin dating until many years later.
In a 2015 interview with Into The Gloss, Cardellini recalled how they found each other again after Rodriguez moved to Los Angeles to work as a makeup artist.
She said a mutual acquaintance mentioned that he had relocated, prompting her to reach out.
“I’ve known him since we were in middle school. We had been friends for a long time and then one day somebody mentioned to me that he had moved to LA to do makeup. I ran into him and was like, ‘Do my makeup. It’ll be really fun for both of us.’ And then we got together.”
Their relationship grew stronger over time, and in 2012, they welcomed their daughter, Lilah-Rose. A year later, Rodriguez proposed, and the couple got engaged.
Steven Rodriguez’s Approach to Beauty
During the same interview, Cardellini spoke about Rodriguez’s philosophy as a makeup artist.
She explained that he believes people often focus too much on hiding their flaws instead of embracing the features that make them unique.
According to Cardellini, his work highlights a person’s natural beauty rather than trying to change it.
Actress Opens Up About Traumatic Childbirth
While their family life has been filled with happy moments, Cardellini revealed that the birth of their daughter was an extremely difficult experience.
In a 2020 interview with People, the actress described her pregnancy and delivery as one of the most frightening periods of her life.
“It was a very traumatic period. I had a really scary pregnancy and a very difficult delivery. My daughter and I are lucky to be alive.”
When she went into labour, doctors discovered that her baby’s heart rate had dropped because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck.
As a result, the medical team performed an emergency C-section to safely deliver Lilah-Rose.
Cardellini later said she remains grateful that both she and her daughter recovered from the life-threatening situation.
Health Challenges After Pregnancy
Following the birth of her daughter, Cardellini developed a thyroid condition that affected her overall health.
She revealed that the condition required medication and caused unexpected fluctuations in her weight.
The actress said it took time to adjust to the physical changes and regain control of her health. However, she eventually recovered while continuing to focus on her family and career.