When Emma Stone launched into her 2024 Golden Globes acceptance speech with, "Dave, I have to start with you really quickly. I love you so much, thank you for everything," you'd have been forgiven if you weren't entirely sure who she was talking about.
Because the last time Stone won the Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy—for 2016's La La Land—there was no Dave to thank.
Dave McCary existed, of course. But the Emmy-nominated Saturday Night Live writer wouldn't be spotted out with Stone until six months after that triumphant 2017 awards season came to a close with her Best Actress Oscar win for her turn as an aspiring actress who forgoes love with an intense jazz musician to follow her dreams.
Seven years later, Stone is nominated yet again for Best Actress heading into the 2024 Oscars on March 10, this time for her spirited performance in Poor Things as a reanimated woman in the midst of a sexual and moral awakening (and she's a double nominee as a producer on the Best Picture contender).
But now, McCary has been her husband since at least September 2020 and they share daughter Louise, who turns 3 on March 13.
And their habit of not talking about their relationship at all makes Stone's Globes shout-out to McCary all the more special.
Generally speaking, the super-private couple met through SNL, Stone not alone when it comes to an actress finding love at 30 Rock.
The 35-year-old has hosted the long-running NBC sketch show five times to date, most recently in December, and has made three cameo appearances—including in 2014 when then-boyfriend Andrew Garfield made his hosting debut (returning the favor for his surprise appearance when she hosted in 2011). McCary, meanwhile, started as a writer and segment director when season 40 premiered later that year.
Stone, who found herself on a stage playing tambourine while Prince performed at the SNL 40th anniversary bash in February 2015, returned to Studio 8H for a cameo that November.
Meanwhile, she and Garfield broke up in 2015 and a November 2016 Vogue cover story noted that Stone was single—which she admitted had been "interesting.".
"It's been a good year," she told the magazine. "And sad. Pros and cons."
So maybe her third time hosting SNL in December 2016 was the charm—or perhaps her cameo on Ryan Gosling's episode in September 2017 was the visit that changed everything.
In any case, the last thing she and McCary purposely confirmed was their 2019 engagement, a long-since-deleted photo posted on his Instagram of Stone flashing her ring serving as their announcement.
While McCary's account still exists, no posts remain, and Stone not only doesn't have Instagram, she doesn't even possess a computer (though she has a full-service smart phone).
"I'm not outwardly on social media," she told Fresh Air host Terry Gross on NPR in January. "I look at things on social media...I see it but I don't have any desire to have a social media presence myself or have my own account. It's not for me, it's not for my brain."
Stone, who's spoken frankly about her struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, explained that the pressure to engage would be too great, and the inevitable regrets wouldn't be worth it.
"I think it would make me spiral," she said. "I think any time any event occurred anywhere in the world I would be afraid that I need to write something, and then I would be afraid I wrote the wrong thing and that I'm being reactive and that I'm not thinking enough. I think I would see too much targeted… stuff. I just don't think it's good for me, mentally."
So, it makes perfect sense that she and McCary simply let their wedding bands do the talking in 2020 and Stone's pregnancy only became public knowledge once it was visible to the naked eye in 2021.
Stone has since acknowledged being married, going the self-deprecating route by relaying on a December episode of Smartless that she got a black eye the week of her wedding when she opened the refrigerator door and the handle broke off in her hand.
"I need a helmet and extensive therapy," she quipped.
In addition to becoming husband and wife in 2020, Stone and McCary—who left SNL in 2022 after eight years—formed a production company, Fruit Tree. Their joint projects have included the films When You Finish Saving the World and Problemista, and they both served as executive producers on the cringe-tastic Showtime series The Curse.
Playing a jaw-droppingly misguided wannabe HGTV star, Stone was also nominated for a Golden Globe for acting in a TV drama this year and she'll likely be celebrating her first Emmy nomination in the near future. (Come to think of it, she and her spouse may both be nominated if the co-producers get a limited series nod as well.)
And whether or not Stone goes home with her second Oscar on Sunday, she is winning at the tricky dance of being married in the public eye while keeping the details of her most fruitful partnership to herself.
However, these two are not to be mistaken for hermits. Couture-wearing red carpet date nights aside, keep reading to see Stone and McCary's refreshingly normal-looking romance in photos:
While it's rumored that Stone and McCary met in 2016, reports about their relationship didn't start spreading until 2017. In November of that year, the two were photographed walking in New York and taking in a performance of The Nutcracker with SNL cast member Kyle Mooney.
Over the next few years, the couple continued to shield their relationship from the public eye. Although, they started off 2019 by watching the Golden State Warriors play the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center in L.A.
Less than two weeks later, McCary joined Stone at the 2019 SAG Awards, where she was up for her performances in both The Favourite and Maniac.
The two continued to make public appearances together. Later that year, for instance, they attended a Met Gala after-party, where they snapped a photo with Carey Mulligan.
They were also spotted shopping in the Big Apple in April of that year.
By the end of 2019, McCary had announced their engagement by posting a photo of Stone wearing a pearl ring on that finger.
Just a few days later, the Cruella actress was spotted sporting the sparkler at a Saturday Night Live after-party in New York.
In September 2020, the pair generated marriage speculation after they were photographed wearing matching gold bands.
Lucky Bunch
Stone wasn't just a star of The Curse—she was also a producer, as was her spouse and cofounder of their company Fruit Tree.
The couple celebrated the scathing comedy's season finale in January 2024 with creator-costars Benny Safdie and Nathan Fielder.
Black-Tie Preferred
McCary was Stone's rock at the 2024 SAG Awards when she was a nominee for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture for Poor Things.
All-Around Partners
The Fruit Tree founders celebrated the premiere of their latest offering, Problemista, with fellow producer Ali Herting in February 2024.