Anderson Cooper has never been married to Benjamin Maisani, but the two men have shared a long and important relationship that later developed into a close friendship and co-parenting partnership.
Cooper and Maisani first met in 2009 and eventually became romantic partners. Their relationship remained mostly private for years before they began appearing together publicly in 2015. By then, they were regularly seen at major events, traveling together and sharing parts of their life with friends.
In 2018, Cooper confirmed that he and Maisani had ended their romantic relationship. However, the end of their partnership did not mean the end of their bond.
The two remained close friends, and when Cooper became a father, Maisani became part of that family chapter as well.
Cooper welcomed his first son, Wyatt Morgan, in 2020. The former couple decided to co-parent Wyatt together. They later expanded their family when Sebastian Luke was born in 2022.
Their story is therefore a little different from the typical celebrity relationship timeline. Cooper and Maisani went from romantic partners to former partners, then continued their relationship as close friends and co-parents.
Is Anderson Cooper Married?
Anderson Cooper is not married to Benjamin Maisani, according to the supplied details.
Cooper and Maisani were partners for several years, but Cooper announced in 2018 that they had separated as romantic partners.
Even after the breakup, the two remained close.
When Cooper became a father in 2020, Maisani became involved in raising their son, Wyatt Morgan. Their decision to co-parent demonstrated that their relationship could continue in a different form.
Cooper has spoken about the idea that love does not necessarily have to disappear simply because an intimate relationship ends.
He explained that if you have loved someone, there is no reason that love cannot continue in another form.
That philosophy seems to describe his relationship with Maisani particularly well.
Who Is Benjamin Maisani?
Benjamin Maisani is a French businessman who was in a long-term relationship with Cooper.
The pair first met in 2009. Their relationship attracted public attention over the years, although both men generally kept their private lives away from the spotlight.
Maisani was particularly uncomfortable with the attention that came with being connected to a famous television journalist.
In 2014, before the couple publicly confirmed their relationship, Maisani addressed the interest surrounding his personal life during a French talk show appearance.
He explained that he understood why people were interested, but said the attention was not something that interested him personally. He also indicated that he had never wanted to become a celebrity.
That attitude helps explain why the couple kept much of their relationship private during its early years.
Anderson Cooper Publicly Came Out as Gay in 2012
Cooper’s relationship history also became part of a larger public story when he came out as gay in July 2012.
He publicly addressed his sexuality in an open letter to journalist and longtime friend Andrew Sullivan.
Cooper wrote that he was gay, had always been gay and was happy, comfortable and proud of who he was.
At the time, Cooper was already an established television journalist, making the announcement a significant personal moment that he chose to share publicly.
His relationship with Maisani was not formally confirmed at that point, although speculation about the pair had already circulated.
Over the following years, their relationship gradually became more visible.
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani Confirmed Their Relationship
In May 2015, Cooper and Maisani appeared together at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York City.
Their appearance on the red carpet effectively confirmed their relationship publicly.
The event was particularly notable because Cooper was already an established figure within television news, while Maisani had generally stayed away from celebrity attention.
Their public appearance showed that they were comfortable attending important events together, even though they continued to maintain a relatively private approach to their personal lives.
Later that year, they attended the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s annual benefit in New York City.
At that event, the pair were photographed walking the red carpet hand-in-hand and showing some affection in front of cameras.
For fans, these public appearances offered rare glimpses into their relationship.
Cooper and Maisani Shared a Love of Travel
Travel was another important part of Cooper and Maisani’s relationship.
During their years together, they traveled to several destinations, sometimes documenting parts of those trips through photographs.
In December 2016, they traveled to Myanmar during the Christmas holiday.
Cooper shared images from the trip, including a memorable photograph of the pair holding a puppy they encountered at a Buddhist monastery.
The trip gave the couple a chance to step away from their busy professional lives and explore a different part of the world.
Their travels also showed a more relaxed side of Cooper, who is often seen by audiences in the serious environment of television news.
They Spent Christmas With Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos
Before their trip to Myanmar, Cooper and Maisani celebrated Christmas with television personalities Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.
The couples spent the holiday together in December 2016.
The friendship between Cooper and Ripa continued for years, and their families later became connected through their children.
In 2022, Cooper joked that his son Wyatt was in love with Ripa and Consuelos’ daughter, Lola.
That playful connection became another example of how Cooper’s personal circle has remained important to his family life.
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani Visited Venice
In May 2017, Cooper and Maisani traveled to Venice.
The trip also highlighted one of Maisani’s interests. He had studied art history and was particularly interested in the city’s museums and cultural attractions.
Cooper joked about their different travel styles, describing Maisani as the art expert while portraying himself as the person who would rather take a nap.
The comment offered a glimpse into the couple’s dynamic.
It was not simply about traveling to famous destinations. They also appeared to enjoy their differences and the humor that came with them.
They Vacationed in Tahiti With Friends
A few months after their Venice trip, Cooper and Maisani traveled to Tahiti with a group of well-known friends.
The group included Bradley Cooper, Irina Shayk, Allison Williams, Diane von Furstenberg and Andy Cohen.
Diane von Furstenberg shared a group photograph from the vacation and described the gathering as an especially fun group.
The Tahiti trip was another example of how Cooper and Maisani were part of a wider social circle that included people from television, fashion, entertainment and media.
By this point, their relationship had been publicly recognized for several years.
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani Split in 2018
After years together, Cooper and Maisani ended their romantic relationship.
Cooper confirmed the split in 2018, describing Maisani as his former partner.
Although their romantic relationship had ended, the two did not completely disappear from each other’s lives.
Instead, they remained close friends.
That decision became especially meaningful when Cooper later became a parent.
Rather than allowing the end of their romantic relationship to create distance between them, Cooper and Maisani found a way to remain connected.
They Became Co-Parents to Wyatt Morgan
Cooper welcomed his first son, Wyatt Morgan, in April 2020.
The arrival of Wyatt changed the relationship between Cooper and Maisani once again.
The former couple decided to co-parent Wyatt.
Cooper later explained that Maisani had not initially been certain that he wanted children when they were together. According to Cooper, that difference had been one of the issues they had faced as a couple.
But when Cooper decided that he wanted to become a father, Maisani became interested in parenthood too.
Their decision to raise Wyatt together meant that Maisani remained a significant part of Cooper’s family life.
It also showed that their relationship had evolved rather than simply ended.
Sebastian Luke Joined the Family in 2022
Cooper and Maisani later became fathers again.
In 2022, Cooper announced the birth of his second son, Sebastian Luke.
The arrival of Sebastian gave the family another major milestone.
Although Cooper and Maisani were no longer romantic partners, they continued to share the responsibilities and experiences of parenthood.
Their family arrangement is one that Cooper has spoken about openly, particularly when discussing the continuing bond between the two men.
Cooper Believes Love Can Continue After a Breakup
One of the most notable parts of Cooper’s comments about Maisani is his view of love after a relationship ends.
Cooper has said that if you have been with someone and the intimate relationship eventually ends, there is no reason that love itself has to disappear.
That perspective is reflected in his relationship with Maisani.
They went from being romantic partners to friends and co-parents, but the connection remained important.
For Cooper, the end of a romantic relationship did not require him to erase the person from his life.
Instead, their relationship took a different shape.
Their Relationship Is Now About Family and Friendship
Today, the most important part of the Cooper and Maisani story is not their former romance.
It is their continuing friendship and family relationship.
Wyatt and Sebastian connect them as co-parents, while years of shared history provide another foundation for their friendship.
Their story also demonstrates why labels such as “ex” do not always describe the full nature of a relationship.
Cooper and Maisani were once partners, but they later created a different kind of family arrangement.
The relationship changed, but the affection and mutual connection remained.
Anderson Cooper’s Personal Life Beyond His Career
Cooper is widely known for his work as a broadcast journalist, but his relationship with Maisani has shown a more personal side of his life.
His public career often involves serious news coverage, interviews and major world events. Away from television, however, he has experienced the same relationship changes and family milestones as many other people.
His journey with Maisani includes a first meeting in 2009, years as a couple, public appearances, international travel, a breakup and eventually co-parenting two children.
It is a story that has continued to evolve over more than a decade.
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani’s Relationship Today
The supplied details describe Cooper and Maisani as former romantic partners who remain best friends and co-parents.
They are not husband and husband, and there is no marriage between them described in the source.
Instead, their relationship has developed through several stages.
They met in 2009 and became romantic partners. They publicly confirmed their relationship in 2015. They separated as a couple in 2018. Cooper welcomed Wyatt in 2020, and the two began co-parenting. Sebastian joined the family in 2022.
Through all of those changes, Cooper has emphasized that the end of an intimate relationship does not necessarily mean the end of love or friendship.
That idea is perhaps the most important part of their story.