Iris Berben reflects on 20-year relationship and views on marriage

German actress Iris Berben has been in a relationship with stuntman Heiko Kiesow for 20 years. The couple met in 2006 during the filming of the ZDF production ‘Afrika, mon amour’ in Kenya.

Despite their long-term partnership, Berben has chosen not to marry Kiesow. She has stated that while she no longer views marriage as a strictly conservative construct to rebel against, she simply finds that their current arrangement works well for them. She attributes the longevity of their relationship to communication, listening, and maintaining curiosity about one another.

Reflecting on her past, Berben was previously in a long-term relationship with Israeli businessman Gabriel Lewy that lasted over three decades until 2006. In her youth, during the late 1960s, she also had a relationship with musician Abi Ofarim.