‘The Odyssey’ actor John Leguizamo says his wife helps keep his ego in check

John Leguizamo said his wife makes sure the glitz of his Hollywood career doesn’t go to his head.

Speaking on the “Wild Card with Rachel Martin” podcast, Leguizamo reflected on more than two decades of marriage and the role his wife plays in supporting both his personal and creative life.

“My wife is my moral compass,” Leguizamo said.

Leguizamo met his wife, Justine Maurer, while working on the crime drama “Carlito’s Way,” in which he played an up-and-coming gangster, and she worked in the costume department.

“We dated, and then we got married. We had kids, but she’s always been sort of the north star, keeping our house together, keeping me together,” he said.

“The Odyssey” actor said his wife understands that he needs certain freedoms and routines to create and write, and gives him the space to be the artist he wants to be.

However, her support also comes with plenty of honesty.

“She’ll call me out, set me straight, put me in my place. She’ll do all of that, which is great. Humbling,” Leguizamo said.

He said that even after attending a premiere with Matt Damon or going to a major sporting event, Maurer makes sure he doesn’t get too caught up in the glamour.

“Go take out the garbage. You’re a big deal, yeah, yeah, yeah. Go clean the cat litter,” Leguizamo said.

This isn’t the first time Leguizamo has spoken about his relationship with his wife.

In a 2011 interview with AARP, he said his wife brought out the best in him.

“Being an actor, especially at first, tends to make you incredibly narcissistic. My wife… was my savior. I’ve achieved my best artistic levels, and it’s all because of her,” Leguizamo said.

In 2024, he told People that Maurer had given him a sense of stability amid the demands of his Hollywood career.

“I wanted peace. I wanted to have an oasis. And Justine gave me all of that,” he said.

Other celebrities have also spoken about how their spouses have supported their careers.

In August 2025, Michelle Yeoh said her husband, Jean Todt, has always given her the freedom to pursue her career.

“I am so blessed because he’s so supportive of what I do. I love my work. This is my passion. He never turns around and says, ‘You spend a lot of time away from me,’ which I have sometimes, but he’s very understanding,” she said.

In November, Ina Garten said her decadeslong marriage to her husband, Jeffrey, works because they make room for both of their priorities.

“And this is what Jeffrey taught me: Let’s figure out how we can both do what we want to do. It’s not about whether we get to do what you want to do or I want to do,” Garten said.