• George Clooney says he hasn't argued with Amal Clooney since they got married in 2014.
• "We're trying to find something to fight about," Clooney said.
• But relationship therapists previously told BI that arguments can enrich relationships by teaching conflict resolution.

It's been slightly over a decade since George and Amal Clooney married, and their relationship is still going strong.

During an appearance on CBS Mornings on Monday, the "ER" star spoke about his marital life and what it's like to be a dad.

"Amal and I are having a really great time in life. Our kids are 7, about to be 8, which is a pretty great age. They're really curious and funny," Clooney told host Gayle King.

While reflecting on his relationship with his wife, Clooney recalled a joint interview they did on the same show two years earlier.

"Amal and I, you know, we were here with you once before, and remember we said we'd never had an argument? We still haven't," Clooney said. "We're trying to find something to fight about."

The couple first met in 2013 and tied the knot a year later in 2014. In 2017, they welcomed twins, Alexander and Ella.

The actor added that he is thankful to have met his wife, even though it happened later in his life.

"I feel so extraordinarily lucky to have met this incredible woman, and I feel as if I hit the jackpot," Clooney said. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think I'm the luckiest man in the world."

During their joint appearance on "CBS Mornings" in 2022, Clooney told King that it was "easy" to keep their marriage strong.

"Like, the easiest thing in our lives by far. We've never had an argument," Clooney said.

"It's maddening to some of our friends. I have a cousin, actually, every time we see him, he's like, his first question is, 'So have you had an argument yet?' before he says hello," Amal Clooney said.

But arguing can be beneficial

It's common for couples to fight, and arguments might even help enrich a relationship, relationship therapists previously told Business Insider.

"Disagreements will happen, how you respond is what makes the disagreement healthy or not healthy," JaQuinda Jackson, a licensed therapist in private practice, said.

Getting into a disagreement can teach a person more about where their partner stands regarding specific issues, she said. Being able to reach a solution also helps both parties practice conflict resolution.

Representatives for the Clooneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

• Tracee Ellis Ross, 52, says she prefers dating younger men.
• Part of the reason is that men her age are often "steeped in toxic masculinity," Ross said.
• "I have long been past the age where I feel like it's my job to teach somebody or grow them up," Ross said.

Tracee Ellis Ross, 52, prefers dating younger men because they're less bound by traditional gender roles.

During an appearance on the Wednesday episode of the "IMO" podcast — hosted by Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson — Ross reflected on her dating preferences and shared why she gravitates toward younger partners.

"Why does this keep coming up, other than they're hot and gorgeous? There's that," Ross told the podcast hosts. "But a lot of men my age are steeped in toxic masculinity and have been raised in a culture where there is a particular way that a relationship looks."

"And anything that starts to smell of that for me — I did enough of it where I was controlled and felt like I was a possession or a prize — I just have no interest in it. And I will not do it again," Ross said."

The "Black-ish" actor admits that "it's a generalization," but she's had very different experiences dating men her age and younger men.

"There is a difference. There is an openness that occurs with a younger man around, whether it's gender fluidity or not even having an issue with homosexuality — something as basic as that," Ross said.

She added that she's no longer willing to take on the role of helping her partner mature.

"I have long been past the age where I feel like it's my job to teach somebody or grow them up," Ross said. "That, I'm not interested in."

Ross isn't the only female celebrity who has spoken about dating younger men.

In 2024, Cher revealed that she prefers dating someone younger because men her age or older "were always terrified" to approach her. Cher has a 40-year age gap with her boyfriend, Alexander Edwards. They went public with their relationship in November 2022.

Apart from Cher, there are several other celebrities who are in age-gap relationships with younger men.

Kris Jenner, 69, has a 25-year age gap with Corey Gamble, 44, whom she has been dating for almost a decade. Heidi Klum, 51, has a 16-year age gap with her husband, "Tokio Hotel" rocker Tom Kaulitz, 35. Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who have been married since 2012, have an age difference of 23 years.

In a 2024 episode of "The View," Joy Behar said that it's "scientifically smart" for women to date younger men because they'll have similar lifespans.

A representative for Ross told Business Insider that the actor had no additional comment.

• Jill Tozer, 68, left New Zealand to retire in Malaysia a decade ago.
• She now lives in a $450-a-month apartment with sea views in Penang.
• She says she loves the warm climate, the lower cost of living, and the welcoming local community.

Ten years ago, Jill Tozer packed her bags, said goodbye to her daughters, and moved alone to Penang, a state in the northwestern part of Malaysia.

A former physiotherapist, Tozer was born and raised in New Zealand. She had been living in Christchurch for years, in a four-bedroom house that she rented. She lived with one of her daughters and her boyfriend. Her other daughter was away at university.

In 2011, an earthquake reduced much of the city of Christchurch to rubble. Tozer's business was also affected.

"I was at a crossroads in jobs since the earthquakes had kind of finished what I was trying to set up at the time," Tozer, now 68, told Business Insider.

"I crunched the numbers and thought, am I better off staying in New Zealand and paying ridiculous amounts for rent, unable to get a well-paying job, or coming to Malaysia and living off investment income?" she said. "I figured I possibly would be better off here."

The idea of retiring in Malaysia had been on her mind for years.

Tozer had been there before to visit her friends, and she longed to return every time she came back from her trips.

"I would be back in New Zealand thinking, 'Oh, Heather and John are still sitting on their porch, having a sundown every night of the year. And I'm inside, huddled beside the fire, freezing," Tozer said. "And so I thought, yeah, I'd like to give it a go."

A breezy apartment with a sea view

Tozer had moved abroad once before — to Canada — when she was in her 20s.

Even so, it was intimidating to do it again. This time, it also meant leaving her two adult daughters behind.

"But my older daughter said, 'Mom, just go for three months, and if you don't like it, come home and look at it as if you had a good three-month holiday.' And I thought that's a jolly good way of looking at it. So that's what I did," Tozer said.

"But 10 years later, I'm still here," she added.

The apartment-hunting process was smooth. Within a week of arriving in Malaysia, Tozer found an apartment that fit all her requirements.

"I found an agent, and she spent two days just taking me around," Tozer said. "I gave her some parameters. I wanted a sea view. I wanted a pool and a big enough area to do yoga."

After viewing about eight units, she decided on a three-bedroom apartment in Tanjung Tokong, an area near Penang's capital city, George Town.

It's 1,200 square feet, with a small balcony and two extra bedrooms for her daughters or friends to stay in when they visit. Rent is 2,000 Malaysian ringgit, or about $450, a month.

She got the sea view she wanted, and the nearest grocery store is five minutes away.

A slower life, but with 'plenty' to do

Tozer is on the Malaysia My Second Home, or MM2H, visa, which was introduced in 2002 to attract foreigners who want to retire and live in the country.

There were 58,468 active MM2H pass holders in the country as of December, Malaysia's minister of tourism, arts, and culture, Tiong King Sing, said in a parliamentary response on February 24.

For Tozer, one of the biggest perks of living in Malaysia has been the climate.

"The main reason I'm here is for the weather. I love never being cold," Tozer said. "I love being able to leave my doors and windows open day and night. I love being able to go swimming any time I want."

She also says the community has been inclusive and welcoming.

"In New Zealand, as in many Western countries, older people are kind of almost invisible, but here you get more respect," Tozer said. "People are actually nice to you, notice you, and want to help you."

The lower cost of living helps, Tozer said. Her monthly living expenses, including bills and food, are often less than 4,000 Malaysian ringgit. This doesn't include extras, like travel expenses if she decides to take a trip somewhere.

"Food for me is very cheap. I don't eat meat, dairy, cheese, or anything like that that's imported and expensive," Tozer said, adding that she eats out three or four times a week.

Her life here is also much slower than it used to be, partially because she is fully retired. However, she says there are "plenty" of things to do that keep her busy.

"Yoga, swimming. Play mahjong. Play bridge. There's so much to do," she said. "It's just so nice to be able to meet up with people without having to worry about, 'Oh, my God, how much is this going to cost?'"

Even though she didn't know anyone in Penang when she first arrived, it wasn't hard to find her community.

She joined expat Facebook groups and began attending meetups hosted by fellow members. She's still friends with some of the people she met at her first event.

Deciding what's next

While the MM2H has made Malaysia an attractive place for expats, the most recent rule changes, announced in 2024, included stricter financial requirements.

There are now three categories of the visa. Depending on the category of visa they apply for, applicants are required to have fixed deposits of $150,000 to $1 million and also buy property in Malaysia.

Tozer isn't due to renew her visa for a few more years, but she says that will be when she starts thinking about whether she wants to return to New Zealand.

"I'm not sure at this point. Eventually, I might need my kids around closer. It just depends on what happens," Tozer said.

She said that her time in Malaysia had been fulfilling and that moving to a new country alone was not as scary as one might think.

"One of the reasons I came here, particularly to Malaysia, is because it's safe. For a single woman, that's quite a big consideration," Tozer said. "There are lots of places I wouldn't move to on my own, but Malaysia, no problem."

Do you have a story to share about relocating to a new city? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.

• Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey on "Grey's Anatomy," has no plans to leave the show completely.
• "To me, it doesn't make any sense that everybody gets to profit off of my hard work," Pompeo said.
• In 2018, she successfully negotiated a deal to earn over $20 million a year on "Grey's Anatomy."

Ellen Pompeo isn't ready to scrub out of "Grey's Anatomy" just yet.

"That would make no sense, emotionally or financially. The show was streamed more than a billion times in 2024. More than a billion times," Pompeo told El País in an interview published on Sunday.

The studios and streaming platforms behind the medical drama generate significant revenue from the actors' likenesses, voices, and appearances, she said.

"If I were to walk away completely, everybody gets to make money from my hard work for 20 years and I wouldn't make any money," Pompeo said. "To me, it doesn't make any sense that everybody gets to profit off of my hard work."

Not only that, the show — which has 21 seasons — holds a special place in the hearts of many viewers, she added.

"I want to have an attitude of gratitude toward the show," she said.

Pompeo believes that women in the industry need to continue to work together and speak out about pay equity.

"I think that it takes all of us women standing up for each other and supporting one another. I've had so many women be so kind to me and supportive of me, and I have tried to do the same for other women," she said.

The pilot episode of "Grey's Anatomy" aired on March 27, 2005. Pompeo, who plays protagonist Meredith Grey in the drama, stepped back from her role beginning in Season 19, which ran from 2022 to 2023.

Although she reduced her onscreen appearances, Pompeo still serves as the series' primary narrator.

This decision was in part due to her desire to spend more time with her kids.

"I've been doing it for 20 years, so it was time to step away. I have three children, and I love spending time with them, and I love being involved in their lives," Pompeo said.

Advocating for pay equity

Pompeo has always been candid about her journey toward achieving pay equity on "Grey's Anatomy."

In 2018, Pompeo told The Hollywood Reporter she managed to negotiate a deal worth over $20 million a year, including a salary of $575,000 per episode and a seven-figure signing bonus.

"I'm 48 now, so I've finally gotten to the place where I'm OK asking for what I deserve, which is something that comes only with age," Pompeo said, adding that it takes "skill" to still be good on a show 14 years in.

Not only that, she felt affirmed in her decision to prioritize her financial independence when negotiating her contract.

"And I'll tell you, sitting in rooms full of Oscar-winning actresses listening to how they've been preyed upon and assaulted is frightening," Pompeo said. "And it confirmed that my path really was the right one for me, because I've chosen to financially empower myself so that I never have to be ducking predators and chasing trophies. It's not for everyone. You have to be more interested in business than you are in acting."

In February, Pompeo told People that "the best thing" about being on "Grey's Anatomy" was financial security.

"It's been really lucrative, and I think financial security is not something that every actress is afforded, so I'm very grateful for that," she said.

During an appearance on "Call Her Daddy" in March, Pompeo told host Alex Cooper that she didn't want to join a TV series because she wanted to be a movie star. However, she ended up auditioning for "Grey's Anatomy" because she was broke.

Outside Hollywood, the gender gap exists in many other industries as well.

Payscale's 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report, which surveyed over 369,000 participants in the US, found that women earn just 83 cents for every dollar men make.

In 2024, the Chamber of Commerce compiled data from the Census Bureau to create a map of what the gender pay gap looks like in different US states.

A representative for Pompeo did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.

• Melinda French Gates, 60, says she stopped worrying about what others think about her.
• "I deserve to be where I am in life," she said, adding that it's a wisdom that comes with age.
• According to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index today, French Gates's net worth is about $14.4 billion.

At 60, Melinda French Gates says she finally stopped worrying about what others think about her — and she's never felt more confident in herself.

During an appearance on Monday's episode of "The Jamie Kern Lima Show," French Gates spoke about how she learned to deal with self-doubt.

Like many women in tech, she once struggled with imposter syndrome for "many, many, many" years — but growing older has shifted her perspective.

"Not very often is the honest truth," French Gates told podcast host Jamie Kern Lima when asked if she still deals with imposter syndrome.

"I deserve to be where I am in life. Like, I've worked really hard to get here, and I know myself. If people don't like me or they don't like what I'm saying, I'm kind of at the point in life where I'm like, 'Take it or leave it,'" French Gates said. "Like if I'm not your cup of tea, that's OK."

She added that her self-confidence could be a product of growing older.

"Maybe that comes with being 60," she said, before recounting something her mother told her years ago.

"I remember when she crossed 60, she said, 'You know, I just somehow feel very confident going around. You know, I go to pick up the clothes at the cleaners and I tell them how they could be more organized. Or I go to the grocery store, and something's not quite right at the cash register, and I speak out and tell them what they ought to be doing.' She goes, 'I don't know what's gotten into me, but I just feel comfortable speaking my truth,'" French Gates said, recalling her mother's words.

"And so maybe that's sort of the wisdom that comes with 60 — you just get very comfortable in your skin," French Gates said.

It even applies to her personal appearance. Growing up in Texas, there was a pressure to always look "perfect" — but not anymore, she said.

"And now, like, I'm perfectly comfortable going out — maybe too comfortable — some days with, you know, not having washed my hair for four days, and it's in a ponytail, and I'm still going to go out and walk to the store, you know? And I am who I am," French Gates said.

She added that no longer needing external validation felt "so freeing."

French Gates joined Microsoft as a product manager in 1987, after graduating from Duke University. She worked at the tech company for almost a decade. During her time at Microsoft, she served as project manager of Microsoft Bob, Microsoft Encarta, and Expedia.

Microsoft was also where she met her now ex-husband, Bill Gates, whom she divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. They share three children together.

The former couple did not have a prenuptial agreement and split their property according to a separation contract. Following their split, Gates transferred over $6 billion worth of stock to French Gates.

According to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index today, French Gates's net worth is about $14.4 billion.

A representative for French Gates did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.

• Rory McIlroy won the 2025 Masters on Sunday, becoming the sixth golfer to achieve a Grand Slam.
• But even he struggles with performance anxiety, which he overcomes by visualizing the worst possible outcome.
• That way, he would be able to think of solutions to overcome any potential challenges.

Rory McIlroy, 35, is the winner of the 2025 Masters Tournament, which was held in Georgia on Sunday.

However, his path to victory was far from easy. Although McIlroy had competed in the tournament 16 times before, the coveted green jacket had consistently eluded him.

Even at his level, he struggles with performance anxiety. And the best way to overcome those pre-game jitters? Visualize the worst possible outcome, McIlroy said on the Thursday episode of "The Whoop Podcast."

"I say this all the time. It's counterintuitive to a lot of people to do this, but I do," McIlroy said. "If you're trying to overcome anxiety or nerves around performance, I try to think about, well, what's the worst that could happen? I'm not going to die on the golf course."

He recounted how he used to have "first tee nerves." By visualizing the worst-case scenario, he was able to think of solutions to overcome any potential challenges.

"I would struggle on the first tee, and so, I would say to myself, well, what's the worst that could happen? You hit it in the trees. OK, then what do you do? You go up there, and you figure it out," McIlroy said, adding that he knew he was "skillful enough" to rectify a shot like that.

"For whatever reason, imagining the worst-case scenario gave me a level of comfort because I felt like any worst-case scenario that I could bring up in my head, I'd be able to deal with," McIlroy said.

This visualization method gives him "a sense of freedom" on the greens.

"If I can swing free that's when I play my best golf," he added.

With the Masters win, McIlroy becomes the sixth golfer to achieve a Grand Slam. In men's golf, a Grand Slam is when a player wins all four major tournaments — The Masters, the PGA Championship, the British Open, and the US Open — over the course of their careers.

"It feels incredible," McIlroy told CBS in a broadcast following his win. "This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. The last 10 years coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that — I'm sort of wondering what we are going to talk about going into next year's Masters. I'm honored and thrilled and so proud to call myself a Masters champion."

In a video taken moments after his win, McIlroy could be seen giving his wife a hug and kiss, before picking up his daughter Poppy for an emotional embrace.

In an interview with CBS Sports on Saturday, McIlroy credited his 4-year-old daughter with helping him take his mind off golf, allowing him to reset before his next game.

"I sort of tried to leave what had happened here and I rushed out to see Poppy before she went to bed," McIlroy said. "That's something I didn't have a few years ago, to be able to get home and have that, sort of, take my mind off the golf a little bit."

A representative for McIlroy did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.

• Kylie Kelce is sharing the "best marriage advice" she's ever received.
• It involves continuously dating and appreciating her husband, former NFL player Jason Kelce.
• "I love my kids with my whole heart and I always will, but I chose my husband. I didn't choose my kids," she said.

After nearly seven years of marriage and four kids, Kylie Kelce's relationship with retired Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce is still going strong.

During the Thursday episode of her "Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce" podcast, which featured guest LeeAnn Kreischer, Kelce spoke about the "best marriage advice" she's ever received.

"I always say that you should always date your spouse because, at the end of the day, I truly believe you chose your spouse," Kelce said. "Like you chose to love them, you chose to let them love you, and you chose to build a life together."

Kelce has been married to the former NFL player since 2018, and they share four daughters: Wyatt Elizabeth, Elliotte Ray, Bennett Llewellyn, and Finnley Anne, who was born in March.

There's a big difference between her relationship with her spouse and the relationships she shares with her family and kids.

"I love my kids with my whole heart and I always will, but I chose my husband. I didn't choose my kids. I got what I got with my kids," Kelce said. "The same way that like I love my parents, I love my sister — they're my family, I got what I got. They're my family. My husband, I picked."

That is why she strongly believes in dating her husband — even though they're already married.

"It's one of those things where I'm like, I'm going to keep picking you by continuing to date you and appreciate you," Kelce said.

They've both "seen a growth in each other" over the past 10 years that they've known each other — something that they appreciate only because they're both still invested in the relationship, she added.

The Kelces aren't the only celebrity couple who prioritize dating their spouses.

Gordon Ramsay and his wife have regular date nights where they dress up for the occasion.

Denise Richards says she tries to go on a staycation at least once a month with her husband, Aaron Phypers, "just so you can have your romance, no distractions, and just reconnect as a couple."

Cultivating a strong, healthy marriage requires continuous effort. Several married couples who have been together for over four decades previously told Business Insider that their top tips for a successful relationship include being active outside the house, growing together, and expressing gratitude often.

A representative for Kelce did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

• Gwyneth Paltrow is reflecting on the lessons she learned while trying to blend her family.
• "If I look back at my mistakes as a stepmother, I should have just treated them both like my kids way faster," Paltrow said.
• Navigating the stepparent dynamic was difficult and often felt "full of minefields," she said.

Gwyneth Paltrow says she waited too long to fully embrace her stepchildren as her own.

On the April 8 episode of her "Goop" podcast — which featured her husband, Brad Falchuk, as a guest — Paltrow spoke about the work that went into blending their families.

Paltrow has two kids with her ex-husband Chris Martin, whom she divorced in 2016 after 13 years of marriage. In 2018, she married Falchuk, who has two kids from his previous marriage.

"We traversed through some really rough things," Paltrow told Falchuk. "One of the most profound lessons that I've learned from my relationship with your daughter — which is now so fantastic — is there was a testing going on. She was testing me at the time to see at what point I would reject her."

To overcome that initial friction with her stepdaughter and avoid being seen as the "evil stepmother," Paltrow says she decided to embody a maternal essence.

"I was going to be that presence for her, always loving and forgiving in the face of, you know, if she acted up, and show her that ultimately I was so there for her that she would not question my intentions or think that I was there to take you away from her," Paltrow said to her husband.

But it wasn't easy and she often had to remind herself to be the adult if they ran into conflict.

At the same time, Paltrow was worried because she felt like she didn't have "jurisdiction" to tell her stepkids how they should behave.

"I thought that in my case, if I assert my boundaries or my expectations around manners, or anything like that, it will exacerbate the situation," Paltrow said.

It was difficult navigating the stepparent dynamic, which often felt "full of minefields," she said.

"If I look back at my mistakes as a stepmother, I should have just treated them both like my kids way faster," Paltrow said. "Like I was too worried about everyone's feelings, in a way."

During the Visionary Women's International Women's Day Summit in 2024, Paltrow said that being a stepmother was one of her "biggest learnings as a human being."

"And my area of growth personally came from the initial difficult relationship I had with my stepkids, and now they're like my kids," she said, per Us Magazine.

Parenting experts previously told Business Insider about the common mistakes that stepparents make when trying to connect with their stepkids.

One mistake is trying to compete with the stepkids' biological parents.

"Instead, speak directly to the child about their parent and encourage the relationship between the child and parent. This will help make clear that this isn't an either/or situation," Sarah Epstein, a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in family dysfunction, told BI.

Another mistake is trying to discipline stepchildren before building a relationship. Clinical psychologist Dr. Kasi G. Patterson told BI it would be better to let the biological parent handle it first.

Only after a trusting relationship has been developed will the kids learn to view both parents — biological and stepparent — as authority figures and "can accept discipline from each of them," he said.

A representative for Paltrow did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

• Kris Jenner says she pulled off one of her earliest negotiations in the 1970s when she was a flight attendant.
• She wasn't assigned a flight route she wanted but found a way to achieve her goal.
• She is now a businesswoman and the matriarch of a family of reality stars and entrepreneurs.

Decades before Kris Jenner became the "momager" of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, she taught herself an early lesson in business negotiation while working as a flight attendant.

During an appearance on the April 9 episode of "The Burnouts" podcast — hosted by Bill Gates's daughter, Phoebe Gates, and her business partner, Sophia Kianni — Jenner reflected on her brief stint working for American Airlines in the 70s.

"Every single lesson that I learned that I really appreciate, I think I learned from that year and a half or two years of being a flight attendant," Jenner told Gates and Kianni.

It all started when Jenner, then a fresh flight attendant, was not assigned the flight route she wanted.

"I was really hoping for Los Angeles," Jenner said. "And they kind of looked at me like, 'You're never going to Los Angeles. That would take you years to be able to build up that kind of seniority where you can go to Los Angeles.'"

But instead of accepting rejection, Jenner took matters into her own hands.

"I thought, 'OK, there's another way to get around this,'" Jenner said.

She started talking to different people in the company to find out how she could land a spot on the flight routes she wanted.

"So I just randomly walked into the scheduling office — that nobody probably dares to do back in the 70s — and I said, 'Listen, I've got a problem. This is what I need, and this is what I know you have the power to do. How can we meet in the middle? What can I do to accomplish this?'" Jenner said, recalling the incident.

Showing up at the office worked: Management offered her a spot on the substitute list instead. If anyone called in sick, she would be the one to replace them on those flights, Jenner said.

"And I figured out how to make the system work for me in the best of ways because then I had, maybe once or twice, walked into the scheduling room with brownies," she said.

Jenner said the experience taught her to pivot and not accept the first answer somebody gave her.

"It was one of the first things that I actually negotiated for myself," she said.

Since then, Jenner has become a businesswoman and a reality TV star.

She catapulted her family into superstardom by launching her family's reality series, "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" in 2007. The show concluded in 2021 after 20 seasons.

A year later, the family announced their return to reality TV for the Hulu series "The Kardashians." The show is now in its sixth season.

Reality TV aside, Jenner also manages the careers of her famous daughters — Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner.

In 2022, Jenner told Forbes she takes a 10% cut from everything her kids earn through television and other business ventures.

Representatives for Jenner and American Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by Business Insider.

• Forest Whitaker says he has taken only about 10 vacations in his lifetime.
• That includes several road trips from California to Texas to visit family, he said.
• Whitaker isn't alone; Tech CEOs, in particular, seem to have similar working habits.

Forest Whitaker, 63, might be a bit of a workaholic.

"I've only taken about 10 vacations in my life," the actor told Haute Living in an interview published on Monday. "Three times to Capri. Once to India. Once to Cancún. That's pretty much it."

His tropical getaway to Cancún, which he spent by the beach, was one of the most memorable. "It's the greatest luxury I can imagine," Whitaker said.

Apart from those international trips, all his other vacations were road trips from California to Texas to visit his family.

It's not that he doesn't want to rest; he's just too consumed by his work, he said.

Whitaker won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA for his performance as Idi Amin, the former president of Uganda, in 2006's "The Last King of Scotland."

"I've been monk-like, hermit-like in the way I work sometimes — so obsessed and possessed by what I'm doing that the nurturing part of Forest doesn't happen that often," Whitaker said.

Looking back, Whitaker says he would change that and tell his younger self to embrace the moment and to "look for more opportunities to find joy in life."

"Don't let the work deplete your joy," Whitaker said he would advise his younger self.

While Whitaker's craft is acting, his work ethic mirrors that of many major tech CEOs.

In a blog post first published in 2004 and reposted in 2011, Mark Cuban wrote that he "went seven years without a vacation" when starting his first company.

In 2018, Elon Musk told The New York Times that he had not taken more than a week off work since 2001.

In a 2024 interview with Nicolai Tangen, the CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he works every weekday and every holiday.

A representative for Whitaker did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.

• Phoebe Gates said her father, Bill Gates, wanted her to finish college before starting a business.
• She said she found it "funny" since her father dropped out of Harvard to found Microsoft.
• Bill Gates previously said his kids would stand to inherit less than 1% of his wealth.

Bill Gates famously dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft, but that doesn't mean he supports the idea of his daughter Phoebe Gates not finishing college.

On her new podcast, "The Burnouts" — in which she and her cohost, Sophia Kianni, discuss the journey of launching their digital fashion startup, Phia — Gates spoke about how her parents reacted to her wanting to start a business. The premiere episode of the podcast aired on April 1.

"I literally never hear my dad talk about the start of Microsoft," Gates told Kianni. "I literally mostly just remember him talking about the foundation. I remember me wanting to start the company and him being like, 'Are you sure you want to do this?'"

Gates is the youngest daughter of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, who divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. She has two older siblings, Jennifer and Rory.

Gates said her parents were "really cautious" when she mentioned the idea of dropping out of college.

"They were very much like, 'You need to finish your degree; you don't just get to like drop out and do a company.' Which is so funny because my dad literally did that, and that's, like, the reason I'm able to go to Stanford or have my tuition paid," Gates said.

Gates also said on the podcast that she always felt a strong need to prove herself — especially when she entered Stanford — because of her background.

"I came in, I was like, 'I'm so privileged, I'm a nepo baby,'" she said. "I had so much insecurity around that, and I feel like it's so hard when you're a freshman in college because you have no experience. You have nothing."

Gates graduated early with a degree in human biology last year.

"I knew I had to make it happen if I could, because I wanted to watch my mother deliver this year's commencement speech as a graduate," Gates told Nylon in an interview in June.

Phia, her startup, is still in the prelaunch stage. The platform's official website promises "a new way to shop online." Not much more information is available.

On a recent podcast, Bill Gates said his kids would inherit less than 1% of his wealth.

"In my case, you know, my kids got a great upbringing and education but, you know, less than 1% of the total wealth. Because I decided it wouldn't be a favor to them," Bill Gates said in a March 29 appearance on the "Figuring Out With Raj Shamani" podcast.

"It's not a dynasty. You know, I'm not asking them to run Microsoft. I want to give them a chance to have their own earnings and success, you know, be significant and not overshadowed by the incredible luck and good fortune I had," he said.

Bill Gates' net worth is $149 billion, making him the sixth-richest person in the world, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index.

Bill Gates' private office and Phoebe Gates didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

• Tom Cruise called for a moment of silence at CinemaCon to honor Val Kilmer, who died on Tuesday.
• Cruise and Kilmer were costars in 1986's "Top Gun" and its 2022 sequel "Top Gun: Maverick."
• "Thank you, Val. I wish you well on your next journey," the "Mission Impossible" actor said.

Tom Cruise honored his late "Top Gun" costar, Val Kilmer, during a speech at CinemaCon on Thursday.

"I really can't tell you how much I admired his work, how much I thought of him as a human being, and how grateful and honored I was when he joined 'Top Gun' and then came back for 'Top Gun: Maverick,'" Cruise said. Multiple outlets, including the Associated Press and Entertainment Weekly, reported the comments, which Cruise shared during a presentation of Paramount Pictures' upcoming movies

Cruise then called for a moment of silence.

"Thank you, Val. I wish you well on your next journey," the "Mission Impossible" actor said.

Kilmer died on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 65. His daughter confirmed to The New York Times that the cause of the actor's death was pneumonia. Kilmer had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, although he made a recovery.

Following the news of his death, tributes poured in from celebrities, costars, and directors.

In the "Top Gun" film franchise — centered on naval fighter pilots — Kilmer played Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, a rival to Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.

The original "Top Gun" film was released in 1986 and became a classic. Over three decades later, in 2022, "Top Gun: Maverick" was released.

Kilmer's voice was permanently damaged due to a tracheostomy, but he worked with a tech company to use AI to recreate his voice so that he could reprise his role in the sequel.

During the red carpet event at a premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick" in May 2022, Cruise told Entertainment Tonight that he "rallied hard" for Kilmer to be in the film.

"The kind of talent that he has, and you see that scene, it's very special. It's just very special," Cruise said of Kilmer's performance.

Jerry Bruckheimer, a producer on the sequel, said in 2022 that Cruise was determined to get Kilmer to return for the movie.

"He said, 'We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film,'" Bruckheimer told People. "And he was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he's going to make another 'Top Gun,' Val had to be in it."

During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in February 2023, Cruise said he got "emotional" while shooting his scenes with Kilmer in "Top Gun: Maverick."

"I just say this — that was pretty emotional. I've known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character, he's such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again," Cruise told host Jimmy Kimmel.

"I was crying. I was crying; I got emotional. He's such a brilliant actor, and I love his work," Cruise added.

A representative for Cruise told Business Insider that the actor had no additional comment.

A representative for Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

• Mike White initially didn't want to cast Blackpink's Lisa in season three of "The White Lotus."
• White was concerned that the music idol — born Lalisa Manobal — was too famous.
• "I'm just used to not having so much attention; we don't need it," White said.

Fans of Blackpink's Lisa almost missed out on seeing their idol in season three of HBO's "The White Lotus."

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Wednesday, the show's creator, Mike White, shared that he initially didn't want to cast Lisa — born Lalisa Manobal — in the show.

"I did not know who Lisa or Blackpink was. All I knew was that there was a Blackpink girl in 'The Idol,' and I was like, 'We're not doing that,'" White said, referring to Lisa's Blackpink bandmate Jennie Kim, who was in the 2023 HBO series co-created by Sam Levinson.

"Then I found out that there might be security issues, and I was just like, 'No.' They were like, 'She'll audition,'" White said.

One of the producers on the show, David Bernad, added that the team ended up meeting with Lisa in Thailand.

"We had her come meet us in Phuket at a secret location, and at that point, we'd already met with actresses in Bangkok and had someone we were really interested in. But Lisa was so humble and she'd worked so hard on her performance. This was someone fighting for this part," Bernad told the outlet.

While the music star's audition was "amazing," White said he "still didn't want to cast her" in the show because of her fame.

"I'm just used to not having so much attention; we don't need it. But I wanted to be respectful to Thailand. She's like Taylor Swift meets Princess Diana there," White said.

Blackpink is a South Korean girl group consisting of four members — Jennie, Rosé, Lisa, and Jisoo — originally formed in 2016.

Since their debut, the group has taken the world by storm. In 2023, they became the first Korean act to headline Coachella.

Lisa has 105 million Instagram followers, and she was one of the stars included in Vanity Fair's annual Hollywood Issue cover last year — alongside big names like Zendaya, Glen Powell, and Nicole Kidman.

"I've been performing for a long time, and this opportunity came right when I was trying to find a new challenge. They sent over the script, and I sent a tape back," Lisa told The Hollywood Reporter.

The star added that she took acting lessons before flying to Thailand to meet with the show's creators.

"I was so nervous. I brought my mom," Lisa said.

Representatives for Lisa and White did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.

• Denise Richards says she and her ex-husband, Charlie Sheen, approach parenting very differently.
• "I parent my way. He parents his way, and there was no co-parenting," Richards said.
• Despite that, she always wanted Sheen to have a constant presence in their two daughters' lives.

Denise Richards says that she and her ex, Charlie Sheen, each have their own methods of raising their two daughters.

On Tuesday's episode of the "Whine Down with Jana Kramer" podcast, Richards spoke about the dynamics of her relationship with Sheen.

"Truthfully, it wasn't co-parenting. I parent my way. He parents his way, and there was no co-parenting," the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star told podcast host Jana Kramer.

Richards shares two daughters — Sami and Lola, both grown up now — with Sheen, whom she was married to from 2002 to 2006.

Richards said that while there is "no discord" between her and her ex-husband, they are not exactly close.

"I have kids with him, and I'm not really — I'm friendly with Charlie, but I wish we were friends and that we could talk all the time and be able to be there really for each other with our girls," she said. "But that's just not the relationship we have. Maybe one day."

Despite that, it was always important to her that Sheen maintained a constant presence in her daughters' lives.

"I was always an advocate of wanting everything to be great and be friends and blend the family because he had two boys with his wife after me," Richards said.

"I just didn't want the girls to feel like they had to choose sides. I've always wanted him to be there for all the birthday parties and holidays, and I always invited him and sometimes he would come. And I think it's good for the kids to see that too," she continued.

Richards also said she "never talked bad about him in front of the kids," which was sometimes "hard to do."

She recalled how Sheen didn't give her a heads-up that he was going public with his HIV diagnosis so she could speak to their daughters first. Richards added that she picked her kids up from school earlier that day so they wouldn't learn about the news from their friends.

"I had to have a conversation about that," she said. "And it was kind of hard to explain to them what it was. That was the only time I can remember. There's been a few things that I've had to have conversations with. But for the most part, I really try to shelter them from a lot of stuff."

Richards isn't the only famous figure who has spoken about her experience raising kids with her ex.

"The Hills" actor Kristin Cavallari told Business Insider in 2020 that she takes her emotions out of the situation while co-parenting with her ex-husband, former NFL player Jay Cutler.

Cavallari said that her focus is on their three kids: "And so I'm removing any of my emotions or feelings and just thinking about them and putting them first."

In 2020, Khloé Kardashian said she and her ex, Tristan Thompson, quarantined together during the pandemic in order to spend time with their daughter, True.

Angela Marie Christian, a life coach who advises single moms, previously told BI that she learned three tips from co-parenting with her ex-partners. These include setting aside time to discuss their child's well-being, planning schedules out clearly so the child knows how they'll spend their weekends or holidays, and being respectful to each other.

Representatives for Richards and Sheen did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

• Actor Val Kilmer died on Tuesday in Los Angeles at age 65.
• He was known for starring alongside Tom Cruise in the hit 1986 film "Top Gun."
• Fellow celebrities and friends are paying tribute to the actor on social media.

Celebrities are paying tribute to Val Kilmer after he died at age 65 on Tuesday.

His daughter confirmed to The New York Times that pneumonia was the cause of the actor's death.

Kilmer was previously diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but recovered. However, due to a tracheostomy, his voice was permanently damaged.

He was known for his roles in 1986's "Top Gun," 1991's "The Doors," and 1995's "Batman Forever."

Following the news of Kilmer's death, friends and fellow celebrities shared their reactions on social media.

Francis Ford Coppola said Kilmer was "a joy to know"

Francis Ford Coppola worked with Kilmer on 2011's horror film "Twixt."

"Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in his High School, and that talent only grew greater throughout his life. He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know — I will always remember him," the filmmaker wrote on Instagram.

Cher paid tribute to Kilmer, whom she dated in the '80s

"VALUS Will miss u,U Were Funny,crazy,pain in the ass,GREAT FRIEND,kids♥U, BRILLIANT as Mark Twain, BRAVE here during ur sickness," the "Believe" singer wrote in a post on X, using her nickname for the actor.

In 2021, she told People that Kilmer and she had nicknames for each other.

"We called ourselves Sid and Ethel. Val didn't want to yell 'Cher' and I didn't want to yell 'Val,'" Cher said. "We also called ourselves Valus Maximus and Cherus Reprimandus. It was just kind of who I was in the household. Of course, he was Maximus, come on."

Michael Douglas shared a photo of himself and Kilmer from 1996's "The Ghost and the Darkness"

"RIP Val Kilmer. It was an honor working with Val on The Ghost and the Darkness nearly 30 years ago. Val will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on forever in the films and performances he so brilliantly shared with us," Michael Douglas wrote in his Instagram caption accompanying the photo.

Josh Brolin shared a heartfelt message to Kilmer

Actor Josh Brolin, who portrays Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, shared a heartfelt message to Kilmer on Instagram.

"See ya, pal. I'm going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There's not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts," Brolin wrote in his caption.

Michael Mann posted a throwback photo of Kilmer

"While working with Val on 'Heat' I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val's possessing and expressing character. After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news," filmmaker Michael Mann wrote in his caption.

Mann worked with Kilmer in 1995's crime drama film "Heat," which also starred Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino.

Michelle Monaghan shared a photo of herself and Kilmer, whom she worked with on "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"

"A kind, curious, committed, rebellious, and radical gent. I learned from one of the greats. An artist through and through. I treasured my time with you," The "White Lotus" star wrote in her caption. "Godspeed buddy."

Josh Gad thanked Kilmer for being a part of many movies from his childhood

Josh Gad, best known for voicing Olaf in Disney's "Frozen" franchise and for playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon," shared a tribute to Kilmer on Instagram along with a photo of the "Top Gun" star.

"RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon," Gad wrote in his caption.

Matthew Modine shared an anecdote about meeting Val Kilmer in 1985

"RIP Val Kilmer. If it wasn't for our chance encounter at the Source in 1985, I may never have been cast in FULL METAL JACKET. Thanks, Val," Matthew Modine, who also starred in "Stranger Things," wrote on X.

Accompanying Modine's post was a video telling how his bumping into Kilmer in a restaurant on Sunset Boulevard set off a chain of events that eventually culminated in him getting cast in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket."

Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash posted a photo of Kilmer from the film "Tombstone"

In the 1993 film, Kilmer plays the American outlaw Doc Holliday.

"RIP #ValKilmer," Slash wrote in his caption.

• Val Kilmer, known for his roles in "Top Gun" and "The Doors," has died at age 65.
• His daughter confirmed to The New York Times that pneumonia was the cause of the actor's death.
• He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, and his voice was permanently damaged from a tracheostomy.

Val Kilmer, the actor known for his roles in "Top Gun" and "Batman Forever," died on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 65.

His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed to The New York Times that the cause of death was pneumonia.

Originally a stage actor, Kilmer made his film debut in 1984's "Top Secret." In 1986, he was cast alongside Tom Cruise in "Top Gun," a film about students at the United States Navy's elite Fighter Weapons School.

In the movie, which became a cult classic, Kilmer played Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, a rival to Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.

He starred as Jim Morrison in 1991's "The Doors," in which he was praised for his uncanny depiction of the troubled rock singer. Kilmer's singing voice was used in the film.

In 1995, Kilmer played the Dark Knight in "Batman Forever," taking over the role from Michael Keaton. The film was met with mixed reviews and he was replaced by George Clooney for 1997's "Batman & Robin."

Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but recovered. However, his voice was permanently damaged due to a tracheostomy.

To reprise his role as Iceman in 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick," the actor worked with a London tech company, Sonantic, to use AI to recreate his voice for the sequel.

Jerry Bruckheimer, a producer on the "Top Gun" sequel, said in 2022 that Cruise was the "driving force" behind getting Kilmer to return for the movie.

"He said, 'We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film,'" Bruckheimer told People. "And he was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he's going to make another 'Top Gun,' Val had to be in it."

Kilmer has two children, son Jack Kilmer and daughter Mercedes Kilmer, with his ex-wife, Joanne Whalley, whom he divorced in 1996.

A representative for Kilmer and Kilmer's agent did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. BI was not immediately able to reach Mercedes Kilmer for comment.

• It's been nine years since Zanette Cross left the UK and moved to Koh Samui, Thailand.
• After many vacations in Thailand, she saw it as the ideal place to raise her now 13-year-old daughter.
• The slower pace of life on the island has been a welcome change.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Zanette Cross, a real estate agent who has lived in Koh Samui, Thailand, for nine years. Her words have been edited for length and clarity.

For nearly two decades, my now ex-husband and I made frequent trips from the UK to Thailand, always drawn to the charm of Koh Samui. But it wasn't until we had our daughter that we decided to relocate permanently.

In the UK, we lived in a typical suburban family home with a garden. We could walk to our daughter's school. But it rained all the time and was cold because, well, it was England.

We moved to Samui nine years ago. We saw it as an ideal place to raise our daughter, providing her with more freedom and opportunities in a less congested environment.

The tropical weather in Samui solidified our decision.

Career and life changes

My ex-husband sold his business in the UK, and we moved to Samui in October 2016. Before arriving, we had purchased a small resort. It was one of the first places we had ever stayed in on Samui during a previous visit to the island. When we saw it was for sale, we put in a cheeky offer. We got it.

We didn't take it on to make heaps of money — we saw it more as a lifestyle change. We lived on-site in one of the resort's seven villas.

But I got a bit bored. After 18 months of working at the resort, I decided to return to real estate. Since then, I've been focused on selling luxury villas on the island.

Villas in Samui have been getting more buzz since the third season of "The White Lotus" came out. My friends in real estate have been talking to me about "The White Lotus effect," noticing more Americans booking beachfront villas. But I think it's a bit early to judge how much the show will impact real estate sales.

My husband and I separated, but we still own the resort and have managed to maintain an amicable relationship. The resort is up for sale. We both have new partners.

Island life

Adjusting to life in Thailand presented a few challenges, although the language barrier wasn't as big a deal as I had imagined. Samui, being a popular tourist destination, has a large expat community and many locals who speak English.

Certain foods from Europe — things like French cheeses and wine — are much more expensive here due to import taxes. They can often be double or triple the price of what I'd pay back home.

The majority of tourists tend to stick to Chaweng Beach, Lamai Beach, and Bophut Beach, where most of the resorts and nightlife are concentrated. The Four Seasons Koh Samui, where scenes of "The White Lotus" were filmed, is an exception, as it's in its own quiet little bay.

There is also an influx of party-goers passing through Samui on their way to the nearby Ko Pha-ngan island for the famous Full Moon parties, which was featured in an episode of "The White Lotus."

The atmosphere on Samui itself remains surprisingly relaxed.

The slower pace of life in Samui has been a welcome change from the hustle of the UK. There is no rush to get anywhere. I find myself spending much more time in nature, soaking up the sun and the natural beauty of the island. The beaches, the warm weather, and the community-oriented way of life have made it a perfect place to raise a child.

Healthcare is very good, too, and more private hospitals have opened over the years. While I have to pay for private insurance, I feel well-covered and safe.

Real estate on the island

Samui has everything from little bungalows to multimillion-dollar villas for sale.

I live in Bophut, about five minutes from the popular area of Fisherman's Village on the northern coast of Samui. I own a three-bedroom garden villa with a private pool.

The real estate industry in Samui has grown significantly, especially since the pandemic. More families, particularly younger ones, have moved to the island, many of them attracted by the lifestyle changes it offers.

The rise of remote work has made Samui even more appealing to expats, with families settling here long-term. The demand for properties has increased, and over the years, more international schools have opened to accommodate the growing expat community.

Looking ahead, I can't see us leaving anytime soon. My daughter, now 13, is settled in her international school, and my plan is for her to finish here. That means at least five more years.

For now, Koh Samui feels like home.

• Former first lady Michelle Obama is doubling down on her decision to not run for president.
• She said it would be "unthinkable" to put her daughters, Malia and Sasha, back in the spotlight again.
• "They've already served their time," Obama said on a podcast.

Stop asking Michelle Obama if she'll ever run for president — she's not interested.

During an appearance on Thursday's episode of the "Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce" podcast, the former first lady made it very clear that she has no intention of running for office.

And it's mostly because of her two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

"The day-to-day kind of challenges that any parent has with teenagers, we had it on 100," Obama told podcast host Kylie Kelce. "I was so glad when we got out of the White House. I wanted them to have the freedom of not having the eyes of the world on them."

When they first moved into the White House, her daughters were 8 and 10 years old. They spent the bulk of their teenage years in the public eye.

"When we entered, I'm thinking, how do I make sure that they're normal and ready when this is all over, right? They have to get on a bus, make their own plane reservations, and live in an apartment, and have decent friends, and be sane in the world," Obama said.

She said she tried her best to ensure a sense of normality in her daughters' lives, despite their unusual circumstances.

As much as she wanted to prepare her daughters for a world outside the White House, Obama was also worried that they would become tabloid fodder by letting them live like normal teens.

"You start realizing that in the teen years because I wanted to give my girls enough rope to live and be normal teenagers, but I also worry about them turning up on Page Six because they were doing what normal kids would do without that many eyes on them," Obama said.

These experiences contributed to her decision not to run for president.

"So when people ask me would I ever run? The answer is no," Obama said. "If you ask me that, then you have absolutely no idea the sacrifice that your kids make when your parents are in that role."

Not only is she not interested in politics "in that way," the thought of putting her daughters back into the spotlight when they are just now establishing themselves in their own lives and careers would be "unthinkable," she said.

"Question asked and answered — never going to happen," Obama said. "They've already served their time."

This isn't the first time that Obama has been open about her desire not to run for president; her comments about not wanting to seek office date back to 2012.

A representative for Obama did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.

• Tiffany Lim and Bryan Lee bought a four-room public housing apartment in Singapore in 2021.
• They paid $975,000 Singapore dollars for the unit, which was also the first one she viewed.
• It's in the city's most iconic public housing project, Pinnacle@Duxton — which resembles a luxury development.

When Tiffany Lim began househunting, she didn't expect to buy the very first apartment that she viewed.

It was mid-2021, and her husband, Bryan Lee, was working abroad. They initially wanted to wait until he was officially back in Singapore before looking at apartments. But with the uncertainty of the pandemic, the couple decided to push their plans forward.

Lim had scheduled five different viewings in the same estate on that day. But when she stepped into the first unit, she knew it was the one.

"The whole time, I was taking videos of the house for him to see. But everything happened so fast that by the time he got to his phone, I had already decided I wanted the house," Lim, 30, who works in HR at a trading startup, told Business Insider.

It was a four-room flat in the Pinnacle@Duxton estate, an award-winning public housing project located in central Singapore, right next to the city's business district.

They were initially considering other neighborhoods, Lee, 32, who leads a commercial team in an HR startup, told BI.

However, when they realized that the apartment prices in those city-fringe neighborhoods were comparable to Pinnacle@Duxton, they changed their minds.

"Curiosity became temptation, then temptation brought us to walk around the neighborhood, and then we were sold on the area," he said.

The location was a big draw for the couple, and they liked having lots of food options nearby — trendy restaurants were opening up, and Maxwell Food Centre was a short walk away.

The sweeping views of the city's skyline were a sweet bonus.

Public housing in Singapore

About 80% of Singapore's resident population lives in public housing, also known as HDB flats. In recent years, the success of the city's public housing program has seen prices of HDB flats soaring above 1 million Singapore dollars, or about $751,000,

According to data from real-estate platform 99. co, 121 HDB flats sold for over a million Singapore dollars in February — the highest number ever recorded in a single month.

Pinnacle@Duxton stands out among traditional HDB flats in Singapore due to its architecture. With seven 50-story towers connected by two sky bridges, its design resembles that of a luxury condominium. It was named the world's best housing development at the World Architecture Festival in 2010.

It comes as no surprise that transaction data from recent years shows that many of these million-dollar HDB flats are located in the complex.

This is the couple's first home together. Prior to this, Lim was renting an apartment with two friends while Lee lived with his parents.

Lim says she was immediately drawn to the unit because it was well-maintained. The previous owners — an older couple — had also knocked down the walls of one bedroom to create a larger common living area, and she loved the layout.

"Even the tiles, everything just looked like it was a move-in condition," she said. "The moment I stepped in, it was just so open. And since it's on a relatively high floor, it was very windy."

The apartment felt like a blank canvas that they could have fun with in terms of interior design.

The couple paid S$975,000 for their apartment.

Ever-evolving interiors

The entryway of their 1,001-square-foot apartment opens up to the main common areas. The living space, the dining area, and the kitchen are all open-plan. Apart from their bedroom and two bathrooms, there's also a room they use to lounge in with their cats.

The space is bathed in soft, warm beige tones that create a serene and inviting atmosphere. Carefully curated art pieces and funky furniture add pops of color against this neutral base, and let the couple's personalities shine through.

They worked with a local interior design firm to renovate their apartment, which took about three months to complete. However, they were quite involved in the entire design process, especially Lim.

"I drew the wardrobe configuration that I wanted and asked them to build it accordingly," Lim said.

The couple estimates that they spent about S$65,000 on the renovation.

Lim says the interior design of their apartment has evolved over the years.

"We travel quite a bit, so I'll always be very interested in going to those home decor shops and just looking at a lot of stuff," Lim said.

The couple's favorite parts of the house are the kitchen and dining area.

"We enjoy hosting. We have a lot of gatherings here, a lot of meals, and a lot of memories," Lee said.

Sweeping views of the city-state's skyline

One of the perks of living in Pinnacle@Duxton is that it comes with access to the two sky bridges.

The one on the 26th floor is reserved for residents only and includes facilities like a fitness corner and a playground. There's also a jogging track, although the couple says they don't use it nearly as often as they should.

The one on the 50th floor is open to both residents and the public, although members of the public need to pay S$6 per person per entry.

Looking back on their journey, the couple says they would do several things differently when renovating their house.

Design-wise, they think they'll be more experimental, Lee said.

In their next house, they'll also try to be more intentional with space planning, Lim said.

Lim said that when it came to the renovation, they were most excited about the kitchen and didn't pay as much attention to other parts of the home, like their bedroom.

But with the proliferation of Instagram home design influencers and inspiration from sites like Pinterest, they've started to realize that there are plenty of ways to decorate and use a space, no matter how small.

"There are so many things that I can do at home, with just one wall," Lim said.

They have some tips for first-time homeowners, and investing in quality is one of them.

Lee said this is especially true for things like the built-in carpentry work. Once they are installed, it's expensive and a hassle to change or redo them again.

"That's one way people can look at it, or maybe the other way I'd say is if there's something you really want, spend that extra hundred dollars on it, especially for the renovation," he said.

Furniture, however, is a different story since it can be changed with relative ease.

Their home feels like a dream come true. Lee remembers how they were still contemplating whether to look for an apartment in the area since it was pricier than most other HDB flats.

"I remember going through that thought process, like, 'Is it wise? Is it being over-indulgent?'" he said. "But honestly, after staying here, when you really enjoy something that you wanted to get all along, I would say I'm glad I pulled the trigger."

Do you have a story to share about living in an apartment in a city? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.

• Denise Richards prioritizes monthly staycations with her husband, Aaron Phypers, for quality time.
• Richards emphasizes the importance of dedicated couple time, especially for new parents.
• Celebrity couples like Gordon Ramsay also prioritize personal time to strengthen relationships.

Denise Richards makes sure to have quality time with her husband, Aaron Phypers, despite their hectic schedules.

The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star told Interview magazine that the secret to keeping her relationship strong is to have dedicated time together.

"And my advice, especially to couples who just had a child, is to do a staycation at least one night a month, even if you don't have kids," Richards said. "Just so you can have your romance, no distractions, and just reconnect as a couple."

"We have made a point of doing that one night a month at least, just to have that time for ourselves and not feel guilty about it," Richards said.

Richards and Phypers have been married since 2018. She has two daughters, Sami and Lola, with her ex-husband, Charlie Sheen. She is also a mother to a daughter, Eloise, whom she adopted as a single mom in 2011. Since then, Phypers has also adopted Eloise.

Reflecting on her marriage to Phypers, Richards says that their relationship works because they accept each other as they are.

"He's my best friend and we don't try to change each other," she said.

They're not the only celebrity couple who've established rules around protecting their personal time together.

Gordon Ramsay and his wife have regular date nights where they dress up for the occasion.

"In our relationship, having little kids again, our present to each other on our last anniversary was, we have to go to the theater once a month, and we have to go out three times a month, and we're not allowed to wear trainers," Tana Ramsay said during a podcast in 2024. The couple have been married since 1996 and have six children together.

Robert Downey Jr. and his wife, Susan, also don't go more than two weeks without seeing each other or having their family together.

Research has shown that having strong personal connections can lead to increased happiness, better health, and even a longer life span.

But creating a strong, healthy relationship requires effort.

Several married couples who have been together for over four decades previously told Business Insider that their top tips for a successful relationship include being active outside the house, growing together, and expressing gratitude often.

A representative for Richards did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.