Leif Garrett Has Never Had a Wife Yet Dated a Lot of Women (2024)

According to the actor, Leif Garrett's wife could have been Elaine Bilstad. He has not felt drawn to anyone more than the deceased actress, and he remains doubtful about starting a family with anyone else. Aside from marriage, Garrett has had many romantic counterparts throughout his long career.

After achieving massive success early in his acting career in the 1970s, Garrett was allowed to further his reach from film to music. He took that opportunity with open arms, sadly unlocking a life of substance abuse which derailed the progress he made almost as fast as he had achieved it.

His life at the height of fame was rather eventful, as he had many chances to find true love. Knowing what romantic opportunities were availed is interesting, with so many exciting relationships in the child star's life. Here are Garrett's takes on some of his known love interests and partners over the years.

Leif Garrett performing at The Vogue in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 25, 2015. | Source: Getty Images

Leif Once Opened Up About His Dating Life

At one point in Garrett's life, he spent much of his time hanging out at Jodie Foster's house—now a mother of two. The actress would also spend time at Garrett's house as their families shared a friendly relationship. Foster got along with Garrett's sister, and so did their parents. He revealed to Closer Weekly that Foster was his first crush.

The actor also revealed that his world came to a standstill when he first laid eyes on actress Nicollette Sheridan. She was one of a few girls whom he openly admitted wanting to spend the rest of his life with. Still, Garrett felt they were a mismatch when attempting to fall in love and said their stubbornness stopped their romance from succeeding.

He recounted the traits that made Sheridan everything he wanted in a woman and admitted that it would be perfect until they butt heads. They were both famous at the time, and Garrett revealed he tended to be very jealous as he could not stomach the attention she was receiving from people other than himself.

Leif Garrett and Jodie Foster circa 1976 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

In addition to his list of lovers, Garrett expounded on his romantic link with actress Tatum O'Neal who starred in "Paper Moon" alongside her father. He revealed that things did not work out with O'Neal due to her indecisiveness. Their relationship was brief, and he remained friends with the actress after they cut the romance short.

Garrett accredits O'Neal's unsureness about herself to her father's iron-fist approach to parenting. "I think her dad really screwed her head up. All his kids—Ryan was a very, very tough dad," the actor explained. Another of his love interests was Justine Bateman, also known as Mallory Keaton from "Family Ties."

Tatum O'Neal and Leif Garrett at La Cage Aux Folles Private Party at La Cage Aux Folles in West Hollywood, California, on April 15, 1981. | Source: Getty Images

Garrett's relationship with the "Family Ties" star did not work as he felt he was required to fill multiple roles in her life. He said that he had to be her best friend, psychiatrist, lover, and father figure, due to her father's fragmented support during her highly successful child star years.

Bateman's father was reportedly trying to establish himself in the film industry while she was a hot property child star. Garrett said although her father was happy for her, his attitude reflected he wanted what she had, depriving the actress of the confirmation she wanted from her father.

Justine Bateman and Leif Garrett at American Film Institute Honors Gregory Peck event hosted at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, on March 09, 1989. | Source: Getty Images

The One Person He Would Have Spent His Life with Died

Garrett opened up about growing up only partially despite the advancement of his age. He disclosed that he is naturally gravitating toward fatherhood lately, notwithstanding his dismissal of the idea when he was younger.

Garrett never wanted to grow up—somewhat channeling his inner Peter Pan (a fictional character known for his eternal youth and famously portrayed by Jeremy Sumpter). He admitted that while some of his characteristics need to catch up to his age, he prefers to stay youthful in other aspects.

Leif Garrett at the first Annual Rock N' Roll Sports Classics on March 12, 1978. | Source: Getty Images

As "The Outsiders" star grows deeper into adulthood, he considers adoption a good option for parenthood, as he does not want to choose a partner he will later regret. He mentioned that the one person he would have loved to start a family with was actress Elaine Bilstad who is now deceased.

"She was an angel," he approved. "She was amazing to me—that someone of that much beauty, not only physically, but also in her heart and in her soul, could be taken from here so quickly." With Bilstad deceased, the actor claims he has not met another person he felt that passionately about.

Leif Garrett at City of Hope Celebrity Auction at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on January 11, 1981. | Source: Getty Images

Burt Reynolds was a father figure briefly in Garrett's life. His parents separated when he was five years old, and his mother got into a relationship with Reynolds. Garrett described that the now-deceased "The Longest Yard" starman was a cool guy who once invited him for lunch. At the time, Reynolds moved into George Harrison's old house in Beverly Hills.

Garrett saw eye to eye with his father when he reached his 50s. They attempted to reconcile years before, but it was unsuccessful as they both lacked the desire to entirely give in to the healing process. Contextually essential to consider that since the divorce when Garrett was five, he only got to see his father once for less than five hours.

Garrett's mother and Reynolds split in 1973 but remained friends afterward. Reynolds then got into a tumultuous relationship with Sally Fields, whom he once called the love of his life. Sally recently divulged that she is glad the actor did not get to read her confession about their relationship, as it would have bruised him emotionally.