Will Packer Reveals Secret to Relationship with Wife Heather Hayslett After More Than a Decade of Marriage (Exclusive)
Will Packer Reveals Secret to Relationship with Wife Heather Hayslett After More Than a Decade of Marriage (Exclusive)
Lexi Lane, Seyanna BarrettSun, April 19, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC
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Heather Hayslett (left) and Will Packer (right) at the 'You, Me & Tuscany' premiere in New York City in April 2026.Credit: Valerie Terranova/Getty -
Will Packer was inspired by his wife, Heather Hayslett, to produce the rom-com You, Me & Tuscany
The couple, who've been married for over 10 years, believes "honesty, trust and communication" are their keys to success
"You got to keep it special," Packer told PEOPLE at the film's premiere on Aug. 8
Will Packer believes love will "never go out of style."
Packer, 52, is a producer on Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page's newly released rom-com, You, Me & Tuscany. While at the film's New York City premiere on Wednesday, April 8, he explained that his wife, Heather Hayslett, was the reason he decided to work on the movie.
"Listen, my wife and I, we talk so much in the midst of everything that is happening in the world, if you can stay centered and grounded and realize we're all part of the human race, all part of humanity and unlock love and unlock that feeling of we're all one," Packer exclusively told PEOPLE.
He added of the film, "It's one of the reasons I want people to go to this theater, to see it on the big screen, to sit there with strangers in a dark theater and have an enjoyable communal experience. That's the best version of movie-making in my opinion."
Heather Hayslett (left) and William Packer (right) in September 2024.Credit: John Nacion/Variety via Getty
Packer and Hayslett, who have been married for over ten years, attended the premiere together for a date night. As for the secret to their long-lasting love, he said, "You've got to keep it special."
"This is our date night. It really is. We're going to have a good time," he continued. "And I think honesty, trust and communication and having somebody that you know has your back, that level of trust is hard to find, and that has propelled me in my career."
Packer was previously married to Nina Packer from 2001 to 2009. He has four children: son Dominique, daughters Maya and Nija and son Zion.
He and Hayslett first met at the ESSENCE Festival in 2009, while on a boat ride. The couple got engaged in 2013 and tied the knot two years later in an intimate ceremony in Atlanta.
“When she's not around,” he told ESSENCE in an interview around 2017. “I miss her because we have a passionate love, but also, I miss my friend.”
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“I'm social, but at the same time I like moments where it's just me. But my ‘just me' moments always include Heather. That's the best ‘just me' moment, when it's just me and her," he added.
Heather Hayslett (left) and William Packer (right) in July 2024.Credit: Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty
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Hayslett is equally loved-up and recently shared a sweet birthday tribute to Packer on Instagram.
"Nothing but Love and Shenanigans!! Happy Birthday to my best friend, my dance partner, my comedian, my ride or die, the love of my life, my EVERYTHING!!!," she captioned the post on April 11.
During the time that they've been together, Packer has produced films such as Girls Trip and Night School through his company. He also produced the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony.
Halle Bailey and Rege-Jean Page at the 'You, Me & Tuscany' premiere in New York City in April 2026.Credit: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage/Getty
In You, Me & Tuscany, Bailey, 26, plays Anna, a woman who travels to Italy to stay at an abandoned villa owned by a man named Matteo (Lorenzo de Moor) that she met at a bar.
However, things get chaotic when Anna gets caught by Matteo's family, and has to pretend they're engaged — until she meets his handsome cousin Michael, played by Page.
"I think romcoms are the most enduring genre because it teaches people to believe in love," Packer told PEOPLE about the adorable movie. "And that is something that will never go out of style. I don't care what your generation is. I don't care about your ethnicity, demographic. We could all use a little more love."
You, Me & Tuscany is in theaters now.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
