Marlo Thomas Makes First Public Appearance 8 Months After Death of Husband Phil Donahue

Marlo Thomas made her first public appearance since Phil Donahue’s death at Family Equality’s annual Night at the Pier gala
Demi Moore, Debbie Harry and Nicole Scherzinger were among the stars supporting LGBTQ+ families at the event, held at Pier 60 on Chelsea Piers in New York City
$1.5 million was raised to advance legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families nationwide

Marlo Thomas appeared to be in good spirits on Monday, May 12, as she stepped out in New York City for Night at the Pier, Family Equality’s signature fundraising gala.

It was the first public appearance the Emmy-winning actress, producer, author and activist has made since the death of her husband, Phil Donahue. The beloved talk show host died in August 2024 at the age of 88 after a long illness.

Thomas and Donahue were married for 44 years. The longtime couple first met when she appeared as a guest on The Phil Donahue Show in 1977, and they wed in 1980. Thomas credited their long bond to the “three L’s” they followed throughout their romance: “Love, listening and lust.”

In the wake of his passing, Thomas has remained out of the spotlight. She even missed her annual Thanksgiving Day appearance on the Today show to promote the work done by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the renowned pediatric treatment center founded by her late father, Danny Thomas.

But the May 12 Night at the Pier event was special. There, Thomas joined Demi Moore and Debbie Harry to present entertainment industry powerhouses Jason Weinberg and Merritt Johnson with the Luigi Caiola Luminary Award for their continued advocacy and leadership to help ensure LGBTQ+ families have the legal protections, visibility and support they deserve.

“The power to create a family doesn’t come from gender or tradition, it comes from love,” Moore said in her speech.

Others honored at the event included Peggy Gillespie, co-founder/director of Family Diversity Projects, a national nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating discrimination. Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges (the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case that ushered in marriage equality), was recognized, too, to mark 10 years of marriage equality.

Among the 1,200 guests in the room were a slew of famous faces including Tallulah Willis, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Jessica Lange, Georgina Chapman, Billy Eichner, Lucy Liu, Katie Couric, Ali Wentworth, Molly Ringwald, Zachary Quinto, Jessica Capshaw, Brandon Flynn, Wilson Cruz, Orfeh and Celia Keenan-Bolger, Cole Escola, Louis McCartney, Joy Woods, Fina Strazza and Natalie Venetia Belcon, plus Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, and Michael Arden and Andy Mientus.

Nicole Scherzinger, Megan Hilty and Darren Criss all took the stage to perform.

A whopping $1.5 million was raised to support Family Equality’s work to advance legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families nationwide

“This event is more than a moment. It’s a movement,” CEO of Family Equality Darra Gordon said in a statement before the event. “We are not simply acknowledging the resilience of LGBTQ+ families. We are actively investing in their future. Each story, each song, each dollar is a critical catalyst in a world where our families are not just respected, but where they are guaranteed the full spectrum of legal and social protection, for generations to come.”