Quick Answer
Jay Leno’s wife is Mavis Leno. They have been married since 1980.
Introduction
Jay Leno is one of America’s most well-known comedians and talk show hosts. He hosted The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for over 20 years, taking over from Johnny Carson in 1992. During his long career in the spotlight, Leno’s personal life has also drawn interest, especially his marriage to wife Mavis Leno.
How Did Jay Leno and Mavis Meet?
Jay Leno met Mavis Nicholson in 1976 when she was just 19 years old. At the time, Leno was an up-and-coming comedian performing at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Mavis was in the audience for one of his standup sets.
Apparently, it was love at first sight – at least for Leno. He has said that after seeing Mavis in the audience, he told a friend “I’m going to marry that girl.” At first, Mavis turned down Leno’s advances, thinking he was too old for her. But his persistence paid off and the two began dating.
After four years of dating, Jay Leno and Mavis Nicholson were married on November 30, 1980 in a private ceremony in Los Angeles. Leno was 40 years old and at the height of his comedy career when they wed. Mavis was just 24.
Mavis’ Early Life and Education
Mavis Nicholson was born in January 1953 in New York state. Her father ran a company that manufactured aircraft parts and her mother was a homemaker. She has one younger brother.
As a child, Mavis’ family moved around a lot based on her father’s work. She lived in Michigan, Connecticut, California, and other states.
For high school, Mavis attended boarding school at the prestigious Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. After graduating, she went on to study at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. She graduated in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in art.
After college, a friend encouraged Mavis to move to Los Angeles and try getting into modeling. She took the chance and made the cross country move. But modeling didn’t really pan out. Instead, Mavis worked various jobs like waitressing. She also did some photography and writing for art magazines. Then in 1976, she went to see an up-and-coming comedian named Jay Leno perform – and the rest is history.
Mavis’ Activism and Philanthropy
Throughout her marriage to Jay Leno, Mavis has been actively involved in feminist causes and philanthropy. She uses her public platform to bring awareness to issues impacting women around the world.
Feminist Majority Foundation
One of Mavis’ biggest endeavors has been the Feminist Majority Foundation, a non-profit focused on women’s equality. Mavis co-founded the organization in 1987 along with feminist leader Eleanor Smeal.
Mavis served on the board of the Feminist Majority Foundation for over 15 years. She helped lead campaigns to empower women economically, politically, and socially. The organization also works to end violence against women, champion women’s health, expand women’s rights globally, and promote diversity.
Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls
More recently, Mavis launched the Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls to highlight the plight of women under Taliban rule. She has traveled extensively in Afghanistan, working on the ground to promote education and health services for women.
Mavis also co-produced a documentary called Lifting the Veil: The World Shall Know to show the devastating impact of Taliban policies on Afghan women and girls. She continues to advocate for restoring rights and protections for women in Afghanistan.
Other Causes
In addition to her work with the Feminist Majority Foundation and Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls, Mavis supports several other causes including:
– UNICEF
– Equality Now (focused on ending female genital mutilation and sex trafficking of women)
– The Feminist Institute
– Planned Parenthood
She also serves on the board of advisors for the Gender Equality Project.
Mavis and Jay’s Marriage
By all accounts, Mavis and Jay Leno have an incredibly strong and happy marriage. They will celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary in 2023.
In interviews, Jay has shared insights into what makes their marriage work:
– Putting family first – Jay emphasizes that his wife and their causes come before anything else.
– Separate careers – Although both are in the public eye, Mavis has always maintained her own identity and pursuits outside of Jay’s career.
– Shared values – A commitment to feminism and philanthropy gives them common ground.
– Privacy – They have kept their private life very private over the decades.
– Humor – As two comedians, they connect through humor and make each other laugh.
– Support – Jay has always fully supported Mavis’ activism and charity work.
Despite their age difference, very different careers, and long time in the public eye, the marriage between Mavis and Jay Leno has thrived. Their relationship shows that a strong connection, mutual respect and support, shared values, and protecting privacy can help any marriage go the distance.
Mavis and Jay Leno’s Home Life
Mavis and Jay Leno have lived in Los Angeles for their entire marriage of over four decades. For many years, they lived in homes in Beverly Hills.
In 2017, the couple bought a $13.5 million oceanfront mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. They also own a property in Lake Tahoe.
The Leno’s new Rhode Island home has been described as a “cottage-style” mansion. It has eight bedrooms and twelve bathrooms spread over 9,800 square feet. The house has a long private driveway and sits on 11 acres.
Details of the home include:
– Panoramic ocean views
– Open floor plan
– Chef’s kitchen with high-end appliances
– Stone fireplace
– Large deck overlooking the ocean
– Heated pool
– Two guest houses
The property also has direct access to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Leno’s primarily live on the West Coast in their Beverly Hills mansion. But they use their Rhode Island home as a vacation getaway to relax and spend time together privately.
Kids – Do Jay Leno and Mavis Have Children?
Jay Leno and Mavis do not have any children together. The couple made a choice early on in their marriage to focus on each other and their careers rather than having kids.
In a 2021 interview with People Magazine, Mavis explained their decision:
“We made a conscious decision when we got married that we would put 100 percent into the marriage and not have children. So we found other interests. We traveled and spent a lot of time doing our humanitarian work.”
The couple seems completely content with their choice to be child-free. Now in their 70s, they are enjoying their golden years traveling and working on philanthropy together.
While they never became parents, Mavis and Jay have numerous nieces and nephews between them. Mavis is particularly close with Jay’s nieces and nephews, even referring to herself as “Aunt Mavis.”
Mavis Leno’s Career and Net Worth
As mentioned previously, Mavis has always maintained her own career separate from her famous husband. While Jay was making a name for himself in comedy, Mavis focused on activism and philanthropy.
Over the years, she has also worked as:
– A photographer
– Journalist
– Author
– Screenwriter
– Documentary producer
Mavis wrote articles focused on feminist issues and women’s rights for publications like Ms. Magazine. She authored a book profiling brave women called And the Fence Came Tumbling Down.
She also had cameos playing herself on TV shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Mavis Leno’s net worth is estimated to be around $200 million. Most of her wealth comes from her husband Jay’s hugely successful comedy and television career that has spanned over 40 years.
But Mavis has also earned a respectable income from her own pursuits in photography, journalism, and documentary filmmaking. Combined with wise investing and property assets, Mavis enjoys an enormous personal fortune even without including her husband’s net worth.
Jay Leno’s Impressive Car Collection
Jay Leno is famous for his incredible collection of rare, vintage, and high-performance vehicles. By most accounts, he owns over 180 cars and 160 motorcycles.
His passion for autos has led Jay Leno to spend a massive amount of his wealth on these four-wheeled investments. Though the exact value fluctuates, Jay’s car and motorcycle collection is estimated to be worth at least $50 million.
Here are some highlights of vehicles owned by Jay Leno:
Year | Make and Model |
---|---|
1931 Bentley | Waterhouse Sport Coupe |
1949 Jaguar | XK 120 |
1954 Mercedes-Benz | 300SL Gullwing Coupe |
1955 Buick Roadmaster | Skylark Convertible |
1963 Studebaker Avanti | R2 Supercharged |
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado | |
1992 Bugatti EB110 | Supersport |
1996 McLaren F1 | |
2011 Ford F-150 | SVT Raptor |
As you can see, Jay owns some true gems ranging from rare antiques to modern supercars like the Bugatti and McLaren.
His collection started growing in the 1990s once he had the financial means. He employs a full-time staff to maintain, restore, and curate his vehicles which are housed in a specially designed garage.
Mavis is supportive of Jay’s expensive hobby. She even owns a few classic cars herself including a 1955 Mercedes Gullwing and 1953 Hudson. The car collection makes Jay happy, so Mavis is happy too.
Mavis Leno’s Health Struggles
Despite living a charmed life with a devoted husband and successful career, Mavis has faced some significant health struggles in recent years.
In 2004, Mavis underwent surgery at UCLA Medical Center to treat skin cancer. Thankfully, the cancer was detected early and removed before spreading further.
More recently in November 2022, Mavis suffered severe burns in a car accident at home. While fueling one of her vintage cars, a fire broke out and engulfed Mavis in flames.
She was airlifted to the Grossman Burn Center and placed in intensive care. After an initial dire prognosis, Mavis has made great strides in her recovery. She endured multiple surgeries for skin grafts and underwent long physical rehabilitation.
While still healing, Mavis now seems to be on the road to good health once again. Her recovery has been aided by the support of her devoted husband Jay.
Despite these challenges, Mavis has retained her trademark sense of humor. When recounting the frightening car fire incident, she joked “I’ve got great hair and makeup people.” Her resilient spirit and wit are clearly helping Mavis bounce back after her latest health crisis.
Looking Ahead
As they navigate their 70s, Jay Leno and his wife Mavis seem to have an incredibly strong relationship and commitment to each other. While they never had children, the couple has devoted their lives to working on causes close to their hearts.
Mavis now spends her time working on her philanthropic campaigns, traveling with Jay, and enjoying a slower pace of life. She has overcome some major health issues that would have broken a lesser person.
After 43 years together, the marriage between Jay and Mavis Leno offers an inspiring example of lasting love in the limelight. Their mutual adoration, humor, and dedication to philanthropy seems to be the recipe for a long, happy Hollywood union.
Conclusion
Jay Leno’s wife and partner of over four decades is the activist and philanthropist Mavis Leno. While less famous than her comedian husband, Mavis has led an accomplished life and marriage on her own terms.
She met Jay in 1976 and after a persistent courtship, they wed in 1980. Mavis spent her career advocating for feminist causes and women’s rights globally. She and Jay also share a passion for collecting classic cars.
Now in their 70s, they remain devoted partners who keep their private life out of the spotlight. Despite some health challenges in recent years, Mavis has maintained her strength, humor, and commitment to activism.
The marriage between Jay and Mavis Leno offers an inspiring example of an enduring, happy cross-industry union in the fickle world of Hollywood. Their shared values and protective privacy have allowed their relationship to thrive for over four decades and counting.