Audra McDonald reveals 'three weeks' rule making her 13-year marriage to Will Swenson work

American singer and actor Audra McDonald is opening up about what has helped her marriage to Will Swenson work for nearly 13 years.

The 55-year-old was at the New York Women in Film and Television Muse Awards in New York City, when she reflected on her personal life and that one simple rule.

"We really try to go no more than three weeks apart with work," Audra explained. "If you do, things can kind of crumble. So we make that rule."

Audra also credited a few more aspects that go along that rule. "The other one is communication. Communication, communication," she added. "And you have to be friends." 

She further explained, "You have to be friends first. If you don't have the friendship base, then I don't [think] that marriages can survive."

The pair first met in 2007 while working on the Broadway revival of 110 in the Shade and made their public debut as a couple in 2009. They married in 2012 and later welcomed their daughter in 2016, blending their families from previous relationships.

The couple recently celebrated 18 years together on Valentine's Day with a sweet shoutout from Audra. "Happy Valentine’s Day to this one. Been my Valentine for 18 years now but who’s counting," she wrote with a selfie of them smiling together.

Beyond her personal life, Audra is one of Broadway’s most celebrated performers, holding a record six Tony Awards. She currently stars in The Gilded Age, alongside Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Christine Baranski, Denée Benton, Cynthia Nixon and others. 

Season 4 of the television series recently began filming, and could feature a rumoured time jump.