Who is Christiane Amanpour's ex James Rubin? CNN host called him her 'true hero'
CNN's celebrated journalist Christiane Amanpour opened up about her ovarian cancer diagnosis in a recent broadcast to millions of live viewers. The Iranian-British journalist is currently undergoing chemotherapy and addressed the boon that is early diagnosis despite the "roller coaster" ride she shares she went through ever since she got diagnosed. The news comes as heartbreaking for the prolific journalist's fans who had been left similarly rattled back in 2018 when Amanpour and her "true hero" husband of two decades split.
Amanpour was a familiar face on the television reporting from the aftermath of various disasters, such as the Haiti earthquake, the Japan tsunami, and even hurricane Katrina. At 63, Amanpour is widely celebrated for having been the chief anchorman on her own show on UK's CNN that also airs in the US on PBS. But the praises that Amapour's admirers have to shower on the journalist, is nothing compared to the way she would talk about her ex-husband Rubin, even telling Oprah Winfrey at one time that he was "the poster child for good husbands."
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Two-year-old diagnosed with rare ovarian cancer which caused a tumor as big as a grapefruit
Who is James Rubin?
Most widely known as a journalist and diplomat who served in the Clinton administration, Rubin was married to Amanpour for 20 years, from 1998 until 2018. The couple also share a son, called Darius. Rubin found fame in his illustrious career, writing for giant publications such as The New York Times, the Financial Times, and the Washington Post. The 61-year-old has also appeared as a commentator on news channels such as CNN, BBC, SKY, and MSNBC. To his ex-wife, however, Rubin is most celebrated as a "true hero", as Amanpour once told Winfrey in an interview.
Born in 1960 to Harvey and Judith Rubin, Amanpour's ex-husband graduated from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He has also served as US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs in the Clinton Administration from 1997–2000. Famous for his political columns in the Sunday Times, Rubin is currently Chair of International Policy and Strategy at Ballard Partners, based in Washington DC. He also writes on foreign policy and world affairs as a contributing editor at Politico.
Amanpour and Rubin wed in Bracciano, Italy, in August 1998. According to The New York Times, the couple met in 1997 in Bosnia. Amanpour, the chief international correspondent for CNN, was on assignment and Rubin, then the US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, was traveling with Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.
Rubin and Amanpour's divorce
Speaking about her ex-husband while they were still married, Amanpour had told Winfrey: "He was in the Clinton administration, and when that ended in 2000, my husband, a Democrat, didn't have an administration to work for. So he, my son, Darius, and I benefited from the fact that Jamie didn't have to travel much. He moved to London with me and went into private work. That's rare."
Rubin and his family returned to New York City in 2010, and they began living in a rented apartment in Manhattan's Upper West Side. Just three short years later, Amanpour and their son Darius moved back to London where they began living permanently. Five years later, in July 2018, it was announced that Rubin and Amanpour were getting divorced.
Amanpour's cancer diagnosis comes three years after she and Rubin divorced. Speaking about her ordeal, the CNN anchor told her viewers: "I've had successful major surgery to remove it, and I'm now undergoing several months of chemotherapy for the very best possible long-term prognosis, and I'm confident. Adding that it has been a "roller coaster" since her diagnosis, Amanpour told her viewers: "I'm telling you this in the interest of transparency. But in truth really mostly as a shout out to early diagnosis," she said, continuing: "To urge women to educate themselves on this disease to get all the regular screenings and scans that you can, to always listen to your body, and of course, to ensure your legitimate medical concerns are not dismissed or diminished."