Despite their divorce, Marc Silverstein remained one of Busy Philipps' closest sources of support as she faced a rare brain tumor, two surgeries, and a frightening recovery.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleBusy Philipps has opened up about one of the scariest times of her life when she found out from doctors that she had a rare brain tumor. Her ex-husband, Marc Silverstein, was right there with her through it all.
The 47-year-old actress said she underwent two operations after a routine scan in February 2026 revealed a grade 2 oligodendroglioma in her frontal lobe. While the diagnosis came as a shock, Philipps said her ex-husband became an important source of support as she navigated the terrifying situation.
Philipps and Silverstein had already been separated for years by the time the health crisis unfolded. However, their long history and shared responsibility as parents to daughters Birdie, 18, and Cricket, 13, meant Silverstein remained close to Philipps during the ordeal.
Philipps initially underwent a full-body MRI, after which she discovered something was wrong. The actress says she had no obvious symptoms of a brain tumor, but the scan revealed a lesion that required further testing. When she learned the lesion was a real tumor and needed to be removed, she immediately reached out to Silverstein. In a text exchange, she told him, "OMG I have a brain tumor." Silverstein reportedly responded in disbelief, asking what she meant. She revealed:
"The texts to my ex-husband are comical. While I was on the phone with Dr. Donlan, I texted Marc, 'OMG I have a brain tumor.' And he wrote back, 'Busy, what? What are you saying? What are you talking about?' I was like, 'It looks fine. It’s probably benign. I don't know.'"
When it became clear that surgery was necessary, Silverstein accompanied Philipps to the hospital for the approximately five-hour procedure on March 2, 2026. Doctors removed the 2.6-centimeter mass and later determined that it was an oligodendroglioma, a rare type of malignant brain tumor that is generally slow-growing.
Philipps recovered quickly from the first operation, but her health battle was far from over. In April 2026, she developed a staph infection around the surgical incision. She eventually needed a second operation to clean the infection and remove a small titanium tack from her skull.
The setback was emotionally difficult for the actress, who said the second surgery made her feel as though she had returned to square one. Despite everything, Philipps remained grateful that the tumor was discovered early. "I'm thankful to be alive," she said, adding that the last six months have been "the weirdest" of her life.
Philipps and Silverstein married in 2007 and welcomed two daughters together. But their 14-year marriage faced difficulties long before they publicly announced their separation.
In 2019, Philipps revealed that she had seriously considered divorcing Silverstein because she felt she was carrying too much of the parenting responsibility. She recalled telling him she was ready to leave and making it clear that she needed him to become more involved at home. Silverstein responded by taking on a larger role with their children, including handling mornings and bedtimes, as well as preparing meals.
The couple managed to create a system that worked better for their family, but their relationship eventually changed. In 2022, Philipps revealed on her podcast that she and Silverstein had already been separated for a "really long time." She said they had initially separated in February of the previous year and had kept the matter private to protect their children. The actress said at that time: "We love each other very much."
Although Philipps and Silverstein are no longer married, her recent health battle shows that their connection as family members remains strong. The former couple has continued to co-parent Birdie and Cricket, while Philipps has remained candid about the importance of giving her children privacy.
During her brain tumor battle, Philipps also leaned heavily on close friends, including Michelle Williams, who helped care for her during recovery. She says she no longer needs chemotherapy or radiation but will undergo regular scans to monitor for recurrence.
Philipps and Silverstein's marriage may have long ended, but the former couple is proof that divorce doesn't necessarily mean the end of a family's bond.
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