Behind every great man, there's a woman... but you may not always know who she is.

Many celebrity wives behind famous actors and athletes hide from the limelight even though they likely have a profound influence on their husbands' lives and happiness.

We take a closer look at several famous actors and athletes, including Jeff Bridges, Kobe Bryant, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey Jr. and Matt Damon, to find who their lesser known wife is and how the pair first met.