Lance Bass’s husband, Michael Turchin, isn’t just the man who stole the NSYNC star’s heart. He’s the visual artist, actor, and twin dad who helped make LGBTQ+ history. When the couple said “I do” in 2014, their wedding became the first same-sex marriage ever televised on a major American cable network. More than a decade later, Lance Bass and Michael Turchin are still going strong, raising twins and speaking openly about the fight for equality. Here’s everything you need to know about the man Lance Bass calls his partner in life.
Who Is Michael Turchin?
Michael Turchin is a visual artist and actor born on January 14, 1987, in Miami Beach, Florida. He comes from a prominent South Florida family. His father, Bobby Turchin, was a general contractor and developer with the Turchin Companies, and his grandfather, Robert L. Turchin Sr., built over 100 major buildings across the region.
Turchin graduated from Georgetown University before studying acting at Los Angeles’s prestigious Stella Adler School. He’s appeared in minor film and television roles, including Alien Abduction (2014), Isolation (2011), and First Period (2013). But his creative work extends beyond acting. He’s also a visual artist, a passion he’s continued to pursue throughout his marriage.
And yes, there’s a twin connection in his family too. Michael has a twin sister, Lauren, who shares his January 14 birthday. That twin bond made it especially meaningful when he and Lance later welcomed their own twins.
How Lance Bass and Michael Turchin Met
The couple’s love story started at a birthday party in Palm Springs in 2010. Lance, then 31, was immediately drawn to Michael. As he later recalled, “Right away, I knew I wanted to get to know him. I was very attracted to him and I thought he was sweet, but I just wasn’t sure how interested he was in me.”
They became friends first. “We were attracted and became best friends before anything got romantic,” Lance told The New York Times. They started dating in December 2011.
Michael remembered the early days with warmth. “Lance makes me laugh 20 times a day,” he said. “We support each other and travel everywhere together.” Lance added simply, “We never fight and remain best friends.”
The Proposal and the Historic Wedding
Lance proposed in September 2013, just after *NSYNC reunited for a performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. He did it the old-fashioned way: he asked Michael’s family for permission first. “After a resounding and supportive ‘yes’ from Michael’s parents, Lance proposed.”
The proposal wasn’t perfect or glamorous, but it did the trick.
On December 20, 2014, Lance Bass and Michael Turchin were married at the Legendary Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The 15-minute ceremony was witnessed by 300 guests. Both men were given away by their mothers. The ceremony included a canopy in honor of Michael’s Jewish heritage, while also incorporating traditions from Lance’s Southern Baptist upbringing.
Their *NSYNC bandmates were there. JC Chasez sang Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” for the couple’s first dance, Joey Fatone served as ring bearer, and Chris Kirkpatrick attended.
But what made the wedding truly historic came two months later. On February 5, 2015, E! aired Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding, making it the first same-sex wedding between two men ever broadcast on an American television network.
The couple nearly said no to filming it. “At first, we did not want to do it at all. We were like, reality TV… it’s the kiss of death,” Michael recalled. “And then we realized there’s a bigger purpose. It’s not about us; it’s about showing this.”
Welcoming Twins: Alexander and Violet
After years of trying, Lance and Michael welcomed their twins via surrogate on October 13, 2021. Their son, Alexander James, arrived first, followed one minute later by their daughter, Violet Betty.
The journey to parenthood was not easy. Lance had spoken openly about years of surrogacy attempts, failed IVF treatments, and a miscarriage before the twins finally arrived.
Michael had always wanted the twin experience. “I like my sister, we were best friends and that was the cool part growing up – I always had a best friend with me all the time,” he explained.
The couple has shared glimpses of their family life on social media, though they’ve become more protective as the political climate has shifted. In 2025, they began hiding the faces of their children on social media, citing concerns about the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights.
A Marriage Built on Partnership
Ten years after their wedding, Lance and Michael reflected on what keeps their relationship strong. “Marriage is all about partnership,” Michael told Love Inc. “At the end of the day, it’s just a piece of paper, yet many people stay in a relationship just because they don’t want to break a contract. We’ve never looked at it that way. It’s a partnership, and it’s always going to be. We choose each other every day and keep each other happy.”
Lance described how their love has evolved. “I think the evolution of our love, it’s become more of a partnership,” he said. “I finally found someone that I can say is my partner in life. I love him dearly. But it goes beyond that.”
They’ve also spoken about how becoming parents deepened their bond. In 2023, Lance told Us Weekly that raising twins together had strengthened their marriage.
Why Their Story Matters
When Lance Bass came out publicly in a 2006 People interview, he was one of the most prominent former boy band members to do so. When he married Michael Turchin in 2014, same-sex marriage wasn’t yet legal nationwide. That would come months later, in June 2015, with the Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision.
Their decision to televise their wedding was deliberate. “It has been a fight to have equality for everyone else, and being a public figure—a gay public figure—it was important for us to share our message of love,” Lance explained. “You really don’t change your opinion until you know a gay person.”
A decade later, the couple remains vocal about the work still ahead. “I did not think in 2025 we’d still be fighting. It’s ridiculous,” Lance said. “The pendulum swung forward, and now it’s swinging back. But the amount of hate we feel today? It’s worse than 10 years ago. This is the first time I’ve actually felt danger, and I didn’t feel that 10 years ago.”
For Michael, the response is simple. “[The LGBTQ+ community] is a very strong community. A community of fighters.”
Their marriage, their family, and their continued advocacy are all part of the same story: a story about choosing love, living visibly, and refusing to back down.
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