Morgan Freeman and wife divorcing after 24 years


Morgan Freeman and his wife, Myrna Colley-Lee, are shown at the after party for “The Country Girl” at Tavern On the Green in NY on 4/17/08. Credit: WENN

Morgan Freeman’s life sure has been in a lot of turmoil lately. After his very serious car crash on Sunday night, Freeman and his female passenger, Demaris Meyer, were airlifted to a hospital. He had a broken arm, broken elbow, and some type of shoulder injury, resulting in surgery to reconnect nerves and fix the damage in his left arm and hand.

There was a lot of gossip wondering why Freeman was out so late at night with a woman that wasn’t his wife. While it was originally reported that Meyer was a longtime friend of Freeman’s wife (which still may be true) it could be that she’s his girlfriend. It was confirmed today that Freeman and wife Myrna Colley-Lee are getting divorced, and have been legally separated since December.

The drama continues for Dark Knight star Morgan Freeman. Days after he was involved in a serious car accident, Freeman’s business partner says the actor and his wife of 24 years, costumer Myrna Colley-Lee, have called it quits.

Mississippi-based attorney Bill Luckett tells Access Hollywood the couple “are involved in a divorce action.” Luckett adds that “for legal and practical purposes, [Freeman and Colley-Lee] have been separated since December of 2007.”

The couple met in 1976 when both were working off-Broadway. Freeman has four children: Two from a previous marriage, two from previous relationships.

The news comes as Freeman is recovering in a Memphis hospital following his car accident Sunday. His rep said the actor is “doing well” after doctor reconnected nerves and repaired damage to his left arm and hand on Monday. He is expected to be released in a few days.

[From Us Weekly]

The header photo is of the couple together this past April, well after the December date of their split. The phrasing was quite odd, “for legal and practical purposes, [Freeman and Colley-Lee] have been separated since December of 2007.” Huh? Were they split or not? If so, why phrase it that way? And why were they together at a party? Perhaps they were keeping up appearances, or broke up and reconciled a time or two. Either way, it seems pretty obvious that Demaris Meyer is probably more than just a “family friend.”

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32 Responses to “Morgan Freeman and wife divorcing after 24 years”

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  1. anastasiabeaverhausen says:

    Wow. Yeah, the timing is too weird not to be intentional. I guess the cat was out of the bag after it was reported a female passenger was with him during the wreck. Still, I wish him well.

  2. takeiteasy says:

    Yeah no kidding. Weird timing. I suspect they were seperated and trying to reconcile, until the crash and the overwhelming evidence that he has another. That’s really sad.

  3. KDRockstar says:

    And Celebitchy readers called it again… didn’t we? Or at least someone did? Or I’ve been hashing the smoke pipe too much.

  4. Syko says:

    I hope everyone comes out of this happy.

  5. giantangryrobot says:

    As an attorney, I don’t find the phrasing odd. It probably just means that they signed a legal separation agreement in December, and they also began living separately in December (as opposed to living separately for a while and then deciding at a later time to sign a formal separation agreement).

  6. Kaiser says:

    Hey, at least they made it 24 years. That’s more than everyone I know can say.

    And you know what? I wouldn’t mind being Morgan’s girlfriend. He could pick me up in his 10-year-old Nissan any time.

  7. daisy424 says:

    Kaiser,
    Because he was still married while with another woman, is he cheating? 😀

  8. Kaiser says:

    @Daisy – 🙂 Right? It’s only cheating if *somebody* gets out of her special ed class long enough to declare it so.

    Lord, we’re going to be called Morganloonies soon.

  9. elisha says:

    Oh, SNAP!

    It doesn’t say whose lawyer the “for legal and practical purposes” guy is, but I’ll bet it’s Freeman’s. Because that translates to “for legal purposes they were seperated so he wasn’t *technically cheating, and also he has to pay her less alimony”. I just wonder if Morgan bothered to tell the Missus they were seperated 🙄

    You’d think that Morgan could afford to buy his other woman something a little nicer than a ’97.

    I used to like him, but he looks just like a fmr boss of mine (you can read about that if you’re bored here)
    I know I shouldn’t hate him for something someone else did, butI can’t help it; they look so much alike. Plus this cheating stuff just sealed the deal.

  10. Kristin says:

    This was very sad to read.

  11. brent says:

    Out with the old in with the new.
    Go morgan!
    Time for the up grade.

  12. Ron says:

    Someone was Riding Miss Daisy!

  13. Mairead says:

    *clears throat*

    Homerekkkuuuuurrrrrrrr!!!!! 😮

    Ooooh it’s worse than hearing he boiled a thousand bunnehs and used little puppies and kitties to season. Evil evil evil man!!!! 👿

    *pssssst – how is my over-the-top reaction to what goes on in other consenting adults’ bedrooms coming along, lads? 😉 *

  14. daisy424 says:

    Impressive Mairead 😉

  15. Bodhi says:

    Personally, I don’t consider it cheating if the couple is legally seperated & both parties understand & agree that they are seperated, which, I assume, they would if there was a legal agreement.

    😆 Mairead

  16. Mairead says:

    :mrgreen:

    We would think that Bodhi – but we are obviously wrong as we are told, constantly, that we are – ergo, we know nuffink 😛

    it is sad that a 32 year old relationship has broken down, but at their ages surely they’ve earned the right to live out their lives any damned way they like. 😉

  17. fancyamazon says:

    This is so sad. I love Morgan Freeman, and I just hope that both he and his wife come out of this OK.

  18. czarina says:

    This is sad, not because it’s Morgan Freeman, but because this is a marriage that has survived for twenty-four years. I can’t imagine divorcing my husband after all that time (and all the patience and training I’ve put into raising him right…!LOL).
    I’m not criticizing, as I don’t know the circumstances, but it still seems very sad to give up on a marriage that must have weathered a great deal over the years.

  19. ms adamantia claus says:

    I am SO disappointed in him I dont even know where to begin.
    Really.
    Whenever I hear of someone in a relationship getting involved with a friend of the person they’re already involved it sickens me. That’s SO humilating to the person who was legitmately there. That level of betrayal is personal. And this was supposed to be her friend?
    That he’d lay up with a heartless, scumbag whore who would treat a friend like that is appalling.
    I dont care HOW much they’re in “love”.
    My heart goes out to Demaris who must be hurt beyond belief.
    Karma’s a bitch isnt it?

  20. spotshot says:

    amen ms adamantia claus.

  21. Sophie says:

    I love Morgan Freeman. Too bad he and his wife are getting divorced. I hope his health improves quickly after his accident. I really love his voice too! Everyone is right though, the timing of this whole thing is very strange and even his partners’ statement.

  22. enchantress says:

    cheating on wife = bad karma for Mr. Freeman? Or is it a “Dark Knight” curse – Christian Bale arrested, Heath Ledger dead, now Morgan and this tawdry tale? Stay tuned – same Batchannel….

  23. geronimo says:

    Where’s the cheating coming from? No one knows what’s inside someone else’s marriage. It may have been his wife who called it a day, she may have already hooked up with someone else too. 24 years is a long time, people’s needs change. Too much judging in the absence of facts. Thankfully, these two are likely to keep their business private.

  24. hear hear says:

    a big accident gives one a new outlook on life, perhaps he feels life is fragil and short, might as well leave your wife to be with someone happy.

  25. TINKERLOVE says:

    I am really disapointed in him, after all that time he should be ready to go thru hot grits to keep her, ladies beware of your female friends, remember the last three letters are END, and that will be your marriage. 😡

  26. journey says:

    dang some people get their sphincters in a knot judging other people. for all you know, certain so-called virtuous wives may have been doing the pool boy, the mailman and the grocery boy. you weren’t there you don’t know what was going on. (and i in no way mean to imply that morgan’s missus was in any way less than classy. it just gets annoying when know-nothings demonize good people because of something they read in a gossip rag.)

  27. Kaiser says:

    Seriously. Team Journey. 🙂

  28. CB Rawks says:

    Teams Journey and Geronimo!

    Mairead, I am loving the word “bunneh”! 😀

  29. ff says:

    I’d like to think they had 24 good years while together but you really can’t judge why anyone wants to dissolve a relationship, there are lots of reasons.

    I wish them the best with their lives no matter what happens.

  30. Danceroflife says:

    Why do people spend so much time looking into the bedrooms and lives of others whose life does touch theirs in any way? Get a life.

  31. czarina says:

    Danceroflife–if you didn’t like looking into the bedrooms and lives of others, why are you here??LOL!
    For years I resisted admitting how much I enjoy reading about celebs and their lives, but I finally gave up and came out to myself! (so to speak )
    I think it’s pretty harmless. The celebs (if they’re smart) don’t read these things and I don’t mind speculating about them (although I think it’s important to remember they are human beings and to try not to be hateful).

  32. faye0003 says:

    sad, but true all men cheat most of the time,smart one just don’t get caught..Mrs Freeman will be okay