‘West Wing’ Star Joshua Malina’s Wife Melissa Merwin Files for Divorce After Nearly 28 Years of Marriage
It's over for Joshua Malina and Melissa Merwin.
Merwin, 61, filed for divorce from the West Wing actor, 58, after nearly 28 years of marriage, according to court documents obtained by TMZ on Monday, August 5.
In the documents, Merwin cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the longtime couple's split; however, she did not provide a date of separation, according to the outlet. Additionally, Merwin – who is best known for her work as a costume designer on productions like Fallen, Ellen and Point of No Return – requested spousal support from Malina.
She did not request child support, as the former couple's two kids are adults. Together they share daughter Isabel, 26, and son Avi, 22.
The Cast of ‘The West Wing’: Where Are They Now?
The duo met through Merwin's sister Jennifer Merwin and former brother-in-law Timothy Busfield in 1992. They tied the knot in December 1996.
Though they were together for almost three decades, the estranged spouses mostly kept their relationship out of the spotlight, save for a few rare posts on Malina's social media accounts.
"Happy bday to my Maine gal, and the love of my life," the actor wrote via Instagram in July 2022.
In another post from 2015, Malina shared a sweet snap of Merwin putting together floral arrangements at her store, calling her his "beautiful wife."
In addition to West Wing, Malina is best known for his roles on Scandal, Sports Night, In Plain Sight and The Big Bang Theory. He has also guest-starred on numerous TV series, including American Horror Story, Shameless, This Is Us, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and more.
Malina is also a celebrated theater actor, making his debut on Broadway in Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men in 1998.
Celebrity Splits of 2024: Stars Who Have Called It Quits This Year
In 2023, he made his return to Broadway in Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt.
"I grew up in New Rochelle, in Westchester county — the suburbs of Manhattan. It was a lovely place to live," he told Bond Official at the time. "One great perk of being so close to the city was seeing many outstanding theaters on and off-Broadway. Sitting in the audience fed my desire to get up on stage myself. I always threw myself into any opportunity to act."
He added, "Returning to Broadway for the first time since appearing in Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men in 1989 is an absolute thrill, and it does feel like a return to home."
