Joshua Malina and Melissa Merwin are parting ways. Merwin, 61, has filed for divorce from the ‘West Wing’ actor, 58, after nearly 28 years of marriage, according to court documents obtained by TMZ on August 5.
Merwin cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split, but did not specify a separation date. She has requested spousal support but not child support, as their two children, Isabel, 26, and Avi, 22, are both adults.
The couple met in 1992 through Merwin’s sister Jennifer and former brother-in-law Timothy Busfield, and they married in December 1996. Despite their long relationship, they kept their personal lives mostly private, with only occasional mentions on social media. For instance, Malina shared a birthday tribute to Merwin in July 2022, calling her “the love of my life” on Instagram.
In a 2015 post, Joshua Malina shared a photo of Melissa Merwin arranging flowers at her store, describing her as his “beautiful wife.”
Aside from his role on The West Wing, Malina is known for his performances in Scandal, Sports Night, In Plain Sight, and The Big Bang Theory. He has also guest-starred on various TV shows, including American Horror Story, Shameless, This Is Us, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Malina’s theater career includes a notable Broadway debut in Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Me in 1998. In 2023, he returned to Broadway in Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt.
Reflecting on his background, Malina told Bond Official, “I grew up in New Rochelle, Westchester County, the suburbs of Manhattan. It was a lovely place to live. One great perk of being so close to the city was seeing many outstanding theaters on and off-Broadway. Sitting in the audience fueled my desire to get up on stage myself. I always seized any opportunity to act.” He also mentioned, “Returning to Broadway for the first time since A Few Good Men in 1989 is an absolute thrill, and it feels like coming home.”