Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli are parting ways and ending their marriage.
Wiley and Morelli Part Ways
The couple announced in a statement to Out: “After nine years together we have decided to end our marriage, however, our lifelong commitment to co-parenting will forever remain.”
They were “amicably filing for divorce on Friday,” stated a rep for the 38-year-old Emmy-winning actress and the 43-year-old TV writer/director.
The pair will continue to co-parent their daughter, George Elizabeth.
Their Love Story
Wiley and Morelli first met in December 2012 during the production of Orange is the New Black. Wiley starred in the series, while Morelli was a writer.
At the time of the meeting, Morelli was married to Steve Basilone, though they later divorced in 2014.
Then, the two women started dating each other, and just two years later, in 2016, they were engaged. The couple shared the tender moment on Instagram, with a post of them smiling and Wiley showing off the ring on her finger. The caption said, “Yes.”
During 2016, Wiley and Morelli were also featured in Out’s Love Issue, featuring LGBTQ+ couples.
During the interview, Morelli said, “I had started questioning my sexuality as a result of being in the [Orange is the New Black] writers’ room and talking about all the themes on the show. I was still very confused, but I knew the attraction between us felt magnetic.”
Wiley also shared her experience with Out, stating, “I think — I know — I would not be where I am without Lauren. When I was first being thrust into the public eye, I wouldn’t talk about my orientation. Being with Lauren taught me self-love.”
A year later, the couple married in March 2017 in Palm Springs, California. After being married for a few years, Morelli gave birth to their daughter, George Elizabeth, on April 11, 2021.
Recent Projects
In recent years, the pair have been busy.
Wiley starred in The Handmaid’s Tale, winning an Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2018. She was nominated three other times for the role.
Morelli is currently an executive producer on the upcoming Netflix series The Altruists, focusing on cryptocurrency fraudsters Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison.