What happened with Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney? Actors’ past relationship and divorce explored

Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney during "God Grew Tired of Us" Los Angeles Premiere - Source: Getty
Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney during "God Grew Tired of Us" Los Angeles Premiere - Source: Getty

Throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, Dermot Mulroney and Catherine Keener were one of Hollywood’s lasting couples. The pair met in the late 1980s and married in November 1990, beginning a marriage that lasted nearly 17 years (Today).

They share a son, Clyde Keener Mulroney, born in 1999, who has largely stayed out of the limelight despite his parents’ fame.

The well-known American actor Dermot Mulroney recently filed for divorce from his current wife, Prima Apollinaare, after being married for 14 years. As the divorce process continues, people and the general media are now showing interest in Mulroney’s past relationship with Catherine Keener.

During their marriage, both Mulroney and Keener continued to work steadily in their respective movies. Dermot Mulroney played major roles in several romcoms such as My Best Friend’s Wedding and The Wedding Date.

On the other hand, Catherine Keener focused more on indie films, though her mainstream credits include Being John Malkovich, Capote, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. The pair even worked together, co-starring in the 2001 indie movie Lovely & Amazing (IMDb).

But their relationship ended in 2005 after the couple split following 15 years of marriage. Mulroney, in turn, officially filed for divorce in 2007, citing irreconcilable differences. The actor was requesting joint custody of their son, according to court papers. Their breakup was resolved privately. According to People, no spousal or child support was ordered, and their divorce was finalized in December 2007.

A look into Catherine Keener's early career and legacy

Catherine Keener took her first acting class by accident. Keener was born in Miami, Florida, and raised in Hialeah, Florida. She was from a family of Irish and Lebanese descent.

According to Filmibeat, after a period of rebellion in high school that eventually got her kicked out, she later raised her grades sufficiently to enroll in Wheaton College in Massachusetts. She majored in English and history and took an acting class as an elective since she couldn’t get into the photography class.

She graduated in 1983 and then moved to New York City, where she worked as a casting assistant. Catherine Keener followed her mentor Gail Eisenstadt to Los Angeles, transitioning from journalism to acting while also pursuing her work as a casting director.

Her first screen appearance was in a one-line part in About Last Night (1986). According to IMDb, she eventually got her first big breakthrough with a part opposite Brad Pitt in Johnny Suede (1991).

She was nominated for her first Academy Award for her work in Being John Malkovich (1999). Her career continued with a second Oscar nomination for Capote (2005). She also played memorable roles in movies such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Interpreter, and Into the Wild.

Catherine Keener has always maintained a low profile in her personal life by never getting into any sort of controversies. She is still said to be good friends with other industry legends such as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston.

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Edited by Ritika Pal