What You Didn't Know About Glenn Close's Ex-Husbands
If you've seen "Fatal Attraction," "101 Dalmatians," or "The Wife," then you know who we're talking about when we mention Glenn Close. If you don't, then you either live under a rock (no offense) or you're just not a fan of good Hollywood work. Either way, Close is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated star, with almost 100 acting credits to this day, per IMDb.
While Close has been in showbiz since the mid-1970s, making herself one of the most well-known stars out in history, there's still a lot you might not know about her. For instance, were you aware the Connecticut native has walked down the aisle multiple times in her life? Though she's not currently married, she was previously wed to her ex-husbands, David Evans Shaw, James Marlas, and Cabot Wade.
These days, Close is more interested in focusing on her professional life rather than dating. Even though she told Parade that "it'd be wonderful to have somebody to, you know, look at the sunset with and do stuff with," she's just fine being on her own in her 70s. "I must say, at this point in my life, I don't want to be invaded in certain ways," the film icon shared with the outlet in April 2021. "I feel great about myself." To learn more about Close's ex-husbands, keep scrolling.
Glenn Close's first husband has been kept off the radar
Glenn Close experienced love in her life long before she got her first taste of Hollywood fame and superstardom. The "Hillbilly Elegy" actor reportedly walked down the aisle for the first time with a man named Jack Roose, but there's little information about their former marriage. In fact, many outlets hold off from even mentioning Roose, however, YourTango reported they were married in 1965 and divorced by 1968.
The "Dangerous Liaisons" star's second — but recognized by many as her first — spouse was Cabot Wade, a professional musician and guitarist. The two formed a singing troupe in 1969, and they wed that same year when Close was just 22 years old. Their union ended two years later in 1971, and looking back, the star told People in 1987 that she ended it because he "manipulated and used" her.
Close also opened up to Parade about her two-year relationship with Wade, telling the outlet she blamed her "weird upbringing" on the nuptials. Because she was raised in a "cult-like" lifestyle as part of a group called Moral Re-Armament from ages 7 to 22, she wasn't totally aware with the gravity of her decisions. "I think that was basically an arranged marriage, actually," Close shared in April 2021. "[But] that's a whole other story."
After two failed marriages, Glenn Close gave love a shot for a third and fourth time
After parting ways with Cabot Wade, Glenn Close spent the next decade fixated on her profession. Rising in the ranks, she snagged roles in 1979's "Too Far to Go," 1982's "The Elephant Man," and 1983's "The Big Chill." In 1984, however, she said "I do" once again to James Marlas, a financial services company executive.
Instead of acting like Close, Marlas was a businessman, who founded the Union Capital Corporation in 1968, per YourTango. Similar to her former marriages, it didn't last long, and the two split by 1987. "Too many women define themselves in terms of a man," Close told People following the divorce. "Look at me. In my marriages, I was like an amoeba."
While Close held off from walking down the aisle for the next two decades, she was romantically involved with John H. Starke. The former couple welcomed their daughter, Annie Starke, in 1988, but they called it quits before they ever had the chance to say "I do." However, Close got hitched for the final time in 2006 to David Evans Shaw.
The actor and the managing partner of Black Point Group enjoyed nearly 10 years of marriage for quietly divorcing in 2015. "They've been separated for some time, and things are amicable between them," a source told Page Six, with her publicist later confirming the divorce to the outlet.
Glenn Close attributes 'emotional and psychological' childhood trauma for failed relationships
It's been more than five years since Glenn Close ended her last marriage with David Evans Shaw, but it seems the Golden Globe winner is in no rush to give away her heart once again. Though Close would have no qualms if the man of her dreams came knocking on her door, she has an understanding why her former romances didn't work out.
During a candid conversation for Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry's mental health docuseries, "The Me You Can't See," in May 2021, Close attributed her childhood trauma to her unsuccessful romances. The actor said because of the "emotional and psychological" devastation she experienced being involved in the religious and musical cult the Moral Re-Armament as a child, she's been unable to connect to a lover.
"I have not been successful in my relationships and finding a permanent partner and I am sorry about that," she explained (via Today). "I think it is our natural state to be connected like that. I don't think you ever change your trigger points, but at least you can be aware of them and maybe avoid situations that might make you vulnerable, especially in relationships."