'Breaking Bad' Star Betsy Brandt Calls It Quits, Files For Divorce After 25 Years Of Marriage
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on December 27, 2024 at 3:00 PM EST
After more than 25 years together, "Breaking Bad" actress Betsy Brandt has officially filed for divorce from her husband, Grady Olsen. The decision comes over a year after the pair reportedly separated in August 2023.
Betsy Brandt, best known for her role as Marie Schrader in the critically acclaimed series, submitted the divorce paperwork herself—opting to file pro per, without legal representation, echoing a move seen with Jennifer Lopez earlier this year.
Betsy Brandt Files For Divorce, Citing 'Irreconcilable Differences'
Citing the standard "irreconcilable differences," Brandt revealed that she and Olsen tied the knot in September 1998. The former couple shares one minor child, a 16-year-old named August, with Brandt requesting both legal and physical custody.
As for the division of assets, Brandt acknowledged that property matters are still to be sorted, though it's unclear if a prenuptial agreement was ever in place.
Betsy Brandt Pulls A J-Lo
Betsy Brandt opted to file pro per, without legal representation, similar to what Jennifer Lopez did earlier this year when filing for divorce from Ben Affleck. The paperwork lists the couple’s date of separation as April 26, 2024, marking the end of their highly publicized rekindled romance.
Lopez and Affleck’s love story began in 2002 when they first started dating and eventually got engaged. Despite plans for a wedding, they called off their engagement and went their separate ways. Nearly two decades later, in 2021, the pair reunited and announced their second engagement in April 2022.
Three months later, they tied the knot in an intimate Las Vegas ceremony, followed by a grand celebration in Georgia just weeks after. Now, after two years of marriage, it seems the Hollywood power couple is closing the chapter on their iconic love story once again.
Why Are Celebs Filing Without Legal Representation?
While speaking to People Magazine, Marilyn Chinitz, a matrimonial partner at Blank Rome LLP, weighed in on Jennifer Lopez's decision to file for divorce without legal representation, a move referred to as pro se: "I think that she most likely just wanted to get this done, [that] there was a lot of hesitation and hemming and hawing back and forth, and it's a statement, 'I'm moving forward, I'm filing and I'm doing it on my own.'"
Chinitz suggested that Lopez and Ben Affleck have "probably been working with a mediator" behind the scenes to navigate their divorce proceedings.
California-based family law attorney David Glass also spoke to PEOPLE about Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's divorce, echoing Marilyn Chinitz's insights.
"Sometimes when people work with a mediator, they hire a neutral third party, either a retired judge or a very experienced attorney who doesn't represent either of the parties, but it helps them to mediate," Glass said. "It helps them to figure out how to split everything up."
"The mediator will prepare the pleadings for them, but they appear pro se like they're filing for themselves. And so that's probably why she's pro se, I don't think she's intending to represent herself or figure it all out," he added.
Betsy Brandt Talks 'Breaking Bad'
In 2011, Bandt opened up about her character on the hit AMC series, telling Michigan Live, "We've seen things from Marie that the audience wouldn't expect."
"I felt pretty comfortable with creator Vince Gilligan, that I could make some bold choices with my character and he wouldn't let her be just one note," she added. "There are things about her that are not likable, but not totally unlikable."
Following her breakout role on "Breaking Bad," Betsy Brandt went on to star in the CBS sitcom "Life in Pieces," where she appeared in an impressive 79 episodes from 2015 to 2019. Before that, she was a key cast member on "The Michael J. Fox Show" during its 2013-2014 run, sharing the screen with Michael J. Fox, Wendell Pierce, Katie Finneran, Juliette Goglia, Brooke Shields, and the late Anne Heche.
Brandt’s television credits also include roles in shows like "Saint X," "Masters of Sex," and "Parenthood," showcasing her versatility across genres.
Betsy Brandt Beyond The Television Screen
On the film front, Brandt has appeared in several notable projects, including the 2021 holiday comedy "The Housewives of the North Pole," where she starred alongside "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Kyle Richards.
She also played a role in the 2020 Amazon Prime thriller "Run Sweetheart Run" and appeared in the 2012 box-office hit "Magic Mike."