Morgan Freeman’s Ex-wife Myrna Colley-Lee and Their Relationship

Morgan Freeman was once married to Myrna Colley-Lee for 26 years, but the marriage ended in an acrimonious divorce. Here are some interesting facts about her.

Myrna Colley-Lee was married to legendary actor Morgan Freeman for a long time, and their marriage lasted from 1984 to 2010. While the two enjoyed a sweet marriage, things soon deteriorated, leading to their divorce.

Many people might be familiar with Morgan, but his ex-wife Myrna has led an exciting life and is also in showbiz, just like her ex-husband.

Myrna is known for the 1985 documentary "Frederick Douglass: An American Life," where she headed the costume and wardrobe department. She also appeared in an episode of "60 Minutes" in 1968.

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

Colley-Lee and Freeman tied the knot on June 16, 1984, after having been introduced to each other by a mutual friend a few years earlier. The couple lived a relatively quiet life in Tallahatchie County in northern Mississippi.

In 2007, it was reported that the couple was getting a divorce after 26 years of being married. The reasons for the separation were not expressly stated, but rumors had it that it was due to Freeman's infidelity, which he subsequently denied.

The divorce battle continued for almost three years, and it was reported that the split could have cost Freeman nearly 100 million dollars. When the divorce was finalized, the attorney representing Freeman expressed that everyone was happy it was over.

Walking away from her marriage wasn't easy for Myrna. She didn't just give up on her marriage but stayed married to Morgan for 26 years before they eventually divorced.

Sadly, their marriage reached a point where the two couldn't save it. However, Myrna has not stopped succeeding in life. Many have continued interest in the lady who was once married to the Hollywood legend.

Before the pair went their separate ways, Myrna and Morgan were inseparable and loved spending time together. On countless occasions, Myrna was seen by Morgan's side at various events and galas.

Morgan's ex-wife cared about his family, especially his kids and grandchildren, and she's still close to them despite the divorce. Myrna and the actor once had a great connection and enjoyed doing different fun things together, like activities as a family.

Unfortunately, the bond the two shared was severed due to infidelity, which caused Myrna and Morgan's divorce. According to numerous allegations, Morgan strayed from his marriage, and Myrna couldn't take the cheating.

The one who eventually decided to call it quits was Morgan's devoted wife, Myrna. This is after she allegedly endured years of dealing with Morgan's lifestyle of infidelity and trying her best to make their marriage work. She eventually decided to end her marriage of 26 years, which wasn't an easy decision for her.

A FAMILY TRAGEDY

Throughout her marriage to Morgan, Myrna had no children of her own. However, she was close to Morgan's children from his former marriage to Jeannette Adair Bradshaw and his other relationship before they married.

Myrna was particularly close to Morgan's step-granddaughter E'dena Hines whom she and the actor adopted and raised. Sadly, tragedy struck when Hines's boyfriend, Lamar Davenport, stabbed her multiple times while under the influence of drugs.

During Davenport's trial, his mother claimed his actions were an accident and shouted obscenities at Morgan, blaming him for having a hand in Hines's death because he molested her. The star denied all allegations and called them untrue.

Through it all, Myrna's love for Hines was apparent, and she even visited Hines's apartment where the murder had been committed.

SHE LOVES ART

Morgan Freeman's ex-wife is not only an art enthusiast but is also keen on creating and curating art. Her love for the arts has seen her serving on various boards that seek to preserve the love and future of the arts.

She once served as the commissioner for the Mississippi Arts Commission. Her art collection and presentation are said to reflect her appreciation for different traditions and to look for the point of intersection.

In 2017, Myrna helped organize an art gallery at the Columbus Museum in Georgia that focused solely on Afro-American lives.

SHE IS WELL READ

Aside from being a lover of the arts, Myrna is also well read. She has a bachelor's degree in art education from the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina. She later studied scene painting and properties at Brooklyn College, New York.

Myrna Colley-Lee did not have children of her own

In 1980, Morgan's ex-wife attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where she got her master's degree in scenic and costume design. After her education, she worked as a costume and scene designer.

SHE WAS A COSTUME DESIGNER

After furthering her education and obtaining exceptional grades, Myrna became a costume designer. She applied her outstanding accomplishments during her higher education by creating a great career for herself as a costume and set designer for numerous productions.

According to Famous People, Myrna has worked for TV, films and even theatrical productions designing costumes for them. Some of her work was in "Forest City," "The Piano Lesson," and "Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story In Black And White."

SHE'S A PHILANTHROPIST

Besides being a costume and set designer, Morgan Freeman's ex-wife is also a philanthropist. The 81-year-old may have walked away with a considerable fortune after the divorce, but she's still an active philanthropist.

The North Carolina native loves to give her time to worthy causes. She offers her energy and time to organizations such as The Mississippi State University Department of Art and The Rock River Foundation.

Myrna loves spreading love and sharing her kindness with the world in whatever way she can. The 81-year-old's kindness goes way beyond just her sharing it with the mentioned organizations.

She also shows it to those close to her heart. Myrna even shows compassion to her ex-husband Morgan Freeman's extended family members, with whom she has remained close.