Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Michelle Pfeifferand David E. Kelley’s relationship had a unique start.
“So we had this child with us right away, and most people don’t have that. But I really got to see [Kelley] in a situation that certainly would separate the boys from the men. Obviously, he really rose to the occasion,” Pfeiffer toldGood Housekeepingin 2007. “We both got tosee each other as parentsbefore we progressed in our relationship together and, in a strange way, it took the pressure off, as a couple.”
She continued, “It was sort of perfectly timed. I mean, it’s a real testament to the kind of person he is, but also to the fact that sometimes the traditional way of doing things isn’t always the best way.”
The coupletied the knotin November 1993 and Kelley officially adopted Claudia that same year. The following year, they welcomed their son,John Henry.
His father is a famous hockeyplayer and coach
Kelley’s father, Jack Kelley, is amember of the United States Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
He played hockey for Boston University, leading his team to the NCAA finals in 1950 and 1951. He also competed on an AHAUS (AmateurHockeyAssociation of the United States) team. The elder Kelley eventually returned to Boston University to coach the Terriers for 10 years.
He went to Princeton University
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Kelleyattended Princeton University, where he studied politics and played on the men’s ice hockey team.
After graduating in 1979, he continued his education atBoston University School of Law, where he received a Juris Doctor. He went on to work for a Boston law firm in the litigation department.
He is a television writer
Michael Kovac/Getty
While working as a lawyer, Kelley began writing the screenplay for a legal thriller, which would eventually become the 1987 filmFrom the Hip.
The script also caught the attention ofL.A. Lawwriter Steven Bochco. Kelley was brought onto the show as a writer and eventually took over the reins as the head writer. “[Bochco] invited me out to do an episode in summer 1986. From the very first story meeting, I felt, ‘This is where I’m meant to be,’ " Kelley said.
In the years since, Kelley has become one of the most prolific television writers and producers. His list of credits includesDoogie Howser, M.D.,Picket Fences,The Practice,Ally McBeal,The Undoing,Anatomy of a Scandal,Big Little Lies,Big Sky,andNine Perfect Strangers— to name a few. In 2014, he was inducted into theTelevision Academy Hall of Fame.
In his 36-year career, Kelley has earned30 Emmy nominationsand taken home 11 wins.
He met Pfeiffer on a blind date
Kypros/Getty
Kelley met Pfeiffer in January 1993 after being set up on a blind date.
“I was kind of nervous … and I’d had a couple of bad blind dates and I had sworn off of them, and my best friend said, ‘Please, just this last time, meet this guy, David Kelley,’ and I said okay,” Pfeiffer shared during an appearance onThe Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. “I thought it was a good idea to do like a bowling party.”
At a group dinner before the party, Pfeiffer recalled that Kelley had been “chatting it up” with her sister.
The actress continued, “I say to my best friend ‘I think I should set Dedee [Pfeiffer’s sister] up with him they seem to be really hitting it off.’ My friend said, ‘Don’t you dare I will kill you.’ "
“It didn’t start off great,” she joked, adding that it all worked out in the end.
He and Pfeiffer have been married for 30 years
Kelley and Pfeifferwere married on Nov. 13, 1993.
In 2012, Pfeiffer toldParademagazinethat she “chose really well with David.”
“I got really lucky,” she said. “I never take him for granted. I’ve never met a person who has more integrity than my husband. I respect that. There’s his humor and intelligence, too, and he’s really cute, all those things — but if you don’t respect your partner, you’ll get sick of him.”
He shares two children with Pfeiffer
Jason Merritt/FilmMagic
Before meeting Kelley, Pfeiffer had entered into private adoption proceedings. She officiallyadopted her daughterClaudia Rose in March 1993, just two months after meeting Kelley. That same year, the couple tied the knot and Kelley adopted Claudia.
Of watching their daughter grow up, Pfeiffer toldGood Housekeepingin 2007, “Boy, there’s nothing typical about my girl. She’s a force to be reckoned with, and an amazing human being.” The proud mom continued, “I wanted her to be a really independent, outspoken young woman, and I sure got that! She’s also very creative and inquisitive. And what’s exciting about this age is that she’s really coming into her own. She’s everything I’d hoped she would be.”
In August 1994, Kelley and Pfeiffer welcomed a son, John Henry Kelley.
“#TBT. 1994. Me preggers. Like so many, missing my kids and wishing they were here with me 💜,” Pfeiffercaptioned the post.
The couple prefer to keep their children out of the spotlight, however, the actress did share arare pictureof her now-adult daughter on Instagram in 2021.
He and Pfeiffer choose not to work together
While both Kelley and Pfeiffer have successful Hollywood careers, they do not work with each other on projects, which is a choice Pfeiffer has been candid about.
Of their decision to keep their home life separate from their work lives, PfeiffertoldThe New Yorker, “I’ve seen a lot of couples where they seem to have a really great marriage, and then they work together and next year they’re filing for divorce.”
In early 2022, Pfeiffer appeared onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she spoke again about her marriage and her decision not to get involved with her husband’s projects.
“Nobody writes, honestly, better for women than he does,” Pfeiffer said. “It’s unbelievable. And yet, I value our relationship more than a good part, and I just think it’s too risky.”
She added, “We’re both kind of fierce when we work, and so if I come home and I’ve had a bad day, and I’m upset about something, I want him to be on my side because he hasn’t heard the other side … There’s value in that.”
His life with Pfeiffer has inspired some of his storylines
Although Kelley does not work with his movie star wife, his life with her and their kids does inspire his work. During an April 2022 appearance onLive with Kelly and Ryan, Pfeiffer shared that Kelley oncedrew inspiration from their kids' childhood experiencewith head lice for one of his shows.
“I watch certain characters and I think to myself, ‘I bet he wrote that for Michelle,’ " hostKelly Ripasaid to Pfeiffer
“One of them got hair lice in elementary school,” Pfeiffer explained. “And it took three of us working on this kid’s head to get rid of these nits.”
She continued, “And I turned to [Kelley] and said, ‘If I see this in one of these shows!’ And of course, it was in one of his shows.”
source: people.com
